Cascades Carnivore Project

Photo of the day: Cascade red fox pup at Mt Rainier

2012-02-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

Photo: Logan Volkmann, Simon Fraser University

CCP has an immediate opening for a full-time volunteer!

2012-01-29T09:20:00.000-08:00

Cascade Red Fox and Wolverine Snow Tracking Volunteer Position

The Cascades Carnivore Project has an immediate six-week volunteer opening for an extremely fit field member.

Qualifications: high physical fitness, advanced snowmobile rider

Dates: Feb.13 to March.27

Duties: Following Cascade red fox and wolverine tracks in snow. Setting and checking wildlife camera stations. Collect genetic samples including scat, hair, urine, and roadkill. Operating a snowmobile 3+ hours a day. Snowshoing up to 10 miles a day. Office duties including project planning, data entry, data analysis, and photo cataloging.

Accommodation: Mt Adams Ranger Stations in Trout Lake, WA; at remote field cabin; possible winter camping.

Transportation: work truck, trailer, and 2 snowmobiles. Applicant must have personal vehicle to get to and from study area.

Details:
The work is extremely strenuous and demanding. You will be expected to snowshoe up to 10 mile a day and snowmobile 3+ hours a day. You must be in strong physical fitness. We can not accept anyone who is not currently in top physical condition and able to trudge long distances in deep snow.The conditions are often snowy, rainy, warm, and extremely cold. So you need to bring appropriate personal field gear:

* FULLY waterproof rain jacket or parka,
* FULLY waterproof ski pants
* waterproof, insulated winter boots for snowshoeing (not hiking boots)
* big, high quality winter mitt
* very warm winter hat
* neck gaiter
* all the under layers
* all other personal gear that you can think of

If you are interested in the position, please email Project Coordinator, Jocelyn Akins at cascadescarnivore@gmail.com, detailing how you meet the qualifications. Please send a recent photo of yourself. No phone calls please.

Winter Season 2011/2012 kicks off

2011-12-14T11:43:00.000-08:00

We have begun our winter survey season with wildlife camera stations and snow tracking on Mt. Adams. Teri and Imogene will be checking cameras and tracking across regions of the mountain where we have detected the Cascade red fox since we begun the study in 2008.

After our January kick-off on Mt Adams, we will move to Mt St Helens for February, and on to Mt Rainier for March snow tracking and wildlife camera detections. These winter surveys will be followed by spring surveys at known fox dens on Mt Rainier and summer scat collection along trails across the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and Mt Rainier National Park.

We will assemble a cadre of volunteers this spring so keep in touch if you are interested in collecting fox poo and hiking in gorgeous locations in the Washington Cascades.

2011/2012 Winter surveys begin

2011-11-12T22:38:00.000-08:00

With the kick-off of our winter field season in September, we were amazed to have already captured a Cascade red fox by photograph on the south side of Mount Adams. We will be snow tracking in areas where we know foxes are living in order to collect genetic samples as well as data on their movements during winter and those of their greatest competitor and predator - the coyote. Our efforts will take us to Mount Adams and Mount Rainier.

2011 Mt St Helens and the Dark Divide

2011-11-12T18:06:00.000-08:00

This summer a crew of two - Polly Gibson from Portland, Oregon and Darryl Johnson from Corvallis, Oregon - conducted remote camera surveys on Mt St Helens and the Dark Divide Roadless Area to investigate whether the Cascade red fox exists in these areas. The Dark Divide remains one of the most remote parts of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, receiving very few visitors. The dirt bike access and rutted trails ensure less hikers than many other parts of the forest. The Dark Divide is characterized by picturesque steep ridges and rocky outcrops that jut above treeline as ambling, grassy knolls. Their berry-clad slopes descend precipitously into thick forest ending in large streams that flow north to the Cispus River and south to the Lewis River, one of the major streams that drains Mt Adams. There are many ideal spots for a fox to make its home along the flat-topped ridges; good denning and foraging habitat. The Dark Divide is a high-elevation piece of land that connects Mt Adams to Mt St Helens, and may serve as a corridor for dispersal between the two mountains if foxes do indeed inhabit Mt St Helens. This is one of the major questions posed by my doctoral research. Mt St Helens is rather different from Mt Adams. It lost most of its alpine habitat by the 1980 eruption, and the former dense mid-elevation boreal-type forest is now blow down that has created an open, alpine-style landscape. Whether the habitat characteristics that the fox depends upon in the alpine ecosystem of Mt Adams exist in this alpine-esque lower elevation space is unknown. If the fox does inhabit Mt St Helens, its presence there will provide a better understanding of these specific habitat requirements, such as snowpack thickness, canopy cover, and presence of predators and competitors such as the coyote. Our forty cameras set over a two month period this summer did not yield a single photograph of a fox. However much habitat remains to be surveyed within the volcanic monument and we will return this winter for snow tracking to continue our efforts there. And we did collect an impressive set of photographs of many of the usual carnivore suspects, such as this inquisitive black bear in Sheep Canyon on the southwest side of the volcano.

Lower Crofton Ridge station

2010-09-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

Shorthorn Trail station

2010-08-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

Three American marten, presumably siblings of this year, investigate a new station on various days in August.

Upper Crofton Ridge station

2010-08-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

This black bear swiped the entire chicken wire bait set-up and took off to munch in privacy after a brief investigation in front of the camera.

Section 3 Lake station on the east side of the Goat Rocks Wilderness

2010-08-15T08:08:00.000-07:00

This station was set near the Section 3 Lake and Bear Creek Mountain Trailhead on Pinegrass Ridge above Rimrock Lake while the snow was still 3 feet deep.

Station 45: New montane fox detection

2010-07-30T17:50:00.000-07:00

Mountain lion and Cascade red fox at Bear Mountain Trail station

2010-07-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

New Section 3 Lake station

2010-07-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

A new Cascade red fox and an ungulate visit this east side Goat Rocks Wilderness station.

June.26.2010: Cascade red fox on east side Goat Rocks Wilderness

2010-06-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

Cool Common Raven shots from Station 33 on the south side of Mt Adams

2010-05-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

April.28.2010: The bears are out of hibernation!

2010-04-28T17:48:00.000-07:00

Today Dean and I snowshoed to a couple of higher elevation stations on the north side of Mount Adams. At the first station, we encountered larger tracks covered in snow. After checking the second station and returning past the first station, we came across fresh black bear tracks on top of our own tracks. These are the photos from the camera at the first station.

New Wildy the Wolverine Detections

2010-04-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

On Friday, I headed to Randle, Washington to take down the last survey stations in the Goat Rocks Wilderness for our winter field work. Much to my surprise, Wildy, our wide ranging wolverine visited two lower elevation stations both for the first time. I should probably not be surprised as these stations are 5 mi (8 km) and 10 mi (16 km) from the only other detection of this individual in Goat Rocks we've had in 2009.

The elusive genetic sample and a name for the wolverine

2010-04-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

Well, the laboratory in Montana that generously analyzes all potential wolverine samples we collect during our field research returned their analysis of the scat I collected while following wolverine tracks on February.4. The identity of the tracks as being wolverine were confirmed by photographic detections at two nearby stations within a day of finding the tracks. Unfortunately the analysis shows the scat is from a coyote! Many carnivores, such as coyotes, are known to follow other carnivore's tracks marking their presence as they go. It looks like this is what happened along the wolverine tracks. Now we are really determined to collect a new genetic sample to understand the origin of the wolverine in the central Cascades!

Since we didn't get to discover the sex we are choosing to name the wolverine Wildy, a fitting name for this elusive, wide-ranging critter. Thanks very much to all who contributed donations and a name. We will be using the funds raised to purchase a new remote camera!

What is it?

2010-04-21T18:13:00.000-07:00

April.8.2010: Coyote floundering in the heavy late spring snowfall

2010-04-16T16:33:00.000-07:00

The Wolverine Blog

2010-04-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

Rebecca Watters writes a perceptive blog, The Wolverine Blog on wolverine conservation in general and the Greater Yellowstone populations in particular based on insights gained from her role as project manager at the Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative, home of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wolverine Project. Be sure to have a look at the Dramatis Gulae to learn about the unique personalities of this wolverine study. In addition check out at her nod to my project as well as information on a super exciting evening on wolverines in Jackson, WY on her recent post.

Name the Wolverine competition..... extended

2010-04-14T11:16:00.000-07:00

A DNA sample from our intrepid wolverine collected in February is being analyzed at the genetics laboratory and we will soon know its sex. So we are extending our Name the Wolverine competition until we find out whether its a male or female. We have had many generous donations and need only a few more to purchase a camera. Please donate!

Mar.22.2010: New red fox detection in the Goat Rocks study area

2010-04-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

Looks like a fox?! Finally, the winter weather is abaiting, at least briefly and we can get into the wilderness to check stations.

Why no blog posts lately?

2010-04-12T21:31:00.001-07:00

If you are wondering why I haven't posted photos recently, the reason lies in the massive amount of snow we have recently been blessed with in the Cascade Range. The usual snowy foothills, bare all winter this year, are blanketed once again. Huge, repeated snowfalls in the past two weeks have made access to high-elevation survey stations difficult in addition to pushing subalpine critters to lower elevations.

CCP 2008 to 2009 Report

2010-03-30T13:04:00.000-07:00

Get the CCP 2008/2009 Report

2010-02-23T15:05:00.000-08:00

Make a donation and send us your choice of name.
Instructions:
1. Donate using paypal or credit card
2. Email your choice of name to cascadescarnivore@gmail.com

We will pick our favorite name on March.31.2010. All donations will be used to purchase a remote camera for our field work.

The Central Cascades Wolverine
This individual wolverine roams from Goat Rocks Wilderness to the south side of Mount Adams and was first photographed on May.29.2009 at a remote survey station. It visited a second station one mile away on June.23 and July.6 and on September.14, it was detected in the Goat Rocks Wilderness, 18.6 miles to the north. This distance is within the average home range of a wolverine, which can be 500 to 1000 miles squared. On February.2.2010, we came across wolverine tracks on the south side of Mount Adams at 4200 ft and followed them to a deer carcass. We set a camera at this spot to see what might come by. A wolverine did! It was the same individual as our north side and Goat Rocks wolverine! This wolverine has since visited two additional stations on the south side of the mountain. The distance between the furthest detections is 27.8 miles. We think it is incredible that a wolverine's activity area encompasses all of Mount Adams and the south half of the Goat Rocks Wilderness and look forward to tracking its progress as it hopefully visits more stations during our current field season. Please join us in this adventure and help us name the Central Cascades wolverine. We do not know whether it is a male or female and if it interacts with other wolverines but genetic analysis will yield this information soon.

Wolverine (Gulo gulo)
The wolverine is the largest terrestrial member of the weasel (Mustelid) family and has a reputation for being a feisty, wide ranging scavenger. Its distribution encompasses Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, Canada, and Scandinavia.
For more information on current wolverine research, visit The Wolverine Foundation

Station 41 bobcat detections

2010-02-20T10:47:00.000-08:00

After 23 days without a detection, Station 38 photographed these great bobcat shots.

Wolverine detected in 2010 for a third time

2010-02-19T10:45:00.001-08:00

After leaving the deer carcass site, our wolverine headed to a third site on the south side of Mount Adams.

Deer carcass site

2010-02-14T10:42:00.000-08:00

On Feb.2.2010, I followed wolverine tracks to a deer carcass on the south side of Mount Adams. Nothing remained except for hair, hoof, and bone fragments. I set a camera at the site and baited it. The wolverine returned on Feb.14.2010 and I captured this photograph.

Wolverine detected on south side of Mount Adams

2010-02-10T21:25:00.000-08:00

Our wandering glutton visited a station on the south side of Mount Adams, a distance of over 30 miles from Goat Rocks, where it was last detected in October.2010. I followed his tracks to a deer carcass and was able to collect scat, which will hopefully yield a genetic sample.

Station 38 American marten

2010-02-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

This American marten was detected near Council Lake on the north side of Mount Adams.

Station 27 and 42 detections

2010-02-06T10:39:00.000-08:00

Station 4: First Cascade red fox detected in 2010

2010-02-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

One of the project's objective is to collect genetic information on Cascade red fox populations throughout its' range. This is the fifteenth station where we have detected foxes.

Jan.19.2010: Third year winter field work begins

2010-02-02T21:20:00.000-08:00

Station 27: American marten at 6300 ft on south side of Mount Adams

2010-02-01T10:32:00.000-08:00

Work is in full force on Mount Adams and in the Indian Heaven Wilderness. This marten was detected at our highest elevation station on Mount Adams, where winter conditions are prevailing.

Conservation Northwest and Cascades Carnivore Project on King 5 News

2009-12-17T16:25:00.001-08:00

September.14.2009: Wolverine in Goat Rocks Wilderness!

2009-10-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

A wolverine was detected in the southern portion of the Goat Rocks Wilderness at 6300 ft. This individual appears similar to one detected by our efforts on the north side of Mount Adams, a distance of 30 km (19 mi), and may or may not be the same individual. Photographs from both detections show similar chest markings: a set of three vertical small white patches of either side of the neck and a white splotch under the chin. This recent detection did not yield any genetic samples as the wolverine did approach eat the bait. At this time, we are not able to confirm or refute the possibility of more than one individual in the south Cascade Range. We will return to the area this winter to attempt to collect genetic samples if conditions permit. The Goat Rocks Wilderness comprises steep slopes and wide, avalanche basins and thus may not permit winter research.

October.3.2009: Coyote high on the north side of Mount Adams

2009-10-03T10:17:00.000-07:00

Sep.20.2009: Cascade red fox at Station 33

2009-09-20T20:50:00.000-07:00

Sept.7.2009: Photos from Station 27

2009-09-14T16:58:00.000-07:00

Station 27, the Yakama station, was originally set on June.18.2009 at 6400 ft. After one month running time, the only visitors were American marten and coyote. We moved the station up to 6700 ft in the hopes of moving out of coyote range and into fox range. A Cascade red fox did visit the new station within four days of the move. However it never returned and the only visitor since has been more marten. However a coyote, perhaps the same one, came recently. It will be interesting to see when and if the fox returns.

September.6.2009: Black bear at Foggy Flats

2009-09-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

Jul.31.2009: New Cascade red fox at Station 27

2009-09-03T21:15:00.001-07:00

Jul.17.2009: Work begins in the Goat Rocks Wilderness

2009-09-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

Our first results from the Goat Rocks Wilderness are in. We had a Cascade red fox visit the new Cispus Pass station at the headwaters of the Klickitat and Cispus Rivers.

Jul.6.2009: Wolverine returns for a third visit

2009-09-03T21:10:00.001-07:00

June.23.2009: Wolverine visits a second station

2009-09-03T21:08:00.001-07:00

May.29.2009: Finally.... wolverine!!

2009-09-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

Feb.15.2009: Cascade red fox at Station 14

2009-09-03T21:06:00.001-07:00

Feb.7.2009: Cascade red fox at Station 17

2009-09-03T21:05:00.005-07:00

Jan.17.2009: Marten pull-ups at Station 5

2009-09-03T21:05:00.001-07:00

Jan.16.2009: 1st bobcat detected by the project at Station 2

2009-09-03T21:04:00.004-07:00

Jan.12.2009: 2nd Cascade red fox at Station 11

2009-09-03T21:04:00.003-07:00

January.10.2009: Marten at Station 2

2009-09-03T21:04:00.001-07:00

Dec.16.2008: New Mountain fox visits Station 3

2009-09-03T21:03:00.005-07:00

Dec.12.2008: Two marten at Station 5

2009-09-03T21:03:00.003-07:00

Nov.26.2008: Mountain fox at Station 9

2009-09-03T21:03:00.001-07:00

Nov.10.2008: Cascade red fox at Station 11

2009-09-03T21:02:00.001-07:00

October.13.2008: Mountain lion at Station 2

2009-08-26T16:19:00.000-07:00

A mountain lion makes a brief visit to the Devil's Butte station on the south side of Mount Adams. This is the first wild cat detected by the project.

Aug.2008. Cascades Carnivore Project gets off the ground

2009-08-26T16:11:00.001-07:00

The Mt Adams Wolverine Study develops into a long-term comprehensive forest carnivore monitoring program. Goals are to document the presence of elusive carnivores and monitor trends in local carnivore populations. The Cascades Carnivore Project is created as a partnership between wildlife conservation experts and citizens to monitor forest carnivore populations using non-invasive remote detection methods. The project is a research collaboration between the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), the Yakama Nation, the Columbia Gorge Ecology Center, the Gifford Pinchot Task Force, and local citizens. Crews work in cooperation with WDFW to fill forest carnivore conservation needs.

July.12.2008. Coldsprings Fire onMount Adams

2009-07-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

A lighting strike creates a 7,729 acre fire on Mount Adams, stranding climbers and racers on the south side of the mountain during the Watershed Relay: a race by foot, bicycle, and watercraft from the summit of Mount Adams to Hood River.

The project loses a camera to the fire but gains an incredible photo of the blaze.

Jun.15.2009: Cascade red fox returns to Station 9

2009-06-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

Though we are unsure whether it is the same individual as one that visited this station in late November 2008, this new visitor is a cross phase of red fox.

May.24.2008: American marten at Station 4

2009-05-24T15:57:00.000-07:00

An American marten (Martes americana) is detected at a camera on the south side of Mount Adams.

May.16.2009: A lot going on at Station 14

2009-05-16T21:06:00.000-07:00

May.10.2008: Black bear at Station 2

2009-05-10T15:55:00.000-07:00

A black bear (Ursus americanus) is detected at Camera 2

May.2008: Casade Red Fox detected on Mount Adams

2009-05-01T15:47:00.000-07:00

A Cascade Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes cascadensis) is photographed at 6600 ft on the south side of Mt Adams near the South Climb route. The project is thus introduced to this unique montane subspecies of red fox and begins a study to determine the genetic affinities of this rare native fox.

Apr.7.2009: Cascade red fox at Station 19

2009-04-07T21:06:00.000-07:00

Mar.13.2008: Mar.13.2008. First carnivore detection

2009-03-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

The project's first carnivore is detected: a distinct looking coyote (Canis latrans) is photographed at a mid-elevation station above Trout Creek.

February.28.2008: Wolverine detected in California

2009-02-28T15:22:00.000-08:00

A graduate student at Oregon State Univeristy, Katie Moriarty detects a wolverine in the Tahoe National Forest during her study of American martens. The wolverine detection marks the first confirmed report in California in over 80 years. Researchers are unsure whether the individual indeed walked from the Rocky Mountains but follow-up genetic work informs them that it indeed derives from an Idaho population.

Feb.21.2009: First short-tailed weasel at Station 16

2009-02-21T21:06:00.000-08:00

February.20.2008: Mount Adams Wolverine Study

2009-02-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

Wildlife biologist Jocelyn Akins sets the first survey station for what will become the Cascades Carnivore Project. The Mount Adams Wolverine Study is initiated to document the presence of wolverines around Mount Adams, following the remote detection of a wolverine on the Yakama Reservation. The Yakama Nation's Forest Carnivore Project detected the wolverine at one of their remote camera stations on the northeast side of Mount Adams on the Reservation’s wild lands in 2006. Follow-up efforts have not yielded further evidence of the wolverine.

After establishing a partnership with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, research begins in earnest on snowshoe and ski by the Mount Adams Wolverine Study.

Feb.4.2009: Bobcat at Station 16

2009-02-04T21:05:00.000-08:00

Aug.17.2008: Wolverine sighting reported on Mount Saint Helens

2008-10-28T16:14:00.000-07:00

Three climbers spot what appears to be a wolverine on their descent of Mount Saint Helens. A CCP crew sets a survey station in the vicinity but is unable to detect the wolverine. They do detect an American marten.