Resight SOP

Guidelines for leading Elephant seal re-sight crews at Año Nuevo

The day before going out:

· Ensure there is an appropriate entry in the Año Nuevo google calendar.

· Ensure all participants are approved to go out (check website or with Patrick) and please ensure that at least two people go out.

· Email all participants to remind them of meeting time and to contact you if they need to be let in the gate.

Before departing:

· Grab truck key and sign it out on the calendar (be sure to choose the correct truck!)

· Check to see that you have at least ¼ tank of gas (please refill on campus if below this level). Please use the gas pump on campus (the plastic key is in the center console of the truck).

· Grab gear in younger building

o Blue jackets or shirts

o VHF scanner and antenna

o Volunteer backpacks

o Ensure all (or most) people have binoculars and data books

o Spotting scope (note: this is not waterproof!)

o Orange VHF Park radio

o Your own cell phone

o First aid kit

· Assess the experience level of the volunteers (this will vary widely!)

· Please indicate how to properly care for binoculars:

o They are $250 each!

o Sand is the enemy! Always keep around neck or in the case… never set on the ground.

o Never unscrew the lenses (they are sealed/nitrogen-filled)

o Please ensure binoculars (and all the gear) are clean at the end of the day.

In the field:

· Open the Año Nuevo front gate (code provided by Patrick) and return it to the same state you found it! (Be sure the park’s key-lock can actually open the gate!)

· Sign in at the Año Nuevo Kiosk. If a park staff-person is present, they may make you wait while they contact a ranger.

· Drive slowly ~10mph down the equal access road and the North Point road actively look for snakes! The SF garter snake is endangered, so it is REALLY BAD to hit one! (please report it if you see or hit one).

· Obey instruction from Park staff and rangers at all times (they are in charge!)

· Stay together as a group during the entire time. The one exception is that a group of at least two people may be left at the top of the bight beach north overlook. Please be sure to share cell phone numbers.

· Tourist hours are from ~9:30am to 5:00pm. However, sometimes they come early or stay late. Do not work in front of tourists/docents/rangers, even if it is outside of tourist hours. When observers are present please stay within the public tour areas (or go to North Point).

· If needed, feel free to use the orange VHF radio to communicate with rangers or docents.

· Only put out marks on seals if you are confident it will result in a good/readable mark. Only very experienced volunteers should attempt marking. (Note: it is nearly impossible to mark a seal that is looking at you… it will move and smear your mark!)

· The field leader is in charge of ensuring:

1. volunteer safety

2. appropriate behavior around animals

3. good data collection techniques

Back at the lab:

· Clean and return all gear to the younger building

· Return the truck key

· Inform Patrick of any oddities (broken gear, strange event, etc.)

· Please enter resight data as soon as possible. Marks must be entered on the same day!

Emergencies:

· If you are in a vehicle accident, please consult the envelope in the glove box for detailed instructions.

· If anyone has a serious injury (of any kind), call 911 immediately. Then use the orange VHF Park radio to contact the state park rangers on duty (may not answer outside of business hours)

· For non-serious injuries, please administer first aid and then contact Patrick Robinson who will guide you through the procedures for workers compensation coverage:

o UCSC Risk Management instruction:

http://risk.ucsc.edu/workers-comp/reporting-and-treatment.html

o Additional instructions for animal bites: https://sites.google.com/site/anonuevoresearch/documents

Contact Information:

Santa Cruz State Park Dispatch: 831-649-2810

Año Nuevo State Park Kiosk: 650-879-2025

Terry Kiser, Supervising Ranger: 650-879-2028

Ziad Bawarshi, Ranger: 650-879-2027

Patrick Robinson: 831-708-8094