Environmental Studies Camera Lab

What happens when you set up 13 motion detector cameras on the UC Santa Cruz campus for two weeks? Actually 11 types of animals and 554 individuals got photographed as part of a workshop lead by Enviornment Studies professor Chris Wilmers with his Animal Ecology class. Raccoons, rabbits, deer, bobcats, squirrels, a stellar jay, robins, skunks, cayoyes, hawks and even cows were all caught on motion triggered cameras.

Students catologued how the UC Santa Cruz campus, which spreads over 2000 acres, is home to a diverse range of wildlife and habitat. "I think this project was a good example of how protected forested areas can still serve as refuge for animals even in the middle of a city," shares undergraduate student Emily Slessinger. As fellow pupil Victoria Wade confirms, "It was really great to see the natural wildlife that we share our campus with."

Thanks to Chris Wilmers and his students Emily Slessinger (class of 2015, Environmental Studies and Marine Biology), Neil Khosla (class of 2015) and Victoria Wade (class of 2014, Marine Biology) for sharing their discoveries with the Division of Social Sciences.