The Black Institute for Environmental Studies

Bosque Porcupine Project – Research Plan

Background
The porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is known to occur within New Mexico (Bailey 1931, Findley et al. 1975). Through the researchers’ personal observations and the anecdotal reports of others the porcupine’s range within New Mexico includes Albuquerque’s cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. wislizenii) dominated riparian forest. This forest is most commonly referred to by its Spanish name, bosque.

Although porcupines are observed in the bosque there is a paucity of information on the basic natural history of the species within this region. Several recent and formal mammal surveys of the bosque failed to detect porcupines (Campbell et al. 1997, Campbell 1990). There is also limited information about what, if any, impact porcupines have on the survival and success of cottonwood trees, a species that has received considerable scientific and public attention with the changes in hydrological and associated environmental processes in the Middle Rio Grande valley (Crawford et al. 1996).

This research project will gather basic demographic data on porcupines and their utilization of the bosque. The study will follow general procedures developed by other porcupine researchers (Roze1989, Wisconsin 2000). In particular this study will focus on the bosque within the Albuquerque region and seek to understand the relationship between porcupines and the cottonwood dominated forest. Special attention will be given to areas that are presently a part of or next to Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP) sites. BEMP, as described in Eichhorst et al. 2001 and 2002, gathers long-term data on the structural and functional status of the Middle Rio Grande riparian forest. This porcupine project would then use BEMP data in its analysis of porcupine habitat and related topics.

This porcupine research project would commence in early 2003 and then be ongoing. After the initial study period of roughly one year the researchers will evaluate the project and make necessary modifications to the study. The researchers shall place the highest emphasis on the safe and humane handling and study of all porcupines and associated wildlife within this project (Appendix 2, “Ethical Wildlife Research”).

As an outgrowth of BEMP the porcupine project will be consistent with BEMP’s twin objectives of conducting scientific research and involving school children and other members of the public in that research. As such, although a number of adult biologists and other professionals will supervise the porcupine project and the handling of the animals, a variety of BEMP and other school groups will participate in the research as field technicians.

Phase I (January 2003 – May 2003)
Starting within the 45 hectare (113 acre) privately owned bosque forest that is immediately adjacent to the Bosque School campus and includes the BEMP Savannah site, researchers (Appendix 1, “Researchers”) will conduct surveys to determine the relative abundance and distribution of porcupines. Once porcupines are observed, researchers will attempt to trap and radio collar those animals.

From there, researchers will then assess other BEMP sites and their immediate surroundings for the presence of porcupines. Initial survey areas will cover the two hectare BEMP sites and an adjacent area of between 40 to 50 additional hectares. As before, actual sightings of porcupines will lead to the attempted capture and collaring of observed animals (Appendix 3, “Porcupine Capture and Handling Protocol”). During Phase I of the project up to five animals will be captured and radio collared.

Captured animals will be processed to determine age, sex, weight, size, and louse infestation data. Once animals are radio collared they will be tracked at least once a week. During each tracking session researchers will record information about spatial organization, habitat preferences and the utilization and impact on food species.

All mortality signals from radio collared porcupines will be investigated as promptly as possible. Any radio collared and recovered porcupines that die will be necropsied. Furthermore, any other porcupine mortalities in the region that the researchers become aware of during the study period will also be investigated. No animals will be intentionally harmed or killed.

Phase II (June – August 2003)
As the life expectancies of the radio collars near their end the researchers will conduct recapture and recollaring operations. Actual animal tracking during phase II will consist of several periods of intensive observation separated by more sporadic tracking. This sporadic tracking will average once a week and include observations of no less than two out of every four weeks.

Phase III (September – December 2003)
In Phase III there will be a return to the Phase I tracking and observation schedule.

Year 2. (January – December 2004)
We believe that we will better understand how to study the porcupine after completing a year of preliminary research. It is anticipated that Year 1 (2003) will involve a fair amount of practical problem solving. The handling, capture, and radio collaring of a well-armored animal shall pose a number of logistical concerns. Likewise it is unlikely that methods developed for porcupine study in areas with large amounts of snowfall will be directly transferable to the bosque. As such we anticipate that we will need to develop monitoring procedures that are specific to porcupines and the bosque ecosystem. Our experiences of 2003 will then permit us to assess the project and determine what if any modifications should be made to it.

Literature Cited
Bailey, V. 1931. Mammals of New Mexico. North American Fauna 53. United States Department of Agriculture Bureau of Biological Survey. Washington D.C.

Campbell, M.L. 1990. A survey of mammal populations in the Rio Grande Valley State Park. Final report to the city of Albuquerque, Open Space Division, Contract #9100249.

Campbell, M.L., J.N. Stuart, and J.B.M. Miyashiro. 1997. A survey of mammal populations in the Rio Grande Valley State Park: 1996-97. Final report to the city of Albuquerque, Open Space Division, Contract #9100249.

Crawford, C.S., L.M. Ellis, and M.C. Molles Jr. 1996. The Middle Rio Grande Bosque: An endangered ecosystem. New Mexico Journal of Science 36:276-299.

Eichhorst, K.D., M.C. Stuever, D.C. Shaw, and C.S. Crawford. 2001. Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP):: First Report: 1997-2000. Open-File Report 01-1. University of New Mexico. Albuquerque.

Eichhorst, K.D., M.C. Stuever, M.M. Dwyer, D.C. Shaw, and C.S. Crawford . 2002. Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP): First Annual Supplement: 2001. Open-File Report 02-2. University of New Mexico. Albuquerque.

Findley, J. S., A. H. Harris, D. E. Wilson, and C. Jones. 1975. Mammals of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, 360 pp.

Roze, U. 1989. The North American Porcupine. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2000. Porcupine Ecology Study: Progress Report – November 1999 – April 2000.

 (http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/wildlife/reclands/sandhill/hsisrep.pdf).