Park Science

Survey for reptiles and amphibians

Although there have been some information collected on reptiles and amphibians already at all three parks, additional inventory work was considered necessary to determine the absolute distribution and status of terrestrial and aquatic reptile and amphibian (herpetofauna) populations. Two techniques were used to accomplish this inventory. First, the installation of pitfall trap arrays was used to conduct field sampling of terrestrial herpetofauna at Cabrillo National Monument and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. This type of pitfall trap sampling has been demonstrated to be an extremely comprehensive, accurate, and systematic method for sampling herpetofauna in the region. Research has also indicated that the arrays are effective at sampling species that are nocturnal, fossorial, or cryptic. Second, since there is no adequate aquatic habitat at Cabrillo National Monument, only aquatic herpetofauna in the Santa Monica Mountains were inventoried. Stream assessments were used to sample for this group of species. Unfortunately, due to compliance issues, extensive pitfall trap arrays were not possible on Channel Islands. Since on-going monitoring is already occurring for some reptiles and amphibians, alternatives were evaluated for those species not currently being monitored.