TWS Mexico Chapter Joins NM-AZ Joint Meeting

Five students and four faculty from the newly formed Mexico Chapter of The Wildlife Society participated in the 58^th Joint Meeting of the Arizona and New Mexico chapters. The Southwest Section of TWS granted $2,000 in support to bring members from the Mexico Chapter to the conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in early February. The New Mexico Chapter waived the registration fee for their new affiliates.

Luis Tarango Arámbula, a professor at Colegio de Postgraduados Campus San Luis Potosi, who was instrumental in creating the Mexico Chapter of TWS and attended the joint meeting, said that the support provided from the Southwest Chapter was “fundamental” to their participation. He also thanked Nicole Tatman, president of the Southwest Section of TWS and the Big Game Program Manager for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, who wrote personalized letters for each participant’s visa interview. “Without the letters from Dr. Tatman, it wouldn’t have been possible,” he said.

Susana Bautista De Luna is a doctoral student in wildlife science at the Colegio de Postgraduados, who presented on the Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae) in southern Zacatecas and its presence in habitats affected by overgrazing at the conference. She appreciated the knowledge she gleaned through research seminars and workshops, including a wildlife capture and handling workshop focused on mammal trapping. “Attending the oral presentations allowed me to learn about the techniques that are employed to conduct research with diverse species, as well as the problems faced in developing them,” Bautista De Luna said.

Humberto Romero Jiménez, a master’s student in natural resource management at the Colegio de Postgraduados, presented his research on the sustainable use of edible insects in north-central Mexico, a topic rarely explored at wildlife conferences. “I shared findings on their ecological and socioeconomic importance, as well as the management strategies used by local communities,” he said. “I believe this broadened the attendees’ perspective on biodiversity conservation from a more holistic perspective.”

Tarango Arámbula agrees. “People who live in rural areas in Mexico have many different needs than in the U.S., which offers an additional different challenge for us, as researchers. We need to understand the people that primarily depend on natural resources for their livelihood,” he said. “What U.S. scientists can learn from us is how to do as many things as possible with little resources.”

Tatman was impressed with the diversity of the projects the Mexican students and faculty presented and agreed that their participation in the conference brought a new lens to discussions on wildlife conservation and biodiversity. “From a section perspective, we want to continue to be a conduit for the Mexico Chapter to engage in the States,” she said. Tatman cited ongoing needs for cross-border collaborations, including Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) management and concerns on both sides that a border wall could interrupt wildlife movement. “I think there are opportunities for further scientific collaborations that this partnership can help cultivate,” she said.

Both Bautista De Luna and Romero felt the conference inspired them and motivated them to continue with their work. “It was such a great experience that gave me a great deal of knowledge and motivation to continue working on wildlife conservation projects,” Bautista De Luna said. Romero Jiménez was impressed to learn more about the North American Model of wildlife conservation. “I was inspired by the level of organization and support that exists in the United States for wildlife research and management, which motivates me to continue working on similar initiatives in my country,” he said.

Tarango Arámbula said that the Mexico Chapter is looking for additional ways to generate funds so they can provide the same opportunity to students in the future, as well as encouraging more engagement of Mexicans in TWS national conferences. “It’s important that we continue maintaining these relationships to continue to have opportunities to work together as Mexican and U.S. scientists. It makes us stronger and gives us all an advantage.”