Mammal Monitoring at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument—2024
McIntyre CL , Zylstra E , Callie G , McGeverly J . 2026. Mammal Monitoring at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument—2024. Science Report. NPS/SR—2026/508. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2319330
The National Park Service Sonoran Desert Network uses passively triggered remote wildlife cameras to conduct long-term monitoring of large and medium-sized mammals at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. In March–April 2024, network field crews deployed 61 wildlife cameras, which captured a total of 1,335 photos of mammals. We limited our analyses to the five weeks when most cameras were active. During those five weeks, we obtained 1,047 photos of 13 large and medium-sized mammal species plus mammals that we could only identify to genus or family. Our cameras also captured small mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, but this report does not address those species. We use data from wildlife cameras to estimate how likely a mammal species is to use certain areas of the park, how that use varies over space, and what factors may be driving those patterns. We used single-season occupancy models to estimate the probability of occurrence and the probability of detection given occurrence for five species: coyotes, desert cottontails, jackrabbits, gray foxes, and kit foxes. Four of the five species (coyotes, kit foxes, desert cottontails, and jackrabbits) were more likely to occur in flat areas within the park. In contrast, gray fox occupancy was influenced by elevation, distance to roads, and landform type. Understanding how landscape features may influence the probability of use by various mammal species can help managers decide how to best manage and protect these species.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- McIntyre, Cheryl; Zylstra, Erin; Callie, Graham; McGeverly, Jessica
- Date of Issue
- 2026-09
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2319330
- Units
- ORPI , SODN
- Keywords
- mammal monitoring, mammals, monitoring, monitoring report, occupancy, terrestrial wildlife, wildlife, wildlife cameras, wildlife monitoring
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Mammals