The needs of humans and the needs of the wildlife that surround us are intensifying. Habitat loss and fragmentation due to human development keep wildlife from finding food, water and shelter. These factors also make adhering to daily, seasonal and life history needs extra challenging and inhibit migratory movements, like moving to and from foraging areas and breeding sites. Dr. Rachel Wheat has been working on the Oregon Wildlife Connectivity Plan, an effort to better understand wildlife connectivity in Oregon. The goal of the plan is to evaluate and map out existing landscape-level connectivity for 54 species that represent a wide range of wildlife species, their habitats and life history strategies and movement capabilities. This information will better inform Oregonians about the needs of wildlife even as we go about fulfilling our own needs. Dr. Wheat talked to Tim Akimoff and Beth Quillian about the project for this week’s Beaver State Podcast.
