Deer Release

Here's the video I forgot to put in my post a few days ago--I've been out of town without internet access (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!). 

I love how the deer immediately knows to run and get away from those humans who were taking rectal temperatures and other stuff.

Some Mojave Plants

The Mojave Desert has some really neat plants, and when I recently visited to help with a deer capture, I couldn't help but stop and admire some of the plant inhabitants. One of our deer capture sites was on Cima Dome, which reportedly has the largest and densest Joshua tree forest in the world. The Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) are amazing.

This Joshua tree still has its large seed pods from last year. The Joshua tree "leaves" are very sharp. It's not a tree you would want to run into! (Of course, there probably aren't many trees you want to run into.)

Here's a large cactus nearby. It's in the genus Opuntia, but I'm not certain of the species, so if anyone knows please leave a comment. Surrounding it are a lot of bushes, most without leaves because it's winter. I was continually surprised in Mojave National Preserve by the amount of ground cover--there were more bushes and grasses than in many spots in the Great Basin Desert.

This cholla cactus (Opuntia sp.) is easily identifiable to genus due to its upright, branching form. But there are more than 20 species found in North America, so getting it down to species can take a little more time. After a cholla cactus dies, it leaves behind an interesting skeleton with a pattern of lots of little holes.

Here's an overview of the plant communities up on Cima Dome. Cima Dome, by the way, is a huge granitic pluton that has pushed up out of the earth and then eroded away in a very symmetrical manner, leaving a gentle rise in the land. It's marked on a lot of maps, but unless you know what you're looking for, it's easy to overlook. 

In the middle of the preserve are some burned Joshua trees. A 70,000-acre wildfire changed the landscape several years ago.

At our second deer capture site a well was raising water for this trough. To see what animals use it, a wildlife camera was installed on the pole. Whenever something passes in front of the infrared beam, the camera snaps a picture. 

At lower elevations, creosote bushes (Larrea tridentata) were everywhere. They have a wonderful smell, especially after a desert rain.

Many of the roads in Mojave National Preserve are gravel, but wide. The distances are long, but the views along the way are spectacular.

This crazy-looking Joshua tree was right next to the road. I always like the Joshua trees that twist a lot!

At our third site we found a lot of Fremont's barberry (Mahonia fremontii), a plant with holly-like leaves but with sharp points. The bushes grew big and round and it hurt to walk next to them. 
An easy distinguishable plant is the desert trumpet (Eriogonum inflatum). The stems have the bulbous growths just below the joints. 

This yucca is another spiky plant out in the Mojave. The spikes help protect it from being grazed and thus are a way for it to ensure its survival and reproduction.

This Joshua tree fell over but was able to keep growing--just from a different angle.

Seeing all these different plants makes me excited for my next trip into the Mojave!

Capturing Deer in Mojave National Preserve Part II

Yesterday we went through the steps of what a deer capture entails. Today we'll fill in some more of the details. Although I didn't get to ride in the helicopter in the air, they let me get in to pose for a photo. I can imagine that being the gunner would be a very interesting job--but also a cold one. Most mornings when we started, the temperatures were below freezing, and a cold wind blew all day.

After the nets are deployed, they are collected and brought back and have to be repacked. The first step is to lie them flat and get all the sticks and cactus spines out of them.

Then they are held in a special way so they can be packed into the little orange box, which fits the net gun.

The final step is to put some masking tape over the top. Then the net is reloaded and ready to go.

We captured deer at three locations, and our second location was next to an outcropping of granite rocks. While I was waiting for a deer, I scampered around the rocks and managed to get this fun picture of the helicopter flying out in the distance.

Here's a view of the helicopter bringing  in a deer next to the outcropping. The rocks provided a bit of a windbreak, and they soaked up the sun so we could find a few warm spots next to them. Although the Mojave Desert is warmer than the Great Basin Desert, it can still be quite chilly in winter!

This is a view of the processing area from up on the rocks. The tarp that's stretched out is where we took the deer.

At the second and third locations, we were able to release the deer from the processing sites. This was probably the most dangerous part of the operation for us on the processing teams, because the deer could be unpredictable. For the release, three people held the deer, one at the head, and two on the body. The feet were unhobbled, the blindfold removed, and on the count of three, the deer was released.

As the people moved back, the deer bolted upright.

This particular deer was very energetic, and after bouncing up, bounced back down.

But then she found her balance and was running off.
She ran until she was out of sight. The video shows a release from our third site, which was in a Joshua tree forest. 

Capturing Deer in Mojave National Preserve

Last week I had the opportunity to go to Mojave National Preserve and learn about capturing deer. They are in the second year of a ten year  project to learn more about where mule deer go in the preserve and what water sources they use. This year, 30 deer were slated to be captured and outfitted with radio- and satellite-tracking collars. 

The project involved a lot of people: the National Park Service, California Fish and Game, University of Nevada-Reno, and University of California-Davis. We started with a safety briefing and a description of the overall project. We were also assigned tasks. Some people have been doing this for decades, while others are brand new. I was assigned to one of the deer processing teams.

To capture the deer, the gunner uses this specialized net gun to shoot a net from about 20 feet over a deer while hanging out of the helicopter. There are lead weights on the four corners of the net, which ensure that it billows out to be more likely to trap the deer.

Here's the helicopter in action, with the gunner out on the skids. The mule deer were most often found near juniper or joshua trees.

After deer had been netted, the helicopter returned to get the baggers. These were two experienced people who removed the net, hobbled and blindfolded the deer, and prepared it for transport.

The deer was transported in a canvas bag and then lowered into the back of the truck. The truck drove a short distance to the processing area.

On this trip, two deer were transported, one in the yellow bag and one in the blue bag. 

The first processing step was to weigh the deer. The ones I saw weighed between 55 and 62 kg. Only does were captured.

Next the team took the bag off the deer. Most of the deer were relatively calm during this process. Once in awhile the deer was more agitated and got hot and had to be cooled off with water.

Here are the two deer, being processed next to each other. The deer's length, girth, and metatarsal (part of the leg) were measured. The teeth were assessed to determine the general age. Pellets were removed for fecal analysis, and a rectal temperature was taken. A hair sample was collected, and heart and respiration rates recorded.

Here is a vet administering lidocaine in the deer's mouth. A tooth was pulled to determine the exact age.

Three shots were given: penicillin, vitamin E, and selenium. Some areas are naturally selenium deficient, and the shot helps keep the deer healthy. The vitamin E helps temper the selenium shot, and the penicillin fights off possible bacterial infection.

The collar has two parts: a VHF transmitter and a GPS transmitter. The deer can then be tracked by satellite and by using an antenna.

The collar is carefully sized so as not to interfere with the deer's movements and to allow for growth in younger animals.

All the does had an ultrasound performed to determine body condition and to detect how many fetuses she was carrying. Most were carrying twins.

Finally it was time to take the doe back. It was loaded on to the canvas carrying mat and taken to the truck.

The blindfolds help keep the deer calmer. This deer is ready to head back home.

And to get home, it goes in style--by helicopter.

This is a quick overview of the whole process. Come back tomorrow for more photos and even a video!

Desert Destination: Ash Springs

Just off Nevada Highway 93 in the town of Ash Springs, across from the Shell gas station, is Little Ash Springs. An unmarked dirt road leads to some BLM bathrooms, a parking area, and steaming water flowing underneath the cottonwoods.

Next to the parking area is a built-up area for soaking. 

Some signs give a little indication of what's going on: Ash Springs Recreational Site. No camping is allowed, and in fact the sign says that visitors are only allowed to stay two hours. The times I've visited I've only seen a few other people there, but I've heard that the place can be absolutely packed during weekends.

It's not much of a surprise--the water feels wonderful! The temperature varies between 88 and 97 degrees Fahrenheit, and the water flows from 17 to 23 cubic feet per second.

 
The springs originate from several orifices, although the BLM asks people to stay in the developed area to protect the rest of the spring habitat. With only 1.2 acres in the recreation area, there's not much space for so many people, and trampling and social trails are obvious.

During chilly winter days, the rising steam makes the path of the water especially obvious. The warm water not only attracts humans.

A tiny fish, the White River springfish, (Crenichthys baileyi baileyi) lives in this spring. In fact, it only lives in Ash Springs, and this endangered subspecies only survives where the water is warm, so it doesn't go very far downstream. There are at least three fish in the photo above, each about an inch long. Desert fish often don't get too large because they are limited by the small amount of water in the desert.

The fish swim all over the spring. The BLM held public meetings in November 2008 to solicit public input about how to better manage Ash Springs to reduce vandalism, decrease erosion, help keep trees from falling, and keep the springs accessible to the public. The Caliente Field Office will be writing a development plan for the site. The plan will be discussed at the June 25 & 26, 2009 Resource Advisory Council meeting in Tonopah.

Trying to keep good habitat for the White River springfish while managing the spring for heavy visitation is a challenge. But there's still another challenge--proposed groundwater pumping in nearby areas may reduce the water that emerges from the spring.

Life in the desert is always a little tricky, but especially at Ash Springs. So if you're on Highway 93 and about two hours north of Las Vegas, take a break and check out the springs. The fish are easy to see, the cottonwoods provide some shade in the summer, and the water is enticing. We just have to remember not to take it for granted.