Raven Studies - Common Raven Monitoring and Management within Desert Tortoise Conservation Areas RFP

Overview

Introduction

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is currently seeking proposals to organize and analyze raven monitoring and management data collected from 2013-2017 in the California range of the desert tortoise.

Summary

NFWF has previously sought proposals for research on the interaction between desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii; tortoises) and common ravens (Corvus corax; ravens) in California deserts at the Joshua Tree National Park and Pinto Mountains CHU; Mojave National Preserve, Piute-Fenner and Ivanpah CHU; Superior-Cronese CHU and Fort Irwin’s southeast conservation area; Chemehuevi CHU; Ord-Rodman CHU; and the Fremont-Kramer CHU (includes portion within Edwards Air Force Base and Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area).

NFWF conducts these requests for proposals in consultation with the Renewable Energy Action Team (REAT; California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Energy Commission, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), to implement a regional raven management plan to reduce predation by ravens on the desert tortoise in California deserts. Funding for implementation of the regional raven management plan is provided to and administered by NFWF as mitigation for impacts to the desert tortoise in the California desert.

Eligibility

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Application Details

Common Raven Monitoring and Management within California’s Desert Tortoise
Conservation Areas
2025 Request for Proposals (RFP)
Proposals are Due Wednesday, January 08, 2025 (5:00 pm PST)
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) Contact for Technical Questions: Kerry L. Holcomb, Desert Tortoise
Recovery Office, Recovery Biologist, Email kerry_holcomb@fws.gov, Office 442‐222‐4300
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Contact for Technical Questions: Mark Massar, District Wildlife
Biologist, Email mmassar@blm.gov, Office 760‐898‐5367
Superior‐Cronese Critical Habitat Unit (CHU) within Fort Irwin National Training Center Contact for
Technical Questions: David H. Davis, Certified Wildlife Biologist-Directorate of Public Works, Email
david.h.davis44.civ@army.mil, Office 760-380-6435
Fremont‐Kramer CHU within Edwards Air Force Base Contact for Technical Questions: Wes King,
Biological Scientist, Email wesley.king.2@us.af.mil, Office 661‐277‐6298
Ord‐Rodman CHU within Barstow Marine Corps Logistics Base Contact for Technical Questions: David
Houseman, Environmental Protection Specialist, Email david.c.housman.civ@army.mil, Office 760-380-6435
Joshua Tree National Park Contact for Technical Questions: Michael Vamstad, Wildlife
Ecologist, Email michael_vamstad@nps.gov, Office 760‐367‐5562
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Contact for Administrative Questions:
Primary: Anna Beatrice, Manager, Impact‐Directed Environmental Accounts, National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation, Email Anna.Beatrice@nfwf.org, Office 202-595-2659
Alternate NFWF Contact for Administrative Questions:
Eliza Braendel, Senior Manager, Impact‐Directed Environmental Accounts, National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation, Email Eliza.Braendel@nfwf.org, Office 415‐593‐7628
*Proposals will be disqualified and not reviewed if they are either incomplete or not by the specifications
detailed below. PROPOSALS NEED TO BE SUBMITTED FOR EACH STRATUM SEPARATELY AND CAN NOT BE
COMBINED. If anything in the proposal is optional, it must be specifically noted as an option, with a
separate budget; otherwise, if the proposal is selected, all actions detailed in the proposal will be required
to fully satisfy the funding agreement. If the proposal references this RFP, the RFP needs to be included as
an Appendix and a reference to that Appendix must be added wherever the RFP is mentioned.
Introduction
2025 marks the 13th year of Common Raven (Corvus corax; raven) monitoring and management for the benefit
of the threatened Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii; tortoise) within California’s Warm Deserts
Ecoregion (Level II, Omernik and Griffith 2014). Management is being enacted pursuant and according to the
California Deserts Raven Predation Control Environmental Assessment (USFWS, 2008) and adaptive
management memo (USFWS 2021). Predation control effort implementation takes place in high‐quality,
sensitive tortoise habitats, designated critical habitat, and other areas of importance as identified by the Raven
Sub-group and Renewable Energy Action Team, collectively known as the California Common Raven Monitoring
and Management Area (Map 1).
Since 2022, we have further prioritized monitoring and management actions within Tortoise Recruitment
Priority Areas (TRPA). TRPAs include all 10 km2 hexagons that contain >0.3 live tortoise observations per
kilometer of transect completed in each hexagon between 2001 and 2019, plus a 1.8 km (USFWS unpublished
data, Map 1). Prioritizing raven monitoring and management within TRPAs is intended to focus our efforts within
the area with the densest contemporary pockets of tortoise occupancy and thus the highest potential to

respond to an ecological release from a subsidized predator like the raven.
Work during 2025 will focus on locating active raven nests, determining the stage of the raven nest, and timing
the application of food-grade oil to a target number of raven eggs in each Monitoring and Management Area
(Table 1). The goal this year is to addle or recommend to Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife
Services (WS) all raven nests within Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPAs). Fifty point-counts will also be
completed in each Common Raven Monitoring and Management Area to estimate raven density trends and
monitor our progress towards restoring raven as well as raven-nest density to levels compatible with Mojave
desert tortoise recovery. Finally, 22 survival trials (20 tortoise decoy trials, 1 novel object trial, and one camera
only trial) in the Fremont-Kramer, Superior-Cronese, Ord-Rodman, and Fenner-Ivanpah-Mojave Monitoring and
Management Areas.
Locating active raven nests, determining nest stage, and timing the application of food grade oil (i.e., addle) to a
target number of raven eggs must be done as efficiently as possible, in terms of cost per unit effort—i.e., cost
per egg oiled. Frugality is necessitated by a limited budget and the likely need to continue this program in
perpetuity. As such, the nest stage (aka, phenology) will only be monitored to the extent necessary to
synchronize 2025 oiling efforts. As such, all planning efforts should consider nest phenology data collected
during previous seasons, which indicates a mean oiling date of May 1, with a standard deviation of 19.49 days.
This predicts that 95% of raven nests in our California Common Raven Monitoring and Management Areas are
available to be oiled between the last seven days of March and the first seven days of June, according to 2020-
2023 oiling records.
Table 1. Raven egg take targets for 2025 in each California common raven monitoring and management area,
based on a 2024 or the most recent raven density estimate. Please note that on average, each raven nest
contains 4 eggs, but egg counts vary as a function of proximity to subsidies, fall-winter precipitation, and spring
warming rate (Hanley et al. 2021, Currylow et al. 2021, USFWS unpublished data).
Non-wilderness 2020 Mean 2024 (or most 2025
Total Non-
Monitoring & Tortoise Density recent) Mean Raven Egg
Wilderness
Management Areas Recruitment Estimate Density Estimate Take
Area (km2)
Priority Area (km2) (raven km-2) (raven km-2) Target
Fremont-Kramer 1,701 1,081 2.443 0.782 369
*Ord-Rodman 702 605 1.083 0.331 67
Superior-Cronese 2,215 955 1.563 0.943 579
*Fenner, Ivanpah, MNP 4,041 2,196 0.622 0.201 148
*JTNP, Pinto Mountains 737 433 1.373 0.311 45
Chemehuevi 2,328 1,838 0.271 0.181 0
Chuckwalla 1,798 1,001 0.702 0.101 0
Total or Average 13,522 8,109 1.153 0.412 1,208
*Raven egg take (via addling and Wildlife Service’s referral) in these areas should be largely (≥75%) confined to
Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas, with the primary goal of preventing 95% of raven eggs laid in these areas
from hatching. This adaptive change is in response to the most recent mean and upper 95% confidence interval
estimates being below the 0.89 raven km-2 threshold.
1The mean and upper 95th confidence limit estimates are below the 0.89 ravens km-2 adaptive management
threshold (Holcomb et al. 2021).
2The mean estimate is below but the upper 95th confidence limit estimate is above the threshold.
3The mean and upper 95th confidence limit estimates are above the threshold.
1

Map 1. California Common Raven Monitoring and Management Areas color-coded to reflect individual areas
named in the legend. Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas, Designated Wilderness, and Department of Defense
(DoD) administered lands are also include for planning and reference purposes.
1) Performance Period and Total Survey Effort per Priority Area
Nest surveys, point counts, and oiling will be performed over an approximately two-month period,
between March 17 and June 9, 2025, in each Common Raven Monitoring and Management Area or
each areas Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (see Table 1 for further details regarding area-by-area
“2025 Egg Take Targets”). Additionally, each crew should include up to three weeks for data
curation, camera-trap image classification, report writing, and editing based on comments received
on each management area specific report, resulting in a performance period that will not exceed
June 30, 2025. Point counts will be performed in all areas. Oiling will be performed in all areas
except for Chemehuevi and Chuckwalla. Tortoise decoy “survival” trials will be conducted in
Fenner-Ivanpah-Mojave NP, Superior-Cronese, Fremont-Kramer, and Ord-Rodman.
For each management area, the total effort required to locate and oil the target number of eggs will
be clearly detailed in the proposal in terms of person-days and the estimated cost per raven egg
oiled (partial nests will be oiled and nests will not be monitored for phenology or offending status
beyond an initial sweep to calibrate for annual variation in nest phenology). This person-day
estimate should also include conducting 50 ten-minute two-kilometer radius point counts (between
2

sunrise and 1400h, with sustained winds of <40km/h, and no more than light precipitation) in
Chemehuevi, Fenner-Ivanpah-Mojave National Preserve, Fremont-Kramer, Ord-Rodman, Superior-
Cronese, and Joshua Tree-Pinto Mountains, and Chuckwalla monitoring and management areas.
Additionally, this person-day estimate should include deployment, retrieval, and analysis of 22
survival trials in the Fremont-Kramer, Superior-Cronese, Ord-Rodman, and Fenner-Ivanpah-Mojave
monitoring and management areas.
Project administration and fieldwork efforts will be separated and described clearly by total person-
days for each category. Project administration and fieldwork person-days will be further broken
down by specific tasks such as but not limited to, database management, tortoise decoy “survival”
trial image classification, initial nest monitoring, oiling effort, and point count effort.
2) Budget
The Budget should be organized into cost-type categories. Budget Categories should be further
itemized into distinct line items. Budget descriptions need to be estimated clearly and itemized by
tasks such as, but not limited to: raven egg oiling, point counts, database management, project
administration, deployment and retrieval of 22 tortoise decoy stations at predetermined random
points in the Fremont-Kramer, Superior-Cronese, Ord-Rodman, and Fenner-Ivanpah-Mojave
management areas, project administration, tortoise decoy station photographic data review, hotel
rate (cost per day and number of days, these should be kept to a minimum), camp rate (cost per day
and number of days), mileage (cost per mile by the number of estimated miles), equipment/supplies
(total cost), and overhead (percent of labor).
Monthly financial reports will be accepted in either one of two formats. The first option that will be
accepted is an estimated daily cost per person day with the total person days for that month as well
as an estimate of the cost per egg oiled. The first option must include an attached memo each month
with a detailed description of how the person-day cost was estimated from expenses and tasks. The
memo can be reused each month. The second option that will be accepted is an estimated cost for
each task that month such as, but not limited to, fieldwork (days multiplied by a fixed rate per day),
accommodation rates (cost per day), mileage (cost per mile by the number of miles),
equipment/supplies (total cost), project administration (days multiplied by a fixed rate per day), and
overhead (percent of labor).
3) Nest Location and Egg Oiling
Nest searching and egg oiling (i.e., addling) will be conducted during daylight hours by slowly driving
established open routes and by walking to monitoring points or known nest points (Maps 3 through
8) while scanning suitable raven nesting substrates with and without binoculars. To the extent
possible, point count surveys should be integrated into the nest location and egg oiling process to
optimize efficiency. Searches and addling will be conducted by one to two personnel (preference
determined by personnel) in a vehicle with the individual(s) observing, navigating, preparing to
addle, and driving. The track logging setting on your GPS device should be left on during all field
activities. Track log data is used to identify the areas covered during annual surveys and provides a
robust estimate of effort.
Nests can also be located by watching raven behavior from a vantage point that enables the use of
either a rangefinder or compass and map to estimate the location of possible nests throughout
Joshua tree forests and boulder gardens. Reaching addling targets may require more intensive
searching in hard-to-reach locations during some breeding seasons because of environmental
conditions that depress raven reproductive output.
3

Speeds on dirt roads will not exceed 20 miles per hour. On paved roads, a balance will be made
between safety and raven nest search effectiveness but posted speed limits should never be
exceeded.
Upon sighting a potential raven nest, the vehicle or pedestrian will stop. The crew member(s) will
then take a closer look at the birds/nest in question with a high-power spotting scope. In cases of a
raven nest or highly suspected raven nest, surveyors will then use a pole-mounted camera sprayer to
determine whether eggs are present in the nest. If eggs are present, oil should be applied to addle
the eggs. The basic nest data will be collected on the provided datasheets and according to the
provided data dictionary—note that this project’s data formats are specific to our analysis process
and data not conforming to these supplied data dictionaries will not be accepted (e.g., see
Attachment Six).
The vehicle or pedestrian survey will re‐commence when the observer’s full attention is again on the
landscape.
4) Identification of Desert Tortoise Remains
Any observed tortoise remains will be cataloged and photographed on a white background with a
standard scale to clearly show the composition of identified remains. Record details on the provided
datasheets and according to the provided data dictionary (e.g., number of individuals present and
length(s) of carapace; see Attachment Three). Time since death will be based upon a standardized key
from Berry and Woodman 1984 (modified in 2000; Attachment Two). Desert tortoise remains will be
removed from the sample plot, labeled in separate bags after being dried, and mailed to USFWS
contact at end of the season.
5) Desert Tortoise Remains
Surveyors will follow Attachment Three guidelines and provide USFWS with Critical Habitat Unit
(CHU), nest ID, substrate, GPS site location (NAD 1983 Zone 11, Easting and Northing in meters),
species occupying nest, breeding development stage, number of carcasses, description of remains,
age class, time since death, and date remains were found.
Immediately notify USFWS and either the landowner contacts if any desert tortoises are found hit
or dead along any of the survey routes. Include the location of remains (UTM coordinates), time
since death, age class of tortoise, and any other pertinent information. This information is being
used to further the efficiency of USFWS’s and BLM’s efforts to manage road mortality across the
range of the tortoise.
4

Map 2 Common Raven and other large nests located within the Fremont-Kramer Common Raven Monitoring and Management Area. In addition
to Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPA), track-logs from previous years, wilderness areas, and Department of Defense Lands.
5

Map 3 Common Raven & other large nests located within the Joshua Tree NP and Pinto Basin Common Raven Monitoring and Management
Area. In addition to Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPAs), BLM Wilderness, and track-log from previous years.
6

Map 4 Common Raven and other large nests are located within the Ord-Rodman Common Raven Monitoring and Management Area. In addition
to Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPA), track-logs from previous years, wilderness, and Department of Defense Lands.
7

Map 5 Common Raven and other large nests are located within the Superior-Cronese Common Raven Monitoring and Management Area. In
addition to Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPA), track-logs from previous years, wilderness, and Department of Defense Lands.
8

Map 6 Common Raven and other large nests located within the Chuckwalla Common Raven Monitoring and Management Area. In addition to
Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPA), track-logs from previous years, wilderness and Department of Defense Lands.
9

Map 7 Common Raven and other large nests located within the Fenner-Ivanpah-Mojave National Preserve Common Raven Monitoring and
Management Area. In addition to Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPA), track-logs from previous years, BLM wilderness and Department of
Defense Lands.
10

Map 8 Common Raven and other large nests located within the Chemehuevi Common Raven Monitoring and Management Area. In addition to
Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPA), track-logs from previous years, wilderness, and Department of Defense Lands.
11

6) Measuring Common Raven Predator Pressure with Tortoise Decoys paired with Passive Infrared
Camera Traps
The recipient will deploy and retrieve 20 tortoise decoy stations, 1 camera-only station (camera
control), and 1 novel-object station (object control) at 22 predetermined random points in ONLY the
Fremont-Kramer, Superior-Cronese, Ord-Rodman, and Fenner-Ivanpah-Mojave monitoring and
management areas. The recipient will review images from each survival trial and report raven
observations as a time series of the number of ravens observed per calendar day—including all days
with zero observations. Additionally, raven observations will be categorized into approach-attack
classes and weekly attack rates will be estimated for each area (Sum of 0 or 1 attacks per twelve-hour
period divided by the number of twelve-hour periods sampled, times fourteen to account for the
cumulative probability of fourteen sample periods per week). Models will be deployed
opportunistically during initial nest searching and oiling phase, but before April 10, 2020. Care should
be taken to deploy these models when ravens are not visibly present in the area. Models will be left in
place for 15 days and no more than 25 days.
7) Deliverables
The recipient will provide the following deliverables (all GPS locations will be in UTM NAD83 datum).
All electronic files will be compatible with Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Office (i.e., Word, Excel), and
all electronic data will be compatible with ESRI ArcMap version 10 (e.g., shapefile or geodatabase).
Data files will also be mailed via FedEx or USPS to the USFWS contact identified in the funding
agreement.
1. Monthly:
1. GPS track logs (as ArcGIS shapefile) of all routes driven within the study areas
2. GPS locations of all desert tortoise remains that cannot be associated with a specific raven nest
or perch
3. GPS locations of all desert tortoise sightings (including roadkill)
4. See bullet point Item 2 “Budget” for Monthly Financial Requirements
2. At the end of the funding agreement:
1. A summary Excel spreadsheet that contains (see Attachment Three):
a. Nest ID
b. Nesting substrate
c. Locations in UTMs (Easting, Northing)
d. Breeding status of occupied nest
e. Description of desert tortoise remains associated with a nest or nearby perch site
f. The estimated time since death for the tortoise remains
g. Date found
h. Most recent date of observation
i. Notification of desert tortoise remains if applicable
2. NFWF Final Programmatic Report:
a. Executive summary
b. Methodology
c. Results
i. Nest locations in UTMs
ii. Dollars per egg oiled
iii. Separate maps of:
1. CHU boundary with land ownerships, survey routes, and powerlines
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2. nest sites (include key indicating active nests, inactive nests, and
bird species) and incidental live desert tortoise encounters and
carcass locations (include raven predated and roadkill tortoises)
iv. Summary tables detailing:
1. Desert tortoise carcasses by age class (i.e., adult, sub‐adult,
juvenile, and hatchling)
2. Oil application actions at Common Raven nest sites and effect on
nest success and fledging (optional)
v. QA/QC process and assurances for data and reports
d. Discussion
i. Compare results to 2024 (or most recent) egg-addling efforts for the respective
strata
ii. Summary page of recommendations for future raven monitoring and
management actions (Optional)
3. All photographs and recorded details of desert tortoise remains encountered; photographs
need to be GPS tagged
4. All photographs and recorded details of live desert tortoise observations; photographs
need to be GPS tagged
5. All photographs and recorded data of nests; photographs need to be GPS tagged
6. Scanned field datasheets as pdf’s
7. ArcGIS shapefile or geodatabase (i.e., shapefile, GPS track-log files) needs to be mailed
electronically and physically on a flash drive to the USFWS contact
8. NFWF Final Financial Report
8) References
Hanley, B., Currylow, A., Holcomb, K. L., Shields, T., Boland, S., Boarman, W., and Vaughn, M. 2021.
StallPOPdV4 Web Interactive: Software to compute population control treatments of a subsidized
predator [Online Software: https://cwhl.vet.cornell.edu/tools/stallpopdItemcollapse5].
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7298/sk2e-0c38.4.
Currylow, A., Hanley, B., Holcomb, K. L., Shields, T., Boland, S., Boarman, W., and Vaughn, M. 2021.
Identifying population management strategies for avian predators: a decision tool. Human-Wildlife
Interactions.
Holcomb, K. L., Coates, P. S., Prochazka, B. G., Shields, T., and Boarman, W. I. 2021. A desert tortoise-
common raven viable conflict threshold. Human-Wildlife Interactions, 15(3).
Omernik, J.M. and Griffith, G.E., 2014. Ecoregions of the conterminous United States: evolution of a
hierarchical spatial framework. Environmental management, 54(6), pp.1249-1266.
USFWS, 2021. 2008 Common Raven Management Environmental Assessment Phase III Adaptive
Management Memo. US DOI, Palm Springs, California.
USFWS, 2008. Environmental Assessment to Implement a Desert Tortoise Recovery Plan Task: Reduce
Common Raven Predation on the Desert Tortoise. US DOI, Ventura, California. Available at:
www.fws.gov/carlsbad/PalmSprings/DesertTortoise/Raven%20EA%20Final%203-08.pdf
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Attachment One
Priority Management Actions by CHU and NPS Unit for 2025
1. Chemehuevi CHU
• Conduct 50, 10-minute variable radius point counts between sunrise and 1400 hours when
sustained winds are less than 40km/h and there is no more than light precipitation at
previously determined random points.
• Report raven nests to Wildlife Services (coordinate with USFWS, BLM, NPS contact, and WS)
2. Fenner, Ivanpah, and MNP
• Initial nest phenology survey in Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPAs) to best time oiling
efforts in elevation-latitude classes, (coordinate routes with NPS contact) (see Item 3, “Nest
Location and Egg Oiling”, beginning on page 3). NOTE: Management actions are prohibited
throughout BLM Wilderness while a Minimum Tools Analysis is completed by the Bureau. Pole-
mounted and handheld oil applicators are permitted in Wilderness Areas managed by Joshua
Tree National Park.
• Apply oil to Common Raven eggs in Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPAs) to addle them
(see Item 3 and Table 1)
• Report hatched or inaccessible raven nests to Wildlife Services (coordinate with USFWS, BLM,
NPS contact, and WS)
• Conduct 50, 10-minute variable radius point counts between sunrise and 1400 hours when
sustained winds are less than 40km/h and there is no more than light precipitation at
previously determined random points.
• Deploy and retrieve 20 tortoise decoy survival trails, at 20 predetermined random points (note:
these points will be 250 meters from variable radius point count locations)
• Survival trial image review. (see Item 6)
3. Joshua Tree National Park and Pinto Mountains CHU
• Initial nest phenology check survey in Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPAs) to best time
oiling efforts in elevation-latitude classes, (coordinate routes with NPS contact) (see Item 3,
“Nest Location and Egg Oiling”, beginning on page 3). NOTE: Management actions are
prohibited throughout BLM Wilderness while a Minimum Tools Analysis is being completed by
the Bureau. Pole-mounted and handheld oil applicators are permitted in Wilderness Areas
managed by Joshua Tree National Park.
• Apply oil to Common Raven eggs in Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPAs) to addle them
(see Item 3 and Table 1)
• Report hatched or inaccessible raven nests to Wildlife Services (coordinate with USFWS, BLM,
NPS contact, and WS)
• Conduct 50, 10-minute variable radius point counts between sunrise and 1400 hours when
sustained winds are less than 40km/h and there is no more than light precipitation at
previously determined random points.
4. Ord‐Rodman CHU (includes a portion within Barstow Marine Corps Logistics Base)
• Initial nest phenology check survey in Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPAs) to best time
oiling efforts in elevation-latitude classes, (coordinate routes with NPS contact) (see Item 3,
“Nest Location and Egg Oiling”, beginning on page 3). NOTE: Management actions are
prohibited throughout BLM Wilderness while a Minimum Tools Analysis is completed by the
Bureau. Pole-mounted and handheld oil applicators are permitted in Wilderness Areas managed
i

by Joshua Tree National Park.
• Apply oil to Common Raven eggs in Tortoise Recruitment Priority Areas (TRPAs) to addle them
(see Item 3 and Table 1)
• Report hatched or inaccessible raven nests to Wildlife Services (coordinate with USFWS, BLM,
NPS contact, and WS)
• Conduct 50, 10-minute variable radius point counts between sunrise and 1400 hours when
sustained winds are less than 40km/h and there is no more than light precipitation at
previously determined random points. Deploy and retrieve 20 tortoise decoy survival trail, 1
camera only survival control, and 1 novel-object survival trail control at 22 predetermined
random points (note: these points will be 250 meters from variable radius point count locations)
• Deploy and retrieve 20 tortoise decoy survival trails, at 20 predetermined random points (note:
these points will be 250 meters from variable radius point count locations)
• Survival trial image review. (See Item 6)
5. Fremont‐Kramer CHU (includes a portion within Edwards Air Force Base and Desert Tortoise Research
Natural Area)
• Initial nest phenology check survey of the nest to best time oiling efforts in elevation-latitude
classes, (coordinate routes with NPS contact) (see Item 3, “Nest Location and Egg Oiling”,
beginning on page 3). NOTE: Management actions are prohibited throughout BLM Wilderness
while a Minimum Tools Analysis is completed by the Bureau. Pole-mounted and handheld oil
applicators are permitted in Wilderness Areas managed by Joshua Tree National Park.
• Apply oil to Common Raven eggs to addle (see Item 3 and Table 1)
• Report hatched or inaccessible raven nests to Wildlife Services (coordinate with USFWS, BLM,
NPS contact, and WS)
• Conduct 50, 10-minute variable radius point counts between sunrise and 1400 hours when
sustained winds are less than 40km/h and there is no more than light precipitation at
previously determined random points.
• Deploy and retrieve 20 tortoise decoy survival trails, at 20 predetermined random points (note:
these points will be 250 meters from variable radius point count locations)
• Survival trial image review. (See Item 6)
6. Superior‐Cronese CHU and Fort Irwin’s southeast conservation area
• Initial nest phenology check survey of the nest to best time oiling efforts in elevation-latitude
classes, (coordinate routes with NPS contact) (see Item 3, “Nest Location and Egg Oiling”,
beginning on page 3). NOTE: Management actions are prohibited throughout BLM Wilderness
while a Minimum Tools Analysis is completed by the Bureau.
• Apply oil to Common Raven eggs to Addle (see Item 3 and Table 1)
• Report hatched or inaccessible raven nests to Wildlife Services (coordinate with USFWS, BLM,
NPS contact, and WS)
• Conduct 50, 10-minute variable radius point counts between sunrise and 1400 hours when
sustained winds are less than 40km/h and there is no more than light precipitation at
previously determined random points.
• Deploy and retrieve 20 tortoise decoy survival trails, at 20 predetermined random points (note:
these points will be 250 meters from variable radius point count locations)
• Survival trial image review. (See Item 6)
7. Chuckwalla CHU
• Report raven nests to Wildlife Services (coordinate with USFWS, BLM, NPS contact, and WS)
• Conduct 50, 10-minute variable radius point counts between sunrise and 1400 hours when
ii

sustained winds are less than 40km/h and there is no more than light precipitation at
previously determined random points.
iii

Attachment Two
Protocol adapted from:
Berry, K.H., and A.P. Woodman. 1984. Methods used in analyzing mortality data for most tortoise
populations in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. Appendix 7 in Berry, K.H. (ed.), The Status of
the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in the United States. Report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service from the Desert Tortoise Council on Order No. 11310‐0083‐81.
A) Shell <50 mm MCL ................................................................................................................... B
B) Scutes may be fading slightly, and/or bone may be slightly porous with <75%
bone surface pitted ..................................................................................................... <1 year
BB) Scutes more weathered than above; bone, if still present, extremely porous
with >75% bone surface pitted. .......................................................................................... C
C) Scutes faded, curling, maybe breaking .................................................. 1‐2 years
CC) Scutes breaking apart, very faded, curled; growth rings peeling and
cracking ........................................................................................................ >2 years
AA) Shell >50 mm MCL ................................................................................................................ D
D) Shell 51‐120 mm MCL .................................................................................................. E
E) Scutes not fading, and/or bone solid. ........................................................ <1 year
EE) Scutes and/or bone more weathered than above .............................................. F
F) Scutes fading, growth rings beginning to peel, and/or bone solid
or slightly porous. ............................................................................ 1‐2 years
FF) Scutes faded; growth rings peeling, cracking, and brittle.
and/or bone slightly to extremely porous.................................................... G
G) Scutes faded, usually curling; growth rings peeling and cracking; <75%
bone porous. ...................................................................... 2‐4 years
GG) Scutes very faded, curling, usually breaking, and/or
bone extremely porous (>75%). ...........................................>4 years
DD) Shell >120 mm MCL ................................................................................................... H
H) Scutes not faded, and/or bone solid ........................................................... <1 year
iv

HH) Scutes and/or bone more weathered than above .............................................. I
I) Scutes of both the plastron and carapace faded. ...................................... J
J) Shell worn with depressed scutes. ............................................... K
K) Very slight peeling or cracking of growth rings,
and/or bone solid ..................................................... 1‐2 years
KK) Scutes and bone are more weathered than above. ....... L
L) Some peeling and cracking of growth
rings on scutes, and/or bone solid ............... 2‐4 years
LL) Growth rings peeling and cracking, and/or
bone peeling, cracking, or showing
mosaic cracking. .......................................... >4 years
JJ) Scutes on shell not depressed. .................................................. M
M) Growth rings not peeling or cracking, and/or
bone solid ................................................................ 1‐2 years
MM) Scutes and/or bones more weathered than
above .................................................................................... N
N) Growth rings beginning to crack and peel
on scutes, and/or bone solid ........................ 2‐4 years
NN) Growth rings peeling and cracking on scutes,
and /or bone peeling, cracking, or showing mosaic
cracking
......................................................................>4 years
II) Scutes of either the plastron or the carapace faded, but not both .......... O
O) Shell worn with depressed scutes ............................................... P
P) Some peeling and cracking of growth rings, usually
on the vertebral scute, and/or bone solid
................................................................................1‐2 years
PP) Scutes and/or bone more weathered than above. ..........Q
Q) Growth rings on scutes peeling and cracking,
usually not curled, and/or bone solid or
beginning to crack and peel
....................................................................2‐4 years
v

QQ) Growth rings on scutes peeling, cracking, and usually
curled; and/or bone solid if scutes still cover it, or peeling and
cracking if exposed. ..................................... >4 years
OO) Scutes on shell not depressed. ................................................ R
R) Growth rings may be beginning to crack and
peel, and/or bone solid ............................................ 1‐2 years
RR) Scutes and/or bone more weathered than above. .......... S
S) Scutes may be curling at edges; growth rings
cracking and peeling; and/or bone solid if still
covered by scutes, or may show
some cracking and peeling if exposed. ....... 2‐4 years
SS) Scutes may be curling and/or breaking, growth
rings cracking and peeling, and/or
bone solid if still covered by scutes ............. >4 years
vi