Capistrano School District Gets Wild with San Juan Hills High School Wildlife Cams

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA — At San Juan Hills High School, students will get a new take on local flora and fauna. The installation of "wildlife cams" at San Juan Hills High School Wildlife Cameras are a new addition this school year allowing students a window to their world of wildlife in the Southern California hills. A local watering hole, students and teachers scroll through footage watching the wonders of nature at work, like their own Discovery Channel broadcast.

According to statements, The San Juan Hills science department, chaired by Alexandra Easton, installed wildlife cameras last spring.

"On Friday, we captured three bobcats going by," Easton said. She collects the best video and posts clips to the group's Facebook page. Still, hours of research and scrolling through footage happen behind the scenes. For Easton and the San Juan Hills High School students and staff, it's worth it.

"The staff and students at San Juan Hills High School have always known that theirs is a school surrounded by wilderness," the high school stated on their Facebook page. "The new SJHHS Wildlife Cameras has allowed staff, students, and community members to see just what types of wildlife live around the SJHHS campus."

At night, black and white footage is captured, making the cameras available 24/7.

Cameras are in place in area ravines and trails around the rural high school campus.

"The data cards are checked once a week for footage of wildlife and so far, they have been able to identify mule deer, skunks, raccoons, rabbits, hawks, crows, coyotes, bobcats, and woodrats on the film," they said.

Footage of a hawk bathing in the small stream and snacking on a small animal was recorded during the summer.

For the teachers at San Juan High School, the usage of material gleaned from cameras have multiple applications, especially for science classes.

"Last year, AP Chemistry students obtained a water sample from one of the observed ponds, after a coyote was caught on film urinating in the pond," the high school's Facebook release stated. "Students were able to analyze the molecules to detect elements of the coyote urine. This year, there are plans for Marine Ecology and AP Environmental Science classes to incorporate use of the footage, as well as possible plans to use them in some capacity in the art classes."

If you want to check out the SJHHS wildlife, you can follow the cameras on Facebook at San Juan Hills High School Wildlife Cams.

What's your favorite wildlife footage?

Photo, courtesy Wildlife Cam, Alexandra Easton