Puente Hills Preserve
Wildlife Camera Study
If you are a frequent visitor to the Puente Hills Preserve you may have noticed the wildlife cameras that began to spring up along the hiking trails back in December 2019. These small, motion triggered cameras are part of a year-long study to investigate the relationship between wildlife and recreational use patterns across the Preserve. With these cameras, and the data they collect, we hope to better understand what species of wildlife inhabit the Preserve, where certain species are occurring, and what times of the day they are active. We are also intere
sted in learning more about how recreational activities on the Preserve might influence wildlife behavior.
Habitat Authority volunteers are an integral component of the study; after completing a training program led by Ecologist Michelle Mariscal, volunteers then assist by servicing the cameras in the field and processing the digital images that are collected. Funding for the cameras and equipment was generously donated to the Habitat Authority in the memory of Judy Hathaway-Francis, long-time supporter of the Habitat Authority and advocate for the Preserve.
Spring is in the air, and although the Preserve is currently closed to human visitors due to Covid-19 concerns, the wildlife cameras remain on the trails collecting data on wildlife activity. We are quite interested to see what the animals have been up to while having the Preserve all to themselves during this time and look forward to sharing that information with you in the future!
