Wildlife Survey
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The survey will help the ATC form a more complete inventory of the large mammals found along the Trail. It will also help land managers and scientists to understand and illustrate the impacts of the environment surrounding the A.T. on wildlife populations. Counting large mammals, especially predators, is one way to determine the health of the east's ecosystems, which are increasingly threatened by air and water pollution, invasive species, and encroaching development. Because predators need a lot of space, they are especially sensitive to what is going on in their surrounding environment. Similarly, Smithsonian scientists pointed out that spotted skunks were everywhere 15 years ago, but they seem to be decreasing. Without counting their numbers and doing some analysis, we are left in the dark about the cause of their decline. Help monitor wildlife on the A.T.
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All A.T. hikers know to watch for bears on the Trail, but what other large mammals call the A.T. their home? The ATC has partnered with the Smithsonian Institute to develop and carry out a wildlife survey on the Trail using motion-sensitive infra-red cameras. Volunteers install, maintain, and report results from the cameras as they are triggered by movement from something as small as a mouse, or as large as humans or bears.
