The Haera Wildlife Conservation Bank (“HWCB”) is located in the hills east of Altamont Pass in eastern Alameda and western San Joaquin counties, California. Approved by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (“CDFW”), HWCB was established as a conservation bank to provide compensatory credits for impacts to Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) (“BUOW”) habitat. The banking agreement was amended in 2002 to include credits for the San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) (“SJKF”) as approved by CDFW; the banking agreement was amended again in July 2006 to add SJKF credits as approved by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“USFWS”).

The site is approximately 299 acres; habitats include annual grassland, seasonal drainage, a seasonal stock pond and associated habitats that are utilized by a breeding population of burrowing owls, California tiger salamanders, and potentially by San Joaquin kit fox.

Other Wildlife Observed On-site

• Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
• Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
• California Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)
• Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)
• Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
• Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
• American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
• Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
• Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
• Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous)
• Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)
• Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus)
• Audubon’s Cottontail (Sylvilagus auduboni)
• Botta’s Pocket Gopher (Thomomys bottae)
• Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)
• Western Rattlesnake (Crotalis viridis).