Aquifer Species Surveys
Zara has an established history studying aquatic invertebrates across the state. Zara personnel have been conducting various facets of biological monitoring in surface and subsurface aquatic systems since 1993. Zara holds U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Permit number TE85077A-0 for endangered salamanders and aquatic invertebrates, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Scientific Research Permit number SPR-0608-082 that permits the survey and handling of threatened and endangered freshwater fish, salamander and invertebrate species, including freshwater mussels. Zara personnel have been invited to speak at numerous scientific conferences.
Zara's president is a member of the USFWS recovery team for the aquatic species in New Braunfels and San Marcos that includes Eurycea nana and E. rathbuni. Zara's combined consulting experience with central Texas Eurycea includes drafting salamander sections for three Habitat Conservation Plans (EARIP, Hays County HCP, Southern Edwards Plateau HCP) and one Environmental Assessment (City of Austin Barton Springs pool, E. sosorum and E. waterlooensis, in progress), as well as extensive field work. Field related projects include two mark- recapture studies of three populations, one of E. tonkawe in Testudo Tube Cave (2004 to present), and two E. rathbuni populations in San Marcos (2005-2006, results in press, in collaboration with Dr. Andy Gluesenkamp). Zara has coordinated and performed field work on multi-year projects (2003 – 2010) that included extensive sampling and monitoring of populations in an around springs and caves on Camp Bullis in San Antonio (including the documentation of snakes, lizards, toads, frogs and salamanders). These projects have provided new locality information, habitat descriptions, and genetic results regarding species boundaries (in collaboration with Drs. Paul Chippindale and Nate Bendik).
Zara's president is a member of the USFWS recovery team for the aquatic species in New Braunfels and San Marcos that includes Eurycea nana and E. rathbuni. Zara's combined consulting experience with central Texas Eurycea includes drafting salamander sections for three Habitat Conservation Plans (EARIP, Hays County HCP, Southern Edwards Plateau HCP) and one Environmental Assessment (City of Austin Barton Springs pool, E. sosorum and E. waterlooensis, in progress), as well as extensive field work. Field related projects include two mark- recapture studies of three populations, one of E. tonkawe in Testudo Tube Cave (2004 to present), and two E. rathbuni populations in San Marcos (2005-2006, results in press, in collaboration with Dr. Andy Gluesenkamp). Zara has coordinated and performed field work on multi-year projects (2003 – 2010) that included extensive sampling and monitoring of populations in an around springs and caves on Camp Bullis in San Antonio (including the documentation of snakes, lizards, toads, frogs and salamanders). These projects have provided new locality information, habitat descriptions, and genetic results regarding species boundaries (in collaboration with Drs. Paul Chippindale and Nate Bendik).