Students enjoy Covid-safe bioblitz at RU's Selu Conservancy

bioblitz_mipe

After a full year of Covid cancellations, the student chapter of The Wildlife Society at RU successfully held its spring bioblitz at the Selu Conservancy. Students participated in nocturnal surveys for salamanders and frogs, an early- morning bird walk, a small mammal trapping experience, and a terrestrial insect survey.

Over 20 students participated in the all-outdoors, Covid-safe event. Totals for the April 9-10 event included:

  • 3 salamander species
  • 1 eastern box turtle
  • 4 frog/toad species
  • 33 bird species
  • 1 Virginia opossum
  • 2 meadow voles (pictured, left)  and 28(!) field mice in the genus Peromyscus
  • Countless terrestrial insect groups

The Wildlife Society hopes to offer a fall bioblitz next September.

 

Virginia Opossum
Bird-watching
Measure small mammals
Eastern Box Turtle
Dr. Lau

Apr 15, 2021
Karen Powers
540.831.5146
biology@radford.edu