The purpose of the requested Reserve use is to take university students on a Herpetology field trip that will include activities in the GMDRC and the surrounding Mojave National Preserve. The goal of this endeavor is to give the students the opportunity to observe the behavior of amphibians and reptiles in their natural habitats, to improve the students' skills in identifying amphibians and reptiles by capturing and examining specimens in the field, and to teach the students about aspects of the biology of species encountered in the Mojave Desert. Students will seek, observe, capture (following detailed instruction by instructor Lappin), and examine amphibians and reptiles. All captured specimens will be released at their exact location of capture following examination. No environmental manipulations are planned.

Approved