Inventory of amphibians and reptiles at Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Mikesic D. 2004. Inventory of amphibians and reptiles at Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife, Navajo Natural Heritage Program. Window Rock, AZ
The Navajo Natural Heritage Program of the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife completed two years of amphibian and reptile inventories at Canyon de Chelly National Monument as part of the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Program. The goals of this study were to document at least 90% of the extant herpetofauna through visual observations, photographs, and/or specimen collection; and to provide baseline information, and make recommendations, as warranted, for development of future management of zoological resources within the Monument. Prior to field studies, we estimated that 8 amphibian and 15 reptile species had high potential to occur at the Monument, and that there was a remote possibility for 9 other species to occur. Field inventories extended from 20 May to 29 September 2002, and 19 May to 05 September 2003. We performed triple-replicate, time-constrained surveys at 46 plots, each 1 ha (2.5 ac) in size, in at least 8 distinct habitat types, and performed many hours of nocturnal and diurnal general surveys. We documented a total of 13 reptile species (9 lizards, 4 snakes) and 6 amphibian species (5 frogs/toads, 1 salamander). Our survey efforts documented 82.6% of those species with high potential to occur, 91.3% including 2 additional species documented in a 1970 inventory, but only 59.4% when including species with remote potential to exist in the Monument. The Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) was the most common reptile, and Woodhouse’s Toad (Bufo woodhousii) was the most common amphibian. No federal or Navajo Tribal-listed endangered species were documented during this study.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Mikesic, David
- Date of Issue
- 2004-05
- Publisher
- Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife, Navajo Natural Heritage Program
- Units
- CACH , SCPN
- Keywords
- Amphibian, Amphibians, Animal Studies, Canyon De Chelly National Monument, Inventory, Inventory, inventory and monitoring program, Monitoring, National Park Service, Reptile, Reptiles, time-constrained surveys