By Antonieta Valenzuela
Camera traps are an important conservation tool that shows evidence of the fauna that inhabits a specific area, in this case, of the nature reserves managed and protected by Terra Peninsular in Baja California.
Our friend Jim Riley, from the San Quintín Botanic Garden, shared with us a couple of photos of two species captured for the first time by a camera trap in the Valle Tranquilo Nature Reserve: spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius*) and American badger (Taxidea taxus).
“We were pretty excited after 3 years of game cameras to catch not one but two previously undocumented large mammals in the Valle Tranquilo Nature Reserve. This adds to our knowledge of the biodiversity in the reserve!” said Jim Riley about the photos.
The Valle Tranquilo Nature Reserve is located south Ensenada, between San Quintín and El Rosario, in Baja California. This area of 3961 hectares of extension is protected by Terra Peninsular and is also certified as an Area Voluntarily Destined for Conservation (ADVC in Spanish) since 2013.
It’s worth mentioning that the reserve is a priority conservation site because of the endemic species of fauna and flora, and also because it belongs to the California Floristic Province.
*Yet to be confirmed.