Lab statement & Research
Our overarching goals are:
To improve our understanding of wildlife ecology
To support science-based management and conservation plans
To promote the successful recovery and recolonization of wildlife species
To help facilitate human-wildlife coexistence
To communicate our scientific findings and their importance within and beyond the scientific community
~ Current Projects~
Predicting the future: recolonizing large carnivores in Missouri
Long term collaboration with the Missouri Department of Conservation involving distribution & conflict patterns of recolonizing cougars and black bears.
Bear necessities: the return of black bears to Ohio
New collaboration with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources investigating the growing but small population of black bears in the state, focusing on movement, distribution, and conflict prediction.
Green energy, new neighbours: Solar energy and mammals
Partnership with the Hanley Sustainability Institute and local solar installations investigating which and how wildlife species (land and bats) utilize solar farms for resources.
Wildlife responses to human recreation and hiking trails
This partnership with Five Rivers Metroparks aims to quantify the impact of hiking trails on mammal occurrence and activity patterns.
Beaver recolonization of Glen Helen Reserve
Monitoring of a recently established beaver colony, including a new dam and beaver pond, in central Ohio, including tree choice and species colonizing the new wetland.
Jaguar conservation in Argentina
Long-term partnership with a local non-profit to inform conservation initiatives for critically endangered jaguars in Argentina.
Research is not done in isolation, and our projects could not be possible without the valuable work and assistance of our colleagues and collaborators, including:
Katie Dennison - Ohio Department if Natural Resources
Hanley Sustainability Institute
Nathaniel Bowersock, Charles Anderson - Missouri Department of Conservation
Lisa Zorosmki - Five Rivers Metroparks
Nick Boutis - Glen Helen Nature Preserve
Nicolas Lodeiro Ocampo - Jaguar Network Foundation
Jerrold Belant - Michigan State University
Melanie Boudreau and Ray Iglay - Mississippi State University
Jacob Hill - Savanna River Ecology Laboratory
Shannon Finnegan - Koniag Inc. Native Corporation