The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is moving forward with Canada lynx conservation by taking two steps. The Service is proposing to revise the current habitat designation for the species. The new habitat designation would cover more than 19,000 square miles in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Washington and Wyoming. In addition, collaboration between the Service and state, Tribal and federal partners resulted in a newly proposed Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) recovery plan addressing threats like climate change. The proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register on Nov. 29. The Service will review public comments by Jan. 28.
Through The Wildlife Society’s partnership with the National Association of University Fisheries and Wildlife Programs (NAUFWP), students from over 20 universities were given discounted registration rates for the TWS Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. The discount allowed those who may otherwise have been unable to afford registration a chance to attend and further their professional careers.
“The discount on registration provided by NAUWFP helped immensely in my ability to obtain the funds necessary for my students to attend The Wildlife Society Annual Conference in Baltimore,” said Heather Mathewson, an associate professor at Tarleton State University (TSU). “By providing the discount, NAUWPF clearly demonstrates that student involvement at the conference is important to the association, and it furthers the association’s mission to contribute to student education and promotion of opportunities for students.”
As a result of the partnership, TWS provided over $7,000 in discounts to student attendees. Additionally, for every 10 NAUFWP registrants, TWS gave a free registration to a local student from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including Howard University, Morgan State University and the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.
The mission of the NAUFWP is to represent, strengthen and advocate for all college and university programs educating fish and wildlife conservation and management professionals. With aligning missions, TWS and NAUFWP have formed a Strategic Partner relationship to further enhance both organizations’ efforts in support of wildlife education and the development of the next generation of wildlife professionals.
TWS and NAUFWP share a goal of creating a better leadership pipeline for students pursuing studies and careers in wildlife. Through this partnership, TWS hopes to reach and engage with more students while keeping its finger on the pulse of the evolving academic and professional landscape in wildlife.
Since 2023, TWS has increased student participation in the conference by more than 130% and university participation by 114%.
Conference attendees check out poster presentations during the 2024 TWS Annual Conference. Photo by Katie Perkins/TWS
“We, at the National Association of University Fish and Wildlife Programs, view the success over the last two years of our students taking advantage of member benefits as a great step forward,” said John Carroll, President of NAUFWP. “We are the beginning of the pipeline of future professionals in wildlife conservation. Getting those students front-facing at the most important venue for wildlife professionals simply makes them more competitive and known in the field even before they enter the job market.”
Carroll said that he views the partnership with TWS to be more than transactional.
“We see this support of our students as just one of a growing number of ways we are working together to strengthen the future wildlife professional workforce.”
Mathewson’s students at TSU agree that the ability to attend the TWS Annual Conference is beneficial to their academic and future careers in conservation.
“Attending The Wildlife Society’s conference is an exciting opportunity for me to grow academically and professionally,” said Grace Soechting, a graduate student at TSU. “It’s a chance to learn from experts in wildlife conservation, hear about the latest research, and discover new ideas that inspire my work.”
Alex Hoxie, also a graduate student at TSU, added that the conference allows for valuable in-person meeting opportunities and a chance to share new ideas and research.
“Attending the conference is important to me because it gives me the opportunity to communicate my master’s research with a wide range of wildlife professionals, which brings in new ideas and perspectives that will help me refine my research,” Hoxie said. “I serve as the communications chair for the Habitat Restoration Working Group (HRWG). Being able to meet in person with leaders in the HRWG and other working groups has strengthened our communication and collaborative potential, which I will put to good use in the next year.”
If this work supporting students resonates with you, consider donating or becoming a partner to help sustain these initiatives today.
Florida scrub-jays are nesting earlier than they used to as a result of warming winters, which is impacting their populations. Scientists recently looked at long-term data on the federally threatened bird species from 1981 until 2018. They found that as winters have warmed, Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens)are not only moving their nesting up a week, but their offspring are also declining. The researchers speculate that the earlier nesting allows more opportunities for snakes to prey on jay nests. “There is significantly more snake activity in warmer weather,” said Sahas Barve, lead author of the study and director of avian ecology at Archbold, in a press release. “And snakes are the primary nest predator.”
When bison and fire return to tallgrass prairies, grassland birds overall benefit.
In the Midwestern U.S., few remnant prairies remain. As Europeans colonized westward across America, they drove out Indigenous communities by killing off their main resource—bison (Bison bison). As colonizers forced Indigenous people off their land, the fire they kindled also stopped, and the new settlers converted most of the land to agriculture.
Some managers use prescribed fire to restore prairies Credit: Antonio Del Valle
“If you think of ‘Smokey Bear,’ there’s been a negative attitude toward fire and what it does,” said TWS member Antonio Del Valle, a research coordinator with the Morton Arboretum.
But in recent years, some preserves have reintroduced bison and brought back prescribed burning to prairies. As a master’s student at Northern Illinois University at the time, Del Valle wanted to learn more about how these management strategies affected grassland birds.
Del Valle led a study published in the Journal of Wildlife Management looking at two particular preserves—one in Illinois and one in Indiana. The Illinois preserve started off as a tiny remnant patch of prairie. In the ‘70s, prairie enthusiasts Dot and Doug Wade heard what sounded like a rocket ship taking off—the unmistakable sound of an upland sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda). They tracked the noise to heavily grazed pastures, which they realized actually consisted of remnant tallgrass prairie plants. After discussion and interest from local and state conservation groups, The Nature Conservancy purchased the land and parts of the surrounding area.
The story of the Indiana preserve is a bit less positive. About an hour and a half south of Chicago, the preserve that was once a huge wetland and Indiana’s largest lake has been restored to a complex of tallgrass prairies, wetlands and savannas. Wetland birds used to stop over here before the land was drained for agricultural use. In recent years, the Nature Conservancy has worked on restoring this area, too.
During a lonely summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Del Valle conducted bird point counts, a common way to detect birds, in both of these areas to determine how prescribed fire and bison restoration influenced grassland bird presence. He also surveyed plants and vegetation in the surrounding area of each point count and made note of bison dung piles and measurements of wallows—areas of the ground indented from bison rolling around—to estimate bison abundance. “It’s like a dog on its back,” Del Valle said of wallowing. “This massive animal rolls around on its back, takes off all this topsoil, and leaves this shallow sandy depression.”
After analyzing his data, Del Valle and his colleagues found that grassland bird diversity was lowest in areas where managers recently burned prairies. That wasn’t surprising, Del Valle said, because frequent burns can create less dense vegetation, and some birds key into those areas while others don’t.
However, in areas that were recently burned—and had bison—bird diversity was higher. “Something happened with how bison are interacting with recently burned prairies that they’re mediating that decrease in diversity,” he said.
Del Valle and his colleagues also looked at individual bird species to see if grassland-obligate birds that use these areas for breeding habitat reacted to bison and fire. One species they keyed in on was the Henslow’s sparrow (Centronyx henslowii). The team found the species doesn’t like recently burned areas but does prefer dead vegetation, spending a lot of their time on the prairie floor. “If you come across their nests, they are made up of dead plant material,” he said. But these birds were prevalent in the areas where bison were present.
Reintroducing bison benefited a number of grassland bird species in prairies. Credit: Cathy Del Valle
The team thinks bison may increase the diversity and abundance of insects that the sparrows need. Another possibility is that bison are creating paths where they walk that don’t burn and instead contain the dead material that the species prefers.
Del Valle said the management implications from his findings are a bit nuanced. Overall, fire is necessary to have prairies, he said, or the area will become shrubland or forest. But timing and how frequently fire is applied can vary based on management goals. And when it comes to reintroducing bison, it could also be a bit tricky. In larger preserves, it would make sense to add in bison. But in smaller prairies, bison could make the prairie more uniform, so not all species would benefit. “If you have too many bison, it will become a small patch of prairie that’s short and looks like lawn,” he said.
As for the two preserves Del Valle looked at, the managers are always looking for ways to improve the prairies and benefit more species that historically showed up there but Del Valle hadn’t documented in his work. “These preserves are excellent places for these rare birds,” he said. “Even though they’re missing a couple species, if they desire, they can tweak management to address that. There’s room for improvement, but they’re doing a great job.”
This article features research that was published in a TWS peer-reviewed journal. Individual online access to all TWS journal articles is a benefit of membership. Join TWS now to read the latest in wildlife research.
Environmental DNA can help researchers find invasive snakes in Florida, aiding in removal efforts. Scientists are increasingly using environmental DNA—or eDNA—to detect individual species in a given area from samples of water, air or soil. But a new method is allowing scientists to detect four invasive species at the same time with just one sample of soil or water. Researchers developed the DNA test to detect Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus), northern African pythons (P. sebae), boa constrictors (Boa constrictor) and rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria). “While eDNA sampling has been applied to detect non-native wildlife, the benefit of our methodology is that we can now sample for numerous target species within a single sample,” said Melissa Miller, an invasion ecologist at the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center. “This can aid natural resource managers by reducing costs required to survey for non-native species in multi-invaded ecosystems.” Miller led a study showing the accuracy of the method published in Ecology and Evolution. She said with this testing, managers can monitor species and apply removal strategies.
We’ve all heard the “work hard so you can play hard” motto. We should all be able to enjoy time off the clock without feeling guilty for the work we haven’t gotten to yet.
However, my advice for work/life balance is more along the lines of being close to family—or other main support systems—and starting a family of your own when you are ready, not when those in higher-level positions around you think you should.
As you’re starting out in your education and career, take the time to really think through your mid- and long-term plans in life and career—not just what comes next. The opportunity to travel to exciting locales far from home for field work is exciting, especially when you are young and not tied down by as many responsibilities. But if family is important to you, put yourself in a position to be close to your family when you are ready to settle down into a permanent position.
One way to do that is to gain diverse experiences and skills so that you can compete for many different types of jobs when the time comes if you to want to move closer to home. I missed many holidays and family birthdays because I was away from home conducting research—something I sometimes regret. And although I do feel extremely fortunate to have ended up where I am, it does come with a heavy heart because I was so far away from my family—especially as my parents grow older.
Davros and her dog, Brown Ears, headed out for a hike in south-central Minnesota in spring 2017. Photo credit: Nicole Davros
Additionally, women still face some stigmas and challenges for choosing to start their families at the same time they are starting their careers. We’ve all heard far too many stories of women being discouraged from starting families during graduate school or otherwise early in their careers, or being discriminated against for actually starting their families during this time in their lives. For this reason, many women may be pressured into thinking it is not the “right time” to start a family.
But too many of us delay starting a family due to the pressures of our careers, and because biology always wins in the end, we end up not being able to have biological children of our own. Although we have made strides in this area and working mothers have become more of the norm rather than the exception, the current COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the fact that many working mothers still provide far more of the childcare at home, often to the detriment of their careers. It is up to us to change the culture around this topic and do a better job of supporting our working mothers—whether at home or at work—and at any point in their careers.
Wildlife Vocalizations is a collection of short personal perspectives from people in the field of wildlife sciences.
Submit your story for Wildlife Vocalizations or nominate your peers and colleagues to encourage them to share their story. For questions, please contact tws@wildlife.org.
While studies have shown that connecting to nature is good for the body and mind, it can also be good for the economy. Nearly 96 million Americans are birders, according to an addendum to the 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Association Recreation survey. Whether people are traveling to see certain species or setting up nest boxes and feeders in their own backyards, the survey also showed that birders spent over $100 billion on trips and equipment. “Birds are accessible—nearly always with us, no matter where we are—town or country,” said Matt Hogan, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Mountain-Prairie Regional Director. “A connection to nature is demonstrably good for body, mind and soul, and birding is one way there.” Further data from the survey revealed that the average age of birders is 49 and that some 91 million people watch birds around their home.
In a first-of-its-kind excursion at a TWS Annual Conference, members of the Conservation Affairs Network met with officials from the Department of the Interior and U.S. congressional staff in Washington, D.C.
Launched in 2014, the Conservation Affairs Network (CAN) helps increase communication, collaboration and coordination between TWS chapters, sections and TWS headquarters. The CAN allows wildlife professionals to bring their perspectives into the wildlife policy process for the betterment of wildlife conservation and management.
At the 31st Annual TWS Conference in Baltimore, the group traveled via train to D.C. and began their day with a tour of the Capitol led by Mariah Lancaster, a congressional staffer and wildlife professional. Afterward, the group met with representatives from the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
During their meetings, participants took turns giving two-minute elevator pitches to representatives. Each discussed the mission of TWS and promoted the CAN as a resource for making connections with wildlife conservation subject matter experts.
This was the first trip of its kind for the Conservation Affairs Network.
Later, the group trekked up the National Mall for meetings with staff from the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.
Kelly O’Connor, the conservation policy manager for TWS who helped lead the trip, said that the group had an especially productive meeting with House staff, connecting the conference’s plenary presentation on NASA Earth Science to issues that affect wildlife, such as drought.
CAN participants said that the field trip helped them understand the various processes involved in wildlife policy at the federal level. It also helped them become better communicators of wildlife science.
“I appreciated that the CAN field trip demystified the process of how TWS engages in wildlife policy at the federal level,” said Nicole Tatman, the big game program director for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. “It was interesting just how much lawmakers must do, particularly all of the committees and initiatives they participate in that span the spectrum of politics and professions—from energy extraction to health care to wildlife conservation.”
Tatman added that it was enlightening to learn that lawmakers themselves cannot be experts in all realms, so they have staff tasked with boiling down complicated information to statements and topics that are easily understandable.
“Moving forward, I think this will result in me being a better science communicator,” Tatman said. “I have started to think about the quantity and quality of information I share with constituents and what they might care most about on any given topic.”
O’Connor said that one of the best outcomes of the trip was allowing wildlifers to recognize that their work is truly what is informing committee members and staffers in D.C. when they’re advocating for policy decisions.
“The idea of walking into offices on the Hill was quite daunting for many participants,” O’Connor said. “But they also shared how gratifying it was to discuss the work of TWS during our meeting. I’m thrilled we were able to provide our participants with this experience and hope we can find more opportunities for CAN fly-ins—or train-ins—in the future.”
Those interested in learning more about the Conservation Affairs Network can find more information on the TWS website.
For the first time, scientists have documented wolves foraging for nectar. The scientists documented the Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis), one of the rarest wild canid species in the world, feeding on the nectar of the Ethiopian red hot poker (Kniphofia foliosa). The behavior, which researchers saw with multiple wolves from different packs, could potentially lead to pollination. The wolves’ muzzles become covered in pollen in the act, which they could transfer to other flowers while they’re feeding. “These findings highlight just how much we still have to learn about one of the world’s most-threatened carnivores,” said Sandra Lai, a senior scientist with the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme based at the University of Oxford and lead author of the study documenting these findings, in a press release. “It also demonstrates the complexity of interactions between different species living on the beautiful Roof of Africa. This extremely unique and biodiverse ecosystem remains under threat from habitat loss and fragmentation.”
Janet Bucknall, USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services deputy administrator, will retire from the federal agency at the end of 2024. Bucknall began her career with Wildlife Services in Wisconsin in 1987.
Wildlife Services is housed under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The organization provides federal leadership to manage wildlife disease threats, livestock predation, crop losses, invasive species and more. Wildlife Services programs and researchers work to find innovative solutions that help people and wildlife coexist.
Bucknall has enjoyed her decades of work with the agency for a number of reasons.
“One of the greatest things about wildlife careers is that no two days on the job are the same, especially in the area of wildlife damage management,” Bucknall said. “We get to help people every day in a different way, whether that’s an airport having an issue with gulls or a rancher with cattle in wolf country—that’s the part of the job that keeps many of us in this program for the long game.”
Some of her fondest memories include working alongside—and learning from—special people over the years and then seeing those people go on to have rewarding careers in conservation and wildlife.
Bucknall has been a member of TWS since 1987, when she began her professional career. She recalls her first introduction to TWS and the opportunity the Society provides for groups of like-minded conservationists.
Bucknall has been a TWS member since 1987.
“The Wildlife Society plays an importance role in the lives of people who call themselves ‘wildlifers,’” Bucknall said. “I remember that my first major advisor in college had the list of courses required for federal wildlife biologist jobs taped to his door, and he also had the list for becoming a TWS Certified Wildlife Biologist. It was great because he helped all of us plan our academic careers so we could compete for federal jobs, but he also hooked us in to TWS and that community.”
TWS and Wildlife Services have had a long-standing partnership, actively promoting the work of wildlife professionals, sharing research and providing opportunities to participate in conferences, chapters and more.
“This partnership came at a time when it really helped us as a program to continue to develop as a professional outfit,” she said. “There was a time of incredible professional growth throughout the ’80s and ’90s, and the TWS partnership definitely capped that off.”
Many Wildlife Services staff and researchers provide papers to TWS journals, stories for The Wildlife Professional and have a strong presence during the TWS Annual Conferences.
“I think our partnership has been very rewarding and hopefully mutually so,” Bucknall said.
Bucknall said that in retirement she is looking forward to reading the pile of books and the stacks of The Wildlife Professional magazine that she hasn’t gotten to over the years due to her busy schedule. She’s also excited for the opportunity to spend more time with her family and travel, especially to places like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone.
“I’m just looking forward to having a little more time to reflect and really appreciate life on this earth and go out into the woods a little bit more,” she said.
