Description
The National Park Service intends to award a single source cooperative agreement to the University of Arizona for a project titled "Wildlife Occupancy Modelling and Monitoring in Sonoran Desert Parks". The project aims to develop new and more efficient approaches for monitoring wildlife in Sonoran Desert parks and monuments using contemporary occupancy modelling frameworks and remote automated wildlife cameras. The University of Arizona will recruit, train, and mentor a graduate student to assess existing wildlife data, investigate and develop occupancy designs, test these designs in field trials, and analyze and interpret the findings. The National Park Service will provide substantial involvement and oversight during the period of performance of this agreement.
Some key aspects of this project include:
• The development of occupancy modelling frameworks for wildlife monitoring
• The use of remote automated wildlife cameras for data collection
• The analysis and interpretation of findings to inform park managers and support the development of public education and interpretation products
• The collaboration between the University of Arizona and the National Park Service to achieve the project goals and objectives