One of the most exciting aspects of being a wildlife biologist is getting to work all over the place, and on all kinds of projects. This summer I took a job in the Tonto National Forest of Arizona, a state I hardly knew anything about. As a “biological wildlife technician” for the U.S. Forest Service (what kind of wildlife is not biological, I wondered) I was supposed to be working on several interesting projects. While the bat study did not receive enough funding, I did end up working on projects involving the federally endangered southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus), the federally threatened Chiricahua leopard frog (Rana chiricahuensis), and listed or at-risk native stream fish. I also was able to help AZ Game and Fish with a couple surveys on the federally threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) as well. On top of my awesome job, I had a blast exploring the area in my off-time, and saw many plants and animals I have always dreamed of seeing.
Having never been to Arizona, I really did not know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived, however, because the Tonto National Forest is absolutely gorgeous! The Sonoran Desert, being the hottest and driest in North America, is home to a veritable menagerie of highly-adapted plant and animal life. I loved climbing around on the granite boulders and exploring the washes. Chaparral was a new experience for me, and as the densest shrubland community on earth it has left a lasting impact, mostly on my flesh that was ripped at by catclaw acacia and scrub oaks all summer. Our living quarters were located in the middle of nowhere on Roosevelt Lake, the biggest lake in Arizona (even if it is man-made). I could see mountains all around, which is just the way I like it to be. On any given day I could be frolicking in the desert, and then cooling off at 7,000 feet elevation in Ponderosa pines.
Since my summer in Arizona was certainly an epic adventure, I will be posting about it in several parts and including lots of photos. I will detail the projects I worked on in some entries, to give you insight into the career of a wildlife biologist, and in others I will talk about the things I did for fun and the cool stuff I saw. The journey will be long, and hopefully you will find it every bit as exciting as I did.
