Intern Jeremey A. Rich’s habitat development program is well underway at Turtle Island’s Headquarters in Olema, Calif.  The program provides hidden-in-plain-sight niche habitats for local riparian wildlife on our native plant garden grounds, specifically small mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Optimum habitat is provided in the native plant garden outside of the main line of site from visitors and staff to encourage riparian wildlife to expand their range to specific non-visible parts of our native plant gardens. You can learn more about the project setup here.

Since the program began, we have seen Gray Fox  (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) actively hunting near the habitat developments, along with other evidence of their activity of foraging like fur and scat.  There has been evidence of small mammals using the area. We found  nut shells by the developments.  Other activity from Raccoons (Procyon lotor) is suspected.

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Photo of one of the habitat developments on the property.