Cons Sci Seminar - 11/20/26

November 20, 2026

12:00-1:00pm

In person (preferred): 335 Borlaug Hall, St. Paul Campus

Remote: https://umn.zoom.us/j/91715591077

Hormones in the Wild: Assessing Stress and Reproduction for Mammalian Conservation

Dr. Mandy Keogh

Assisstant Professor, Bemidji State University

Abstract

Research on free-ranging animals presents unique logistical and ethical challenges. Fieldwork is often restricted to brief seasons and remote locations with limited access to equipment and tissue storage capacity. Additionally, the capture and handling of animals can alter the very parameters we seek to measure. Yet, these challenges also drive innovation, broadening the range of methods used to track wildlife health. While traditional methods rely on metabolically active tissues (blood and feces) that capture narrow temporal windows and can be logistically difficult to collect, metabolically inert keratinous tissues (fur, vibrissae, hooves, and claws) offer a stable, longitudinal record of hormone deposition unaffected by handling stress. This seminar explores the application of hormone tracking in keratin tissues to address conservation challenges across diverse mammalian systems, including marine mammals (sea lions), large ungulates (moose), and carnivores (wolves and marten). By pairing long-term endocrine profiles with complementary parameters—such as diet (stable isotope signatures) and fitness metrics (reproductive state, body condition)—hormone tracking provides powerful new tools for wildlife conservation.

Biosketch

Mandy Keogh, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Wildlife Biology Program at Bemidji State University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in conservation biology and wildlife biology. As a wildlife physiologist, her research focuses on understanding how animals respond to environmental and anthropogenic stressors, and the physiological mechanisms that influence fitness, reproduction, and survival. Her work addresses both applied management needs and broader ecological questions related to wildlife physiology.

Prior to joining Bemidji State University in 2025, Mandy worked in wildlife research and management at non-profit organizations and State and Federal wildlife agencies. She holds a Ph.D. in Marine Biology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, an M.S. in Biology with an evolutionary biology focus from San Diego State University, and a B.S. from Texas A&M University.