![\"Main](\"https:\/\/dev-clm-blog.pantheonsite.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Carlsbad-Caverns-Entrance.jpg\")
<\/a>Main entrance into the cave. [Carlsbad Caverns National Park]<\/p><\/div>Besides that, my internship has been going strong for a little more than 3 weeks now. After getting most of my paperwork and training out of the way I was finally able to venture outside and experience the southeast New Mexico landscape. For my first excursion my mentor took me out into the field to shadow him on how the BLM wildlife biologist handle dealing with the oil & gas industry in proposing pipelines, drilling wells\/islands and such. It was not so much biologically entertaining as I saw a good glimpse into what Southeast NM industry was really all about. OK, not all<\/em> about, but probably the most \u201csocially\u201d relevant. I wish I could provide an accurate picture of what this landscape looks like for those that are as unaware as I was before coming here, but I\u2019ve yet to find [produce] a satisfying photo for our pleasure. It was definitely an eye opening experience.<\/p>\n Outside those instances where the BLM staff met industry, I have started my wildlife work out in the field and my first project\/task is to survey areas of the Carlsbad managed public lands for the presence of Sceloporus arenicolus<\/em> (Dunes Sagebrush Lizard) \u2013 a New Mexico designated sensitive status species. This species is also listed as \u201cvulnerable\u201d under the IUCN red list. So far we\u2019ve only used pit traps in three locations for five trapping days. Unfortunately, that has yielded us with no detection of S. arenicolus<\/em> in those areas thus far, but I have been fortunate to at least get some first hand experience in handle some local lizards, one of comparable size.<\/p>\n One of the species we have found is Uta stansburiana<\/em> (Common side-blotched lizard), a small dune-dwelling lizard in comparable size to S. arenicolus<\/em>. A lot of the males of this species are showing off some pretty brilliant colors as it is mating season. Uta stansburiana<\/em> has actually been shown to have an inverse relationship with our target species S. arenicolus<\/em>; it is thought that U. stansburiana<\/em> acts as a competitor for the resources within dune habitats that our target species prefers.<\/p>\n Uta stansburiana<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n Another of the species we\u2019ve encountered have been members of a whiptail species found in this region \u2013 genus: Cnemidophorus<\/em>. I\u2019ve yet to identify the exact species, but it\u2019s most likely C. dixoni<\/em>, C. tigiris<\/em>, or C. tesselataus<\/em>. It\u2019s pretty cool I got to handle a few of these creatures, as a lot of whiptails in genus Cnemidophorus<\/em> are parthenogenetic. This means they produce offspring by asexual reproduction, and coming from one vertebrate [myself] to another, I think that\u2019s really awesome. I\u2019ve learned about this type of reproduction as a kid specifically from the example of whiptail lizards, and for me to now handle one of those species that uses this strategy of reproduction really means a lot to me. It makes me excited, and it cements the fact that I\u2019m definitely in the right field! Oh, nostalgia!<\/p>\n Cnemidophorus Spp.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n Cnemidophorus Spp.<\/em> in pit trap<\/p><\/div>\n I\u2019ve also been fortunate enough to be accompanied by two other interns Jeanette and Jodie from the Great Basin Institute. Trained in the magic arts of plant taxonomy and ecology they know significantly more about the flora in this region (and outside) than I do. Slowly they are helping me refresh and fortify my plant identification skills. Soon we\u2019ll be off to collect our first batch of seeds for the SOS program and, although it was not in my job description, I\u2019m really happy to be partaking in such an endeavor outside of my wildlife focus. The CBG training workshop has left me with a germinating seed of botanical curiosity that I was not expecting! My knowledge is blossoming. I CANNOT wait!<\/p>\n Oh, and I\u2019ll keep up those bad puns, you just sit there and watch\u2026 or read.<\/p>\n Armand Cann<\/p>\n Carlsbad Field Office, Bureau of Land Management<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The many hours I\u2019ve spent over the last month have been well worth my endurance. I\u2019m finally off the road–so to speak, at least in the sense of my travels coming to a temporary end in the result of my … Continue reading <\/a><\/a><\/a>