Share with Wildlife

Delving into a Chipmunk’s Life History

When are Peñasco least chipmunks actively moving aboveground, how many survive over winter, and how many are there in the most dense population of this species thus far detected? These are some of the questions that Fiona McKibben, a graduate student at New Mexico State University, and a member of her graduate committee, Dr. Fitsum Abadi Gebreselassie are trying to answer when it comes to their studies of the Peñasco least chipmunk.

Until 2016, this chipmunk species had not been documented in New Mexico since 2000. Given that it is a candidate for federal Endangered Species Act listing, it is important to have information on how core populations are doing and species behavior to inform future conservation actions, as well as to mitigate impacts of any development or vegetation management proposed within or near the area where this species is most abundant. The Peñasco least chipmunk is very similar in appearance to the gray-footed chipmunk, which is much more common and is found in the same mountain ranges that boast habitat suitable for the least chipmunk. How do you tell these chipmunks apart? Fiona and her graduate advisor, Dr. Jennifer Frey, have developed a list of very specific characteristics that they can use to determine which of these two species was captured in a photograph by motion-activated cameras. This non-invasive approach to studying this rare species is being used to detect, identify, and gather important information on when chipmunks breed, when babies first come aboveground, and when they go underground for the winter. Photographs of chipmunks that were previously ear tagged will be used to evaluate the rate of chipmunk survival between 2019 and 2020 and estimate the abundance and density of the chipmunk population within the study area.

Twenty cameras were deployed in May 2020, checked periodically throughout the chipmunk’s active season, and all retrieved by mid-November. Weather data, regarding temperature and humidity, were collected at each camera deployment site, and a rain gauge was installed at the study site. The weather data will be analyzed to see how it relates back to the activities of the chipmunks. Identification of photographed chipmunks to species is underway, as are analyses of the data from the already processed photographs. Final results should be coming out in summer, 2021.

 

The call for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Share with Wildlife projects is now closed. The proposal review process is complete and the list of projects being funded in FY 2021 is available below.

 

These forms are provided for informational purposes to individuals and organizations submitting a proposal to the Share with Wildlife program in response to an active Call For Project Information. These forms should not be submitted to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish unless an employee of the Department directly contacts you and requests that you fill them out as part of the process of implementing a professional services contract for a new Share with Wildlife project.

Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form

Compliance with Government Conduct Act

DFA Agency Certification Form

Substitute Form W-9

Applicants for a Share with Wildlife project who intend to capture and handle animals or use live animals and/or animal parts for educational purposes for their project may need to obtain a scientific collection permit or educational program permit from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Please see the Special Use Permits page for more information and contact dgf.permits@state.nm.us with questions.

Defenders of Wildlife and Cascade Conservation, LLC, in coordination with other biologists and geospatial professionals, have developed a Story Map related to the aquatic connectivity project that they completed for New Mexico Department of Game and Fish’s Share with Wildlife program in 2020. This project entailed surveys of culverts and other road crossing structures along 6 streams in the Santa Fe National Forest.

New Mexico wildlife needs your help! Share with Wildlife funds numerous projects related to wildlife habitat enhancement, wildlife-related education, wildlife rehabilitation, and research on wildlife biology and ecology every year. All projects are made possible through donations made by members of the public. 

To make a donation, you may donate part of the refund on your state tax return; purchase a Share with Wildlife license plate; make any dollar amount donation online (minimum $2; see more information below); or mail in a check using this donation form. All donated funds go to supporting wildlife; none are used for administrative costs.

If you want your dollars to go even further in supporting non-game wildlife, consider donating to Share with Wildlife and purchasing a Habitat Management Access Validation simultaneously. Click here for more information about donating and here for information on our State Game Commission Lands.

Donations made to the Share with Wildlife program are tax-deductible for both federal and New Mexico state taxes. Please see U.S. Code Title 26. Internal Revenue Code – section 170c – Charitable Contribution Defined for more information. You may wish to further confirm with your tax advisor/preparer.

Thank you for your support of New Mexico’s wildlife!

Share with Wildlife - Donation Form (Word) Share with Wildlife - Donation Form (PDF)

Download the PDF to support wildlife by ordering the Share with Wildlife license plate. PDF made available from MVD New Mexico. The roadrunner and Rio Grande cutthroat trout plates are only available through the mail. The roadrunner plate was released by MVD October 19th, 2020. It may take several weeks (6-10 or more) to receive your roadrunner or trout plate from MVD.

You can donate to Share with Wildlife through your Online Licensing System account by clicking Customer Login located at the top of this website:

On the Online Licensing System website (shown below) please enter your Username (or Customer ID or Email) and Password, and then click the Login button:

Once you are logged in, if you only wish to donate to Share with Wildlife, click on the Share with Wildlife button on the home page:

Type any dollar amount (minimum $2.00) you wish to donate in the Enter Donation Amount box (shown below) and click Review Order:

Dismiss any pop-up windows (shown below) regarding purchasing other items by clicking the OK button:

Click the Add to Cart button (shown below) at the top of the Review Order page:

On the next screen, click Checkout and continue on to complete your purchase.

OR

Once you are logged in, if you are purchasing other items through the Online Licensing System, go to License Sales | General License Sales from the Main Menu (shown below):

After you read the Terms of Agreement on the next page and click the Continue button, you will see a list of Available Products. Locate the Share with Wildlife Donation product ($10 donation only) OR the Share with Wildlife Extra Donation product ($2.00 minimum donation; type dollar amount in Enter Donation Amount box) and click the check box next to (add to order). Click the Review Order button:

Dismiss any pop-up windows (shown above) regarding purchasing other items by clicking the OK button. Click the Add to Cart button (shown above) at the top of the Review Order page. On the next screen, click Checkout and continue on to complete your purchase.