URBAN WILDLIFE PROJECT
This collaborative project of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, University of Regina, Nature Regina and other nature based non-profit organizations aims to document biodiversity along an urban to rural gradient within and outside the boundaries of the City of Regina.
Biodiversity monitoring stations will be set up within City of Regina parks and Wascana Park, and other areas that are selected by the project team. For the first year, 2021-22, 15 stations were planned at locations across the city. The project continues to set up these stations for around 4 weeks, 4 times a year (October, January, April and June/July).
The stations document wildlife occurrences and are composed of different automated recording units (to record bird songs and frogs calling, bat detectors, and trail cameras set to detect mammals). This project will form a baseline for our urban wildlife population and contribute to a longer-term wildlife monitoring program in the City of Regina. It will provide information to the City of Regina or Wascana Centre, such as:
· identification of urban wildlife movement corridors,
· how neighborhood or park characteristics affect use by wildlife,
· risky areas where conflict with wildlife might be high, and
· a long-term monitoring program to understand how changes in city planning influence biodiversity.
The stations have detected over 40 species of birds and mammals near and within the City of Regina as of May 2023. The most common species detected is White-tailed Jackrabbits. Animals were detected at all sites, which indicates that small and large greenspaces play an important role for urban wildlife in the city. Animals that typically avoid urban areas, like Sharp-tailed Grouse, were found in urban greenspaces, meaning they may use the Wascana Creek as a corridor through the city. The team continues to analyse the data to find patterns of use along the urban to rural gradient, and establish species abundance in the city.
In addition to the stations, a graduate student is also leading a citizen science project. The citizen science project has officially launched as the City Critter Challenge. Volunteers are asked to walk routes in their neighborhood and collect data on what animals they observe there. Information on how to participate can be found on the Saskatchewan Science Centre website (City Critter Challenge — Saskatchewan Science Centre (sasksciencecentre.com). Here you will find a map of all routes in the city, and an online form to collect data. You will receive small prizes for each survey submitted by visiting the Science Centre and be entered to win a raffle for a larger prize.
The project, managed by the Royal Saskatchewan Museum and University of Regina, is anticipating a high level of citizen engagement. In addition to engaging citizens of Regina, this project will become part of a large urban wildlife research network (Urban Wildlife Information Network) that incorporates studies on urban wildlife from over 20 cities in North America, including the cities of Edmonton and Saskatoon.
If you are interested in volunteering for this project or have any questions, please contact urbanwildlifeyqr@gmail.com.
