Surveys are being conducted in the Wash this spring for the endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat and Least Bell’s vireo, and the Western spadefoot toad, which is under review for listing as an endangered species.
The assessments are being conducted to record and monitor the presence of these species in the Wash, which will also help to determine the health and diversity of habitat areas. This work is being coordinated in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
Staff joined USGS team members earlier this month for surveys of spadefoot toads and found no evidence of them on District lands, but the USGS did find a population of them on nearby lands outside of the Wash.
The kangaroo rat and Least Bell’s vireo surveys, coordinated by the USFWS and CDFW, will help establish a more precise baseline from which to measure the success of the District’s habitat conservation work in the future.