The San Diego River Park Foundation conducts an annual survey where volunteers visit our preserves to document the presence or absence of American badgers (Taxidea taxus).
This year, the survey will cover our South Rim property, involving hiking and bushwhacking through oak grassland terrain. Please wear a hat, sunscreen, long sleeves, long pants, and sturdy closed-toe shoes. Bring plenty of water and snacks to stay hydrated and energized.
The meeting location will be at Eagle Peak Road. Keep an eye out for an email prior to the event for further details. The survey will involve hiking on varied terrain, so expect to cover around 2-4 miles in total. **Ages 13+**
Why Badgers?
The American badger is a mid-size predator, and a unique and iconic mammal that may act as an umbrella species for a large suite of animal species that occupy upland habitats in San Diego County. Because of their very large home ranges, information on how badgers use and navigate the landscape can also be used to help evaluate how the interconnected conserved lands are working to preserve San Diego's unique biodiversity.
Their large home ranges, low densities, and low fecundity make them particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation and road mortality. The American badger is a covered species under the San Diego Multiple Species Conservation Plan (MSCP) and has been identified by the San Diego Monitoring and Management Program (SDMMP) Connectivity Monitoring Strategic Plan as a target species for monitoring regional-scale functional connectivity of upland and grassland habitats and is considered to be at risk of loss from the SDMMP Management Strategic Plan Area (MSPA).
