Photo By Laurie Pearson | This sidewinder rattlesnake was found curled up beside a driveway in ...... read more read more
Spring and summer bring increased temperatures and increased wildlife activity aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif.
“All wildlife get active in the spring, to include: desert tortoise, fox, coyote, birds, insects, snakes, lizards, rabbits, etc.,” said Benjamin Cody Leslie, Natural Resources specialist on base. “Animals come out in the spring to take advantage of the resources. Tortoises, for example, are active as the annual wildflowers that they rely on are in bloom and only for a brief time. So, they are eating as much as they can before they dry up. Also, birds are migrating and mating. Therefore, many migratory birds are in our area as they move to their home ranges for the season. For wildlife, it is often ‘feast or famine’, you have to ‘get while the getting is good!’”
This also means that snakes are coming out of their winter dens and can be seen in the desert, on walkways, driveways and other areas as they seek food or other needs.
“It’s possible, too, now that people are home due to COVID-19, they may have had some time to actually see more of what is going on around them,” Leslie said. “These animals have always been present, but now peoples’ lives have slowed down so they have had a chance to observe.”
In some cases, people are engaging in socially-distanced hiking or taking dogs for walks more than usual, so their chances of encountering wildlife may have increased. If someone encounters wildlife while out on their property, or engaging in some other activities, the guidance is to leave it alone.
“Observe, and enjoy from a safe distance,” Leslie said. “Do not pick up or touch wildlife, even if you think it needs your help.”
If the goal is to observe wildlife on base, the golf course is good area to do so, as water is available at the golf course. Therefore, many animals frequent that area. Remember, though, that the Marine Memorial Golf Course is now open for use, so wildlife observers want to stay out of the way of flying golf balls, and ensure they do not interfere with ongoing games.
“Most wildlife activity occurs in the morning and evening,” Leslie said. “For nocturnal animals, they will be out at night. If out walking at night it is important to remember that snakes will lay out on the asphalt to warm their bodies, so pay attention for your safety and that of your pets.”
Have a camera ready so that if you see a critter, you can take a photo. This can not only be a fun way to educate yourself and your family on desert wildlife, but if assistance is needed, it can also help to properly identify the snake, spider, scorpion or other creature.
Some local place to go to photograph wildlife are Afton Canyon, Sawtooth Canyon, Owl Canyon, Rainbow Canyon, Pisgah Lava Tubes.
“All of these are close to Barstow and offer different types of habitat to explore,” Leslie said. “Several of these areas have developed campgrounds and wildlife viewing points. Check with the local Bureau of Land Management office for the most up to date info regarding access. However, you can find cool things in the desert right outside your door! Just get out and explore. Remember not to touch, disturb, or feed wildlife and to always take your trash home with you.... ‘Pack It In, Pack It Out!’”
SOME OF THE CRITTERS FOUND IN THE BARSTOW AREA:
•Snakes: Both venomous and non-venomous. Non-venomous include: Red Racer (coach whip), Great Basin gopher snake, Northern Desert night snake, Spotted leaf-nosed snake, Western patch-nosed snake. Venomous include: Sidewinder, Speckled Rattlesnake, and the Mojave Rattlesnake.
•Scorpions: desert hairy scorpion, sting will hurt, but not life threatening.
•Spiders: Black Widow, Brown Widow, Desert Recluse, Brown Recluse, Sun Spider (Vinegaroon).
•Birds: Red-tailed hawk, Cooper’s hawk, Great horned owl, Greater Road Runner, Gamble’s quail, Mourning and white winged Dove, loggerhead shrike, brewers sparrow, to name a few.
•Bobcats, coyotes, desert kit fox. Badgers are elusive, but present in the desert.
• Lizards: desert iguana, whiptail, zebra tail, desert horned lizards.
“All the animals are part of the ecosystem and make up the biodiversity in the desert,” Leslie said. “Biodiversity is everything from genes, species, and ecosystems. Each piece is interconnected and provides a specific function. Take the desert tortoise for example, it digs burrows in which many other species inhabit, such as burrowing owls. When we remove one piece from the system, we alter the natural cycle which often creates more problems. It is important to the military to ensure biodiversity and the environmental health of Department of Defense lands to ensure realistic and sustainable military training and testing.”
Although some species such as snakes, spiders, and scorpions are potentially scary and dangerous, they are also good for the environment and ecosystem, as they help control rodent and other pest populations. Snakes eat many rodents that are vectors for disease. Spiders kill many pest insects such as flies. However, it is important to respect that this is their home. If these creatures are becoming a nuisance or need to be removed please call the trouble desk for pest control assistance.
It is important to note that it is illegal to kill any protected species, such as Desert Tortoise.
“In order to hunt, a State issued hunting license must be obtained from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife,” Leslie advised. “(To Collect) reptiles a State issued fishing license is required. As with hunting, all regulations and seasons must be followed. For more information on hunting and fishing see www.wildlife.ca.gov. In regards to rattlesnakes, do not kill them, call
the “trouble desk” and pest control will safely remove the snake and release it in the wild.”
Some of the desert critters have unique qualities that make them especially interesting to some, such as king snakes.
“If you are not fond of rattlesnakes, then you should like king snakes, as they will prey on rattlesnakes,” Leslie said. “All snakes, whether poisonous are not, are beneficial as they help keep the rodent population in check which in turn keeps other vectors such as ticks and mite populations down thus reducing the possible transmission of disease to humans.”
For those who like to garden, the local gophers are the main predator of your garden!
“I am not a master gardener, but have had pumpkins destroyed one year,” Leslie said. “It was mid-summer and pumpkin plants were getting big, when gophers chewed the vines! It was so maddening! If people want to garden, I would recommend raised beds with a fine mesh screen on the bottom so that gophers cannot tunnel up. Chicken wire is too wide, it needs to be small enough to prevent the gopher from squeezing through, but still allow roots to grow down and allow water to infiltrate.”
This may be a good time to highlight the benefits of snakes for gardeners. They are the natural pest control and prey on those pesky gophers.
“If I had a resident snake around my property, there would be no gophers or other rodents,” Leslie said. “If interested, the UCCE Master Gardeners of San Bernardino County has great information on all things gardening.”
Part of gardening is watering those plants, and as is always the case, wildlife will seek out water wherever it is available.
“In the desert water can be found in the form of springs, or a garden, or on base, it can be found at the golf course,” Leslie said. “Animals will also look to shelter in areas with little to no human activity, or in dark, cool areas during the summer.”
One common concern is the chance of being bitten or stung. One of the most common ways these injuries happen is by putting their hands or feet in places where there are no clear lines of visibility. For instance, it is wise to avoid putting hands into dens, or holes in trees, or up on a rocky ledges. Be sure to see where you are putting your feet, as well, and ensure you do not step into tall grasses, or tangled brushy areas where critters may be hiding.
“People should avoid putting their hands into anything they can’t first see into,” Leslie said. “If entering a dark place, make noise so as to scare anything that may possibly be present. Base residents should not leave any water or food out for their pets. These are subsidies for wildlife and they will be attracted to it. All trash should be covered and no running water should be left on outside. It is also important to keep pets away from wildlife and keep all the pets’ vaccines current.”
If someone is stung, or bitten, there are some basic protocols that can help. If bitten by a rattlesnake, stay calm and seek help immediately.
“Call 911 on the way to Barstow Hospital’s emergency room,” Leslie said. “Do NOT put a tourniquet on the injured limb. Do not try and suck out the venom. Try to get proper identification of the snake for emergency personnel. Use that camera and take a photograph if possible.”
If bitten or stung by some other critter, watch for an allergic reaction which can happen quickly and be very serious.
“If you know you have an allergy, keep injectable epinephrine and a friend with you at all times,” Leslie advised. “If possible, kill the spider and safely transport it with you (such as in a zip lock bag) to the medical facility for identification. Wash the area with soap and water. Seek medical attention if symptoms are at all alarming.”
On base, if critters should show up, call Pest Control and they will handle all pest matters. A work ticket can be submitted at the “trouble desk” at 577-6220. If a desert tortoise is encountered or a raven is observed nesting on or near any building, please contact 760-577-6744 for special handling.
| Date Taken: | 05.28.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.02.2020 16:23 |
| Story ID: | 371296 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 3,951 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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