Unified Interior Regions

In this video, a bobcat approached a desert tortoise (a marked female in the study population) that was sleeping on the apron of her burrow. Bobcats are known predators of various life stages of the desert tortoise. In this case, the bobcat bent down to sniff the tortoise, and then touched its paw to the top of the tortoise's shell. The tortoise then moved into an "all-

This collaborative project pairs artists from California's Central Coast and San Francisco Bay Area with scientists from the Santa Cruz-based U.S. Geological Survey's Pacific Marine and Coastal Science Center. The artist create work inspired by scientific research.

This American black bear and cub duo was seen simply investigating a tortoise burrow, and although it is surprising to see a black bear so low in elevation, it isn't impossible. The study site, Mesa, sits at the intersection of multiple ecosystems (Sonoran Desert, Mojave Desert, montane, and coastal sage scrub). Therefore, the bears could have come down from the montane

Coyotes were the second most frequently observed mammalian predator on the trail cameras. Coyotes are considered one of the primary predators of desert tortoises. In this instance, a coyote is passing by a burrow when it suddenly has a change in attention as it is passing by. It then approaches the burrow and sniffs all around the burrow entrance (including the apron and

USGS and US Forest Service staff installing dust monitoring equipment at a uranium mine near Grand Canyon National Park.

Climate change combined with overlapping high-intensity land uses are likely to create conditions detrimental to the recreation economy, wildlife habitat, water availability and other resources in hyper-arid landscapes, or drylands, in the future

Bureau of Land Management truck sprays herbicide in southwestern Idaho as part of a restoration effort. 

An examination of long-term data for lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management finds that land treatments in the southwestern United States are increasingly large, expensive and related to fire and invasive species control.

USGS employee, Hanna Coy, talks about stream gauging.

A mountain bluebird eats a giant mistletoe berry in an ash tree in Sedona, Arizona (Oak Creek).  These bluebirds, and many other types of birds, rely on mistletoe berries for sustenance. As a result, they also help distribute the mistletoe seeds.

Picture showing the increased size of the sandbar after the November 2012 controlled flood from the Glen Canyon Dam. This location is 65 miles downstream from Lees Ferry and the view is looking downstream. These and additional photographs depicting the results of the recent controlled floods can be viewed online.

Picture showing the size of the sandbar before the November 2012 controlled flood from the Glen Canyon Dam. This location is 65 miles downstream from Lees Ferry and the view is looking downstream. These and additional photographs depicting the results of the recent controlled floods can be viewed online.

Working at the USGS can be fun. These student employees were given wonderful opportunities and made lasting friendships while working at the USGS.