I’ve been wondering about what species that I should look out for observations for conservation purposes. Is there a project that is going on iNatralist for Washington and Oregon?
Here is one: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/oregon-fish-and-wildlife-office-endangered-and-threatened-species
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Here’s the “official” rare species project for Oregon: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/rare-species-of-oregon (broader than just listed Endangered and Threatened species).
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Not a project, but there certainly are reptiles to look out for. Primarily, these are the things that have disjunct ranges or ranges that seem to skip portions of what should be their range. Here are a few:
Masticophis taeniatus, Uta stansburiana, and Sceloporus graciosus along the Columbia River from about Vantage to Grand Coulee in Washington…they should be all along there but are spoitty. The northern-most Uta is at about Grand Coulee, but they could/should start showing up at places like Steamboat Rock State Park.
Gambelia wislizenii near Hat Rock in Oregon. Lewis and Clark reported these lizards at this site as they came down the Columbia and they’re a spot on the map of known disjunct population, but have never been confirmed there in the age of iNaturalist.
Rhinocheilus in Harney and Malheur Counties, Oregon. These snakes occur in the Snake River plain down in Idaho and just south of Oregon in Nevada, but have only been reported once or a handful of times in these counties.
Aspidoscelis at John Day Fossil Beds (especially around Foree) and at the north end of Summer Lake. Again, disjunct populations that are just hanging on are important to document, but rarely observed.
Rubber Boas (Charina) anywhere east of the Cascades, especially out in the Ochocos. I came across a road-killed Rubber Boa a few years ago and was shocked to learn that there were only perhaps three records of this species in Mitchell Co. east of Prineville where I found it.
Phyrnosoma douglasii at Santiam Junction. Doc Storm (professor at Oregon State) once told me a story of a stop he made at the gas station that used to exist at this road juction. Apparently some kid came in with a jar full of these lizards that he had collected. Doc Storm had no idea where they came from precisely…just somewhere in the area. But if you consider the habitat in that area it does not look like Horned Lizard country. I suspect these were out in the nearby lava flows, but that has never been substantiated.
One strategy you can take is to look at the range maps in a field guide and note where there are isolated dots indicating populations are or were there and try to periodically revisit those places to confirm that they’re still there.
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