jprbelli

Joined: May 25, 2016 Last Active: Mar 27, 2024 iNaturalist

I'm a lifelong resident of central CA, and have explored the region since the 1970s.

I have a degree in conservation biology from San Jose State University. I did my thesis on habitat use and demography of Western pond turtles on upper Coyote Creek in Santa Clara County.

I'm interested to some degree in all living things, but especially mammals, herps, and birds. I am fascinated by biogeography- where species do (and don't) occur, and why/why not. I am particularly drawn to at-risk species. I've surveyed for special status amphibians for CA State Parks (Henry Coe and Pacheco), and I've volunteered at Pinnacles National Park on the Condor Project since 2010.

I am the author of "The Diablo Diary," a collection of natural history essays from central California's Diablo Range, available on Amazon.

Since 2005 I've lived on a 55-acre nature reserve, the Pacheco Pass Wildlife Research Station, near the summit of Pacheco Pass, and I've been trying to catalogue the biodiversity of the property ever since (hence the preponderance of observations concentrated in that area). I encourage anyone with an interest in visiting the property to contact me (don't waste your time googling it).

Other things: I have an unhealthy addiction to SF Giants baseball and chocolate lave cake; I studied classical piano for 4 years before becoming irretrievably corrupted by rock & roll, and I believe I can prove that 1971-1972 was the high water mark for pop music. I have an illogical fear of spiders, clowns/mimes, and flow charts.

View All