Every day more than 30,000 vehicles travel along California State Route 152 (SR-152) between the Santa Clara and Central valleys over Pacheco Pass, creating a dangerous barrier for the tule elk, mule deer, mountain lions, badgers and other wildlife living in the area. The Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency’s (SCVHA) Pacheco Pass Wildlife Connectivity Project aims to link wildlife habitat and curb wildlife-vehicle collisions through land protection efforts, constructing highway wildlife crossing structures, installing fencing and restoring habitat along SR-152.
An important first step to accomplishing this is to understand how wildlife move across the landscape. RMEF granted $30,000 to SCVHA to help purchase 20 GPS collars that will gather baseline data on tule elk movement along Pacheco Pass. In collaboration with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), 16 collars have been fitted on elk so far, with a goal of deploying the remainder this coming winter.
Biologists are analyzing the data collected to identify specific travel routes, where tule elk most often cross the highway, and where potential movement barriers exist, as well as to determine adult survival rates and causes of mortality. In addition, DNA samples collected during collaring are contributing to CDFW’s ongoing genetic viability study.