Spotlight: Meet Kelly Perkins, our new Project Coordinator
Kelly is a data and research whiz at the New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, She has been in this role for 3 years and was previously a zoologist for rare wildlife and invertebrate species for the NY Natural Heritage program for 10 years. She's excited to take on this important role with iSeeMammals!
What about iSeeMammals are you most excited about? I am excited about getting assistance from the public with bear sightings/records/sign/trail cam photos. I am excited to be a part of this growing project, which might also collect data on more species in the future.
Do you have a favorite black bear memory? I have encountered bears many times in the field over the years. My most notable encounter was coming face-to-face with one in the middle of the afternoon that was running down a trail away from a campground. It turned a corner and saw me and my dog - we were all startled! The bear stopped about 30 ft away, hesitated for a moment because of my dog, and then turned off the trail and bounded into the woods. Another favorite was also watching a mother with her 2 cubs eating high bush blueberries in a bog in the Catskills. A cub would stand on a log on its hind legs to grab the branches down - it was so adorable!!
What do you think people in New York should know about bears? I think people should know that bears are an important part of New York's wildlife and natural ecosystems. While there is no need to fear them, people should take precautions because negative interactions between humans and wildlife can ruin everyone's day, especially with a species of this size. Please help keep bears wild by following the DEC's recommendations on minimizing conflict with bears: keep trash inaccessible, put away bird feeders that are in high-risk areas, and be mindful of food storage when camping. This is important if you live in an area with a lot of bear activity, and especially critical during the early spring when they are emerging hungry from their dens.
More: Contests / Data & Maps / Events / Social Media
ContestsBack to Top
Congratulations to the 2018 Summer Contest Winners!
iSeeMammal swag (mug + sticker): Chris McDonough + Pamela Ouellette
Trail Cam package (Bushnell 20MP Trophy Cam HD + 16 GB SD card): Patrick McAleese
Grand Prize (iSeeMammal swag + Trail cam packages): April Miller
Data & MapsBack to Top
In 2017, from January to October, iSeeMammals collected 373 observations, 103 hikes, and 81 trail camera locations! This data subsidized the research efforts by Cornell University and the New York State Department of Conservation.
All types of observations were submitted, but the most common were of actual bears (versus scat, tracks, hair, or markings).
EventsBack to Top
Upcoming Events/Workshops
- March 2, 2019 : 27th Annual CCE Rural Land Owners workshop: Stay Tuned for registration details
Past Events
- September 16, 2017: New York State Conservation Council Fall Convention @ Radisson Hotel, Utica NY
- March 4, 2017 : 25th Annual CCE Rural Land Owners workshop @ Pioneer Central School in Yorkshire NY Register here!
- March 13, 2017 : National Active and Retired Federal Employees Assocation (NARFE) @ Bath, NY. Learn more here
- September 18, 2016 : 5th Annual Fox Trot Festival @ Cayuga Natura Center, Ithaca NY
- June and September 2016 : New York Master Naturalist Training Weekends @ Arnot Forest, Van Etten NY
Tutorials
Due to limited staff ( i.e., 1 graduate student) we are unable at this time to provide local workshops. However, there are video tutorials on the Instructions page, and there is a FAQ to help citizen scientists contribute data to iSeeMammals.