September 12, 2023

Dear Friend of Urban Wildlife Research Project (UWRP),

Maybe you have recently seen us in the news? Bill spotted a juvenile beaver on one of his trail cameras in late August! Beavers have not been seen in Matadero Creek for over 160 years, meaning that this youngster is the first baby beaver to be seen in the baylands for that period of time. Bill had been following mom and dad beaver since March 2022. May was the last time that Bill saw adult beavers, so he thought that they had abandoned the creek – but on August 18th there they were again, and then came this juvenile.

The discovery has generated a lot of excitement! Local newspapers such as the Palo Alto Weekly, the San Francisco Chronicle, the LA Times, and nationally syndicated outlets such as ABC-TV carried the story.

Urbanization poses unique challenges to wildlife populations as they adapt to their changing habitats in urban environments. These challenges include habitat loss, pollution, vehicle collisions, and human-wildlife conflicts. Our mission is to conduct research that helps us better understand these challenges and influence policy-makers to manage healthy urban landscapes for people and wildlife.

Over the years, our project has made significant strides in achieving our goals thanks to your generosity. We have conducted in-depth studies on gray foxes and other urban wildlife species, and educated our community about the importance of coexisting with our wild neighbors.

However, our work is far from complete, and we need your support to continue our important research and conservation efforts. Your contribution will help us in the following ways:

Any donation, no matter how small or large, will make a meaningful difference in our ability to continue this important work. We firmly believe that with your support, we can continue to make a positive impact on urban wildlife conservation and create a more harmonious relationship between humans and our wild neighbors.



Our monthly Gray Fox Report keeps you up to date on our latest research. We are also on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram where you can discover dates for Bill’s upcoming talks and see more regular updates from the trail. Please spread the good word by following us! And don’t miss Bill’s delightful book, Road to Fox Hollow available here. 

Please donate to help us keep the trail cameras rolling. We appreciate your support!