Wildlife.Fish Magazine 01 // Oct 2019

Page 1

WILDLIFE.FISH MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2019


Building impact and opportunities for biologists Digital Subscription Print Subscription Stay Connected

Copyright

Wildlife.Fish Magazine

#wildlifedotfish


Issue No. 1 — OCTOBER 2019 Ask a biologist where they’re from and what they do for a living You might be surprised by the answers you get. Biology careers rarely seem to follow a linear path. Whether freelance, vagabond, nomadic, semi-settled or fully tenured, asking a biologist where they’re from usually entices some explanation about multiple moves throughout our formative years, or divided time between a home base and multiple project study areas. Answering “What do you do?” can be even more complex, given the breadth and scope of work we endeavour to do and the variety of job titles we hold. In these pages you’ll meet 12 biologists whose careers are as diverse as the species they study. We hope you enjoy this inaugural issue of Wildlife.Fish Magazine, where we shine a light on the life of biologists and connect you to fish & wildlife scientists, projects, events and resources around the world. Thanks for reading. Let us know what you think! Use #wildlifedotfish and #lifeofabiologist to share feedback on social media, find Wildlife.Fish on LinkedIn, follow us @wildlifedotfish on Twitter and @lifeofabiologist on Instagram, or send us an email. We like snail mail postcards too! hello@wildlife.fish

www.wildlife.fish

BIOLOGISTS

editor’s note

WILDLIFE.FISH | 3


CONTENTS

contents Issue No. 1 — OCTOBER 2019 Life of a Biologist Career Paths

16 JadeAnn Hemberger

8 Carson Lillard

Park Ranger, Florida USA

Wildlife Biologist, Washington USA

10 Caylor Romines

Director of Stewardship, South Carolina USA

12 Charles Jacobi

MSc

17 Rachel Shively

Research

Associate, Texas USA

17 Kristina Boyd

Wildlife Biologist, Montana USA

Student, Texas USA

Snapshots

14 Andy Parks

6 Life of a Biologist

15 Matt Wilkins

26 Species Spotlight

16 Randy Haviland

34

Intern, Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve Thailand Postdoctoral Fellow, Tennessee USA Wildlife Ecologist, Saskatchewan Canada

Professional Training & WellWorn Boots

California Condors

Through a Biologist’s Lens Biologists See the Wind

On the Cover - Myles Lamont Registered Professional Biologist, British Columbia Canada Myles, in association with The Hancock Wildlife Foundation, has been involved with the development and construction of raptor mitigation nests since 2007. Details on Page 18

4 | contents

www.wildlife.fish


12

22

6 IN EVERY ISSUE 24 Communicating Science

8

Science Blogs featured in this issue: > Science Finance > Ocean Oculus

Projects

> Numbat Media

Fish & Wildlife Research and Conservation Projects

> Andrew J Parks > Charles B Jacobi

18 Building Nests for

> Randy Haviland

Eagles Myles Lamont, Biologist, British Columbia Canada

Events

21 Marine Protected Area

28 Return of the Salmon

Networks Samantha Andrews,

28 Bald Eagle Festival

PhD Student, Newfoundland Canada

Toolkit

26

30 Upcoming Conferences

32 Resources

Advances in Research & Practice

22 Forced Hibernation Anne Yagi, Reptile Ecologist, Ontario Canada

www.wildlife.fish

Professional resources from Wildlife.Fish & Partners

10

36 Stay Connected WILDLIFE.FISH | 5


BIOLOGISTS 6 | biologists

www.wildlife.fish


biologists LIFE OF A BIOLOGIST Professional Training & Well-Worn Boots 1. Observing a desert tortoise during a professional capture and handling training session in Nevada, United States. Owning a few pairs of well-worn boots is a right of passage for biologists! Photo by Carson Lillard.

www.wildlife.fish

WILDLIFE.FISH | 7


CARSON LILLARD

8 | biologists

www.wildlife.fish


biologists

How do you use environmental DNA to better understand amphibian declines? Ask Carson Lillard I obtained my BSc from the University of Tennessee in wildlife and fisheries sciences. While obtaining my BSc I spent time in Yosemite National Park studying Yosemite toad declines and I was involved in undergraduate research studying amphibian declines related to disease. I obtained my MSc at Oregon State University where I studied amphibian declines related to disease presence. My research concentrated on two deadly amphibian diseases: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (also known as chytrid fungus), and Ranavirus. I used environmental DNA methods to sample for these pathogens across the Deschutes National Forest in Oregon, not only looking at disease presence but also how climate change and other abiotic or biotic factors may affect the presence and spread of pathogens over space and time. Since then, I worked for Olympic National Park where I studied coastal ecology, climate change, and limnology. We studied sea star health, sand invertebrate composition, ocean temperature impacts, and razor clam population status. In addition, we traveled to high elevation lakes to study climate change impacts on these high elevation ecosystems as well as amphibian population status. In the spring, I work for Great Basin Institute and survey for desert tortoise to assess their health and population status. In the summer and fall, I work for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife as a biologist. I collect data and talk to the public about marine fisheries policies, sustainable fishing, and conservation of marine species.

Carson Lillard is a biologist based in Washington, United States 1. Backpacking above an alpine meadow to survey for Yosemite toads in Yosemite National Park. 2. Backpacking to a high elevation lake to collect data on climate change in Olympic National Park. 3. Surveying the rocky intertidal for sea star wasting disease in Olympic National Park. Connect with Carson on Instagram @lilsneakysnake and her photography website www.carsonlillard.darkroom.tech

www.wildlife.fish

WILDLIFE.FISH | 9


10 | life of a biologist

www.wildlife.fish


I am a land conservation professional, with the wildlife management background to bring to land owners seeking conservation easements on their property. I work diligently with landowners across the Lowcountry to make sure their property is preserved in perpetuity while meeting forestry, wildlife and agricultural needs with the Beaufort County Open Land Trust in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. I spent my undergraduate time at the University of Tennessee working for the US Forest Service managing natural resources across the Cherokee National Forest. I then went on to pursue a Master of Science degree, again with the US Forest Service, developing a habitat suitability index for the Southern Appalachian Brook Trout. I spent countless days monitoring populations and their habitat suitability followed by even more hours of statistical analysis to prove it scientifically. I then went on to work for a private hunting plantation in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, Chelsea Plantation, maintaining upland habitat for wild game birds. I initiated many management tactics in order to improve the overall hunting experience while leading the plantation owners on hunts for a variety of species. It was here that I really rounded off my knowledge of the landscape having worked for the federal government, state government and now the private sector. I was now ready to take on the task of working for a non-profit organization helping landowners preserve their property. As Director of Stewardship at the Beaufort County Open Land Trust I finally fell into my niche and am right at home!

Caylor Romines is a biologist in South Carolina, United States 1. While working on my Masters project I was teaching undergraduates how to test the dissolved oxygen of the creek as one of the factors for Brook Trout reintroduction. Photo by www.toddamacker.com Conservation Visuals. Connect with Caylor on Twitter @wildlifercaylor and at www.openlandtrust.com

www.wildlife.fish

WILDLIFE.FISH | 11

biologists

CAYLOR ROMINES


CHARLES JACOBI Desert Herpetofauna My work as an MSc student with a Graduate Research Assistantship at Texas Tech University is centered around detection and habitat presence of the spot-tailed earless lizard (Holbrookia lacerata), as well as other desert herpetofauna. I am specifically interested in landscape distribution, detection dynamics, and how life-ecology events of secretive herpetofauna can alter encounter rates. ​ ​ I first found the herpetology world as an undergraduate, mentored by Dr. Matthew Gray at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I joined the Tennessee Amphibian Monitoring Program, the only non-game event/program I had seen until this time. During my first route of the program, I experienced my first level 3 chorus of Spring peepers and upland chorus frogs. I was blown away by the amplitude of their collective calls. I couldn't believe there were so many of these tiny creatures, creating that collective sound. From that point on I knew that herpetology was something I was going to pursue. My interest in this taxa continues to grow till this day. Since graduating from UTK, I’ve worked in the herpetofauna field in places like Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida.

12 | life of a biologist

www.wildlife.fish


Charles Jacobi is a biologist based in Texas, United States 1. Charles with a Western coachwhip encountered during a herpetofaunal survey in Central Texas. 2. Eastern collared lizard. 3. Longnose snake 4. Couch's spadefoot toad. 5. Bullsnake. Connect with Charles on Instagram @charlesjacobi1 or Twitter @CharlesJacobi and his website www.cbjacobi.blogspot.com

www.wildlife.fish

WILDLIFE.FISH | 13

biologists

“I was blown away by the amplitude of their collective calls�


ANDY PARKS I graduated from University of California, Davis with a BSc in biology, emphasizing in ecology, evolution, and biodiversity, with minors in wildlife conservation and anthropology. All my life I have been intrigued by the infinite splendor of the natural world, and the question of mankind’s place within it. In addition to gaining a better understanding of the fundamental mechanics of ecology and evolutionary processes that govern life on Earth, I am dedicated to the conservation of Earth’s natural resources. I have participated in a number of scientific research and conservation projects including desert tortoise surveys in the Mojave Desert, California condor radio-telemetry in the mountains north of Los Angeles, and bamboo lemur behavioral studies in Madagascar. My newest adventure is in eastern Thailand, as an intern at the Sakaerat Environmental Research Station to study the spatial ecology of king cobras. I plan to go back to graduate school next year to study conservation genetics and molecular ecology.

Andy Parks is a biologist based in California, United States. He is currently in Thailand. 1. Andy planting trees with local people in Kianjavato, Madagascar to help restore the forest. Connect with Andy on Instagram @parxparadox and through his website www.andrewjparks.wordpress.com

14 | life of a biologist

www.wildlife.fish


biologists

MATT WILKINS I am a Postdoctoral Fellow at Vanderbilt University's Center for Science Outreach. In this position, funded through a collaboration with Metro Nashville Public Schools, I work as the Resident Scientist at Head Magnet Middle, developing and teaching STEM curriculum. I'm collaborating with science, math, English, social studies, and Spanish teachers to build rigorous, engaging, interdisciplinary lessons that help students master abstract concepts, become more curious, and develop critical thinking skills. My previous and ongoing research involves multimodal sexual selection, acoustic divergence, and speciation. I’m interested in how individuals size up potential mates and competitors using visual and acoustic signals in different bird and spider species. Yes, spiders produce “songs”(!) by vibrating the surface they’re standing on. For my PhD (University of Colorado at Boulder), I studied barn swallows in North America, Europe, and Asia to quantify variation in feather ornaments and song resulting from different targets of sexual selection across populations. As a postdoc at the University of Nebraska, I extended this work by developing a 'phenotype network' approach for visualizing and analyzing the functional evolution of sexual communication signals in barn swallows and Schizocosa wolf spiders.

Matt Wilkins is a biologist based in Tennessee, United States. 1. Matt Wilkins: “Stand back, I’m going to try science.” Connect with Matt on Twitter @mattwilkinsbio, ResearchGate, and his website www.mattwilkinsbio.com

www.wildlife.fish

WILDLIFE.FISH | 15


Randy Haviland Saskatchewan, Canada I am an ecologist and writer trying to understand our world just a little better. As a consulting ecologist, I have had the opportunity to work on an exciting number of wildlife, fisheries and natural resource management related projects throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Saskatchewan. This has given me the chance to work alongside numerous public groups, industry, and government organizations. Understanding the needs and the values of each group is an area I continue to explore. As I have progressed and grown as an ecologist my area of interest has followed a path geared towards collaboration. How can we create a defined value or agree upon a resource that often times has no true objective value? Understanding this question is at the core of my work. I believe that if we can understand the motives and values of the public and private sector we may be better equipped to develop and answer conservation issues of the future, and can begin to develop a natural resource management framework designed around collaboration. www.randyhaviland.com www.instagram.com/randyhaviland

JadeAnn Hemberger Florida, United States I have a Master’s degree in environmental policy and management with a concentration in fish and wildlife management. I have worked in the South District of Florida, the Florida Keys, and South Africa. My photo is a selfie from the Cape of Good Hope, the southernmost point of South Africa and my favorite picture. South Africa holds my heart! As an Environmental Scientist for the State of Florida, I worked to make sure habitats such as mangroves and seagrass beds were the least impacted by dock projects. I am currently a Park Ranger at Lover’s Key State Park, where I maintain the park, protect Florida’s natural resources, and teach the public about wildlife in the park. I am a shark-loving adventurer, a Fins United Initiative Ambassador (www.finsunited.co.nz), and have a particular interest in the toxicology of methylmercury in sharks. My goal is to eventually earn my PhD in toxicology. www.twitter.com/HembergerJade www.instagram.com/bergerinparadise 16 | biologists

www.wildlife.fish


I’m a Research Associate at Texas A&M University, specializing in functional ecology (including ungulate nutrition) and wildlife landscape design, with an emphasis on bat distributions and community participation. As a Certified Wildlife Biologist, I have a demonstrated history of field research, science education and outreach, public speaking, animal physiology, functional ecology, and lab management. I have a Master of Science (MSc) focused in Wildlife Biology and Conservation from University of Alaska Fairbanks. I’m currently working on a Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning as I expand into urban landscape design and policy for wildlife. www.linkedin.com/in/rachelshively

Kristina Boyd Montana, United States I am a wildlife biologist with over 20 years of extensive experience and training in wildlife science and applied management, program development and funding, project management, and stakeholder involvement. My career has been built around a menagerie of passions in my life. I focus my drive and creativity towards the benefit of the natural world – to sustain that which sustains me. Currently, my overarching interest lies in harnessing the ways that people express their values for wildlife and wild places to inspire support for conservation. I am cogitating on how larger aspects of our society (e.g. food system, legal system, medical system) intersect with wildlife and habitat management, and what values or approaches can be exchanged. In the meantime, I work on smaller pieces of this puzzle, including citizen science and leadership development. And I’m infatuated with flying squirrels. www.linkedin.com/in/kristinaboydMT www.vimeo.com/user65541663

You could be featured in our next issue! Get started at www.invite.wildlife.fish/profiles

www.wildlife.fish

WILDLIFE.FISH | 17

biologists

Rachel Shively Texas, United States


Monitoring and building mitigation nests for Bald Eagles and other raptors Ξ British Columbia, Canada

Myles, in association with The Hancock Wildlife Foundation, has been involved with the development and construction of raptor mitigation nests, particularly for Bald Eagles, since 2007.

MYLES LAMONT Anthropogenic pressures within the Lower Fraser River Valley are reducing the number of available nest and perching trees for large raptors across the south coast of British Columbia. Additionally, large raptors have been increasing since bounties ended in the 1950s, resulting in increased numbers of human-raptor conflict. David Hancock started monitoring Bald Eagles in the Fraser Valley in the 1960s and continues to do so today with the support of The Hancock Wildlife Foundation. Over 400 known Bald Eagle nests are monitored across the Fraser Valley. These are checked annually and entered into our database. Our nest mitigation projects began initially by requests to replace and reinforce existing Bald Eagle nests that were subject to fall apart or had been blown out of trees during wind storms.

18 | projects

www.wildlife.fish


projects www.wildlife.fish

WILDLIFE.FISH | 19


Acceptance of our alternate nest sites by Bald Eagles has been remarkably high The provision of artificial, alternative nest sites through the modification of existing trees and installation of platform towers has been undertaken since 2007. Mitigation projects involving the construction of alternate nest sites in tree canopies is done using cranes or noninvasive climbing methods. We identify areas with veteran trees suitable for supporting large raptor nests and located in areas with good forage habitat. We then provide replacement or alternative nest sites for raptors that have been disturbed or expelled from existing territories through development, nest tree removal or natural blow down. To date, the acceptance of our modified nest trees by Bald Eagles has been remarkably high and are often adopted only days after birds arrive back on territories after migration. Bald Eagle Nest Monitoring and Mitigation in BC is a partnership of The Hancock Wildlife Foundation, the provincial Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resources, municipal governments, consultants, developers and private land owners. Myles Lamont is a biologist based in British Columbia, Canada. 1. (previous page) and 2. (left) Myles using non-invasive climbing techniques to monitor and build raptor nests in tree canopies. Connect with Myles on Instagram @canadianbiologist or Twitter @canuckbiologist and his website www.terrafauna.ca & learn more about bald eagle nest monitoring and mitigation at www.hancockwildlife.org

20 | projects

www.wildlife.fish


PhD Project Samantha Andrews, Memorial University

Moving Targets: Mobile Species and Marine Protected Area (MPA) Networks in a Changing Ocean As a signatory to the UN Conservation of Biological Diversity agreement, Canada is required to expand its MPA coverage from 1% to 10% of its territorial waters by 2020. By taking into account the movements of marine species at different stages in their lives and interactions between predators and prey, MPAs carefully placed into a network can ensure species are adequately protected. This maximises both the conservation and fishery benefits that MPAs can offer. My PhD seeks to develop a framework for MPA network design in Atlantic Canada, with a focus on 3 interacting migratory species; capelin – a species which is recognised nationally and internationally as important in marine ecosystems due to its central role in the food web and has suffered rapid population declines, cod – a keystone predator and commercially important species which relies heavily on capelin and has failed to recover from overfishing despite a moratorium being introduced in the early 1990s, and seabird species – afforded protection under the Migratory Birds Convention Act (1994), such as common murres and puffins which support their chicks with capelin foraged during the breeding season.

Samantha Andrews is a biologist based in Newfoundland, Canada. She is currently in Jersey, British Isles 1. Samantha Andrews is a marine biologist/ecologist and science communicator fascinated by those mobile critters that travel throughout the ocean. Connect with Samantha on LinkedIn and her website www.oceanoculus.com

www.wildlife.fish

WILDLIFE.FISH | 21

projects

Ξ Newfoundland, Canada


Forced Hibernation ANNE YAGI Temperate snakes spend more than half their life cycle sequestered underground within their hibernacula or den site. The neonatal life stage is highly vulnerable to harsh overwintering conditions in many reptile species. Using a population of wetlandadapted snakes living in a partially-degraded habitat, we set out to determine where neonatal snakes are most likely to survive various winter conditions. Over three winters, we used a “forced hibernation” technique, placing juvenile and neonatal Eastern Gartersnakes (Thamnophis s. sirtalis) and neonatal Massasauga Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus c. catenatus) into artificial vertical subterranean burrows. The first two winters resulted in 97% survival of all gartersnakes (1 died via shrew predation), and the third year resulted in an overall 95% survival rate (1 Massasauga died by unknown causes). Our results support our theory that successful snake hibernation requires the continuous presence of a “life zone” that does not flood or freeze completely. 22 | biologist’s toolkit

www.wildlife.fish


Reptiles require environmental cues such as temperature and moisture gradients to locate suitable habitats to complete their annual life cycle. Anthropogenically altered habitats including partially mined peatlands, agricultural fields, and road surfaces, mimic these cues and attract such temperaturedependent animals (i.e. ectotherms). However, these altered habitats can act as an ecological trap where such habitats can leave individuals exposed to predators and unfavorable abiotic conditions like extreme thermal fluctuations, ultimately causing an increase in mortality risk. www.wildlife.fish

toolkit

Anne is studying winter hibernation in gartersnakes and Massasauga rattlers. Her toolkit for species-at-risk recovery includes "forced hibernation" to improve overwinter survival of young snakes. Ξ Ontario, Canada Ecological trap theory suggests that the continued presence of a trap will drive populations to extinction. I have collected evidence supporting this theory since 1998, including results from radio telemetry and mark-recapture studies, thermal selection studies, assessments of wintering habitat conditions, and continuous mortality observations after wildfires and all types of winters. The implications of ecological trap theory are particularly important at my study site, a partially-mined peatland, which has a resident reptile community that includes 5 species at risk. The next phase of this project is to determine refugia needs for turtles and implement forced hibernation for various snake species until the ecological traps are mitigated and the species-at-risk populations are recovering.

Anne Yagi is a biologist based in Ontario, Canada. Her longterm research on subterranean ecology of reptiles is a collaboration with Dr. Glenn Tattersall and Dr. R. Jon Planck. 1. View of artificial vertical subterranean burrow before (inset) and after 180 day snake hibernation period. 2. Skull recovered from partially-mined peatland study site. Connect with Anne on Research Gate, LinkedIn, and her website www.8trees.ca

WILDLIFE.FISH | 23


SCICOMM

Science Finance Lindsay VanSomeren Science Finance doles out ‘Real Financial Advice for Real Scientists’. With two degrees in Wildlife Biology and Conservation, Lindsay’s career path unexpectedly went from researching how to use stable isotopes to decode wildlife mysteries in grad school to her current job – freelance writing. She breaks down the financial realities of being a wildlife biologist, how to manage money so you can afford a career in biology, and the art of side-hustles for cash flow and job insurance. www.gosciencefinance.com

Ocean Oculus Samantha Andrews Ocean Oculus brings you ‘Science and Stories from the Sea (and occasionally from the other 30% of the Earth)’. Samantha is a marine biologist/ecologist and experienced science communicator. She uncovers the stories in - and behind - the ocean, science, technology, policy, and our environment. She also regularly posts ‘Ocean Opportunities’, a compilation of current job postings, Post-Doc/PhD/ MSc positions, conferences, workshops, courses, internships, webinars and more in the ocean/marine/coastal realm. www.oceanoculus.com

Charles B. Jacobi Research Charles Jacobi Charles is a herpetofauna specialist interested in landscape distribution, detection dynamics, and how life-ecology events of secretive herpetofauna can alter encounter rates. ​ ​He blogs about his research and field experiences as a graduate student in Texas to share his work and introduce cool critters to curious peoples, peers, and friends. www.cbjacobi.blogspot.com

Andrew J. Parks Field Notes Andy Parks As an aspiring scientist, conservationist, explorer, and educator, Andy blogs about his fieldwork, travels, and research endeavors, as well as highlighting important breakthroughs in science. Based in California, Andy recently completed an internship in Madagascar and is currently studying king cobra spatial ecology in Thailand. www.andrewjparks.wordpress.com

24 | scicomm

www.wildlife.fish


Numbat Media Matt Wilkins Numbat Media delivers ‘Cool Science, Straight From The Source’ through multi-media storytelling by students and scientists of all ages. This is a collaborative project among a group of working scientists, started by Matt Wilkins, and highlights cutting edge research into the evolution, ecology, & behavior of diverse plants and animals. Matt’s film ‘Pygids’ won film competitions at the Evolution and Arachnology scientific conferences. It is a zany music video about an amazing order of Arachnids called Amblypygids. They split from spiders around 300 million years ago, long before dinosaurs were around. Take a look… there’s even a cool teaser intro video!

SCIENCE COMMUNICATION Randy Haviland, Writing Randy Haviland As a consulting ecologist involved in baseline data collection and analysis for small-scale resource development projects Randy confronts questions about social and ecological values, ecosystem impacts, and cumulative effects. Randy discusses these challenges in his blog, and shares insight to the ecology, natural history, and management of wildlife he encounters exploring the grasslands of southern Saskatchewan Canada. www.randyhaviland.com

Want to be featured in our next issue? Get started at invite.wildlife.fish/profiles

www.wildlife.fish

WILDLIFE.FISH | 25

scicomm

www.numbatmedia.com


SPECIES SPOTLIGHT Delivering covert dinners for

CALIFORNIA CONDORS

26 | scicomm

www.wildlife.fish


Andy’s days were filled with radio-tracking wild condors, caring for captive condors before they are released into the wild, and monitoring condor nests in the mountains of Southern California. In the fall of 2018, Andy had the unique pleasure of getting acquainted with 38-year-old Condor#20, one of only 22 wild condors in California in the mid1980s. After 30 years in a captive breeding program Condor#20 was returned to the wild in 2015 to reign over Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge, where Andy met #20 during a routine health check.

scicomm

Condor#20 and his mate Condor#13 reared the first of many captive-born California condor chicks 30 years ago. With intensive recovery efforts, there are now more than 500 California condors. Read more about Andy’s experiences and what it’s like to deliver covert dinners to captive condors: www.andrewjparks.wordpress. com Read more about the California Condor Recovery Program: www.fws.gov/cno/es/CalCondor/Cond or.cfm

Andy Parks is a biologist based in California, United States. 1. Pair of California condors. Photo by NOAA on Unsplash 2. Andy with California Condor #20 during a routine health check.

www.wildlife.fish

WILDLIFE.FISH | 27


EVENTS

RETURN OF THE SALMON In British Columbia, Canada anadromous (freshwater -> ocean -> freshwater) sockeye salmon (Onchorhyncus nerka) are returning to their natal streams, traveling hundreds of kilometres to partake in the rituals of courtship and a triumphant release of milt and spawn before ultimately perishing. Their exhausted bodies contribute to the nutrient cycle, feeding scavenging critters and fertilizing trees, while the fertilized fish eggs overwinter in their freshwater gravel beds and become fry and fingerling juveniles that make their own journey out to sea the following year. :: The Adams River Salmon Society provides one of the best opportunities to see the spectacular salmon spawning cycle, on the Adams River near Chase British Columbia. From early September through December, you can see Chinook, Sockeye, Pink and Coho salmon that have migrated up the Fraser River watershed. During the dominant year of the 4-year-cycle, the Society hosts the ‘Salute to the Sockeye Festival’. Mark your calendars for the next festival in October of 2022! :: In the Pacific Northwest, migratory bald eagles from Alaska, the Yukon, and British Columbia travel as much as 2,500 km to southern wintering grounds, following salmon on their fall migration to spawning areas. From October through February eagles feast on the remains of decaying salmon in British Columbia's Fraser River watershed. Take part in the 24�� Annual Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival November 16 - 17 2019 to enjoy spectacular eagle viewing, tours, and exhibits, and see one of the world's largest concentrations of wintering eagles!

1. Sockeye salmon spawning in the Adams River. Photo by Wildlife.Fish >> Salute to the Sockeye Festival www.salmonsociety.com >> Bald Eagle Festival www.fraservalleybaldeaglefestival.ca

28 | events

www.wildlife.fish


events www.wildlife.fish

WILDLIFE.FISH | 29


EVENTS

UPCOMING CONFERENCES American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society Joint Annual Conference Sep 29 – Oct 3 2019 Reno NV United States | www.afstws2019.org World Whale Conference 2019 Oct 8 – 11 2019 Hervey Bay Australia | www.worldwhaleconference.com III Latin American and Caribbean Congress of Protected Areas Oct 14 - 17 2019 Lima Peru | www.areasprotegidas-latinoamerica.org | www.iucn.org Biodiversity_Next Oct 20-25 2019 Leiden Netherlands | www.biodiversitynext.org Ecosystem Services Partnership 10�� World Conference Oct 21 – 25 2019 Hannover Germany | www.espconference.org/esp10 Our Ocean 2019 Conference Oct 23-24 2019 Oslo Norway | www.ourocean2019.no International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species (ICAIS) Oct 27 - 31 2019 Montreal QC Canada | www.icais.org 73rd World Association of Zoos and Aquariums Annual Conference Nov 3 – 7 2019 Buenos Aires Argentina | www.waza.org 2020 Ocean Pathways Meeting: Charting the Course for a Sustainable Future For The Ocean Nov 4 – 8 2019 Montreal QC Canada | www.icriforum.org 72nd Annual Conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Nov 4 – 8 2019 Punta Cana Dominican Republic | www.gcfi.org

Share Your Fish & Wildlife Event Notices and Job Postings With Us Send your event details and job postings to hello@wildlife.fish

30 | events

www.wildlife.fish


Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation Conference Nov 19 - 20 2019 Baltimore MD United States | www.wildlifehc.org Reef Conservation UK 22nd Annual Conference Dec 14 2019 London England | www.reefconservationuk.co.uk 9�� World Congress of Herpetology Jan 5 - 10 2020 Dunedin New Zealand | wchnz.com/wch2020 80�� Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference Jan 26 - 29 2020 Springfield IL United States | www.midwestfw.org 67�� Annual Meeting of the Western Section of the Wildlife Society Feb 2 - 7 2020 Redding CA United States | www.tws-west.org Yaboumba XII International Congress Exotic, Zoo and Wild Animals, Conservation Medicine and Surgery Feb 19 – 21 2020 Call for papers deadline Dec 31 2019 Paris France | www.yaboumba.org 85�� North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference Mar 8 - 13 2020 Omaha NB United States | www.wildlifemanagement.institute 10�� Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas Apr 20 - 24 2020 Noumea New Caledonia | www.pacificnatureconference.com Association of Professional Biology 41�� AGM and Conference Apr 28 - 29 2020 Whistler BC Canada | www.professionalbiology.com

www.wildlife.fish

events

For more job and event postings visit www.wildlife.fish/map

WILDLIFE.FISH | 31


RESOURCES 32 | resources

wildlife.fish Wildlife.Fish Magazine Wildlife.Fish Magazine shines a light on the life of biologists and connects you to fish and wildlife scientists, projects, events, and resources around the world. Join the Wildlife.Fish Network to be featured or to contribute an article. www.wildlife.fish

Global Guide to Who-Does-What-Where Map Join the Wildlife.Fish Network to put your work on the map! Profiles for fish & wildlife biologists, projects, blogs, organizations, jobs, and events are posted on the Wildlife.Fish Map to help people connect with what’s happening in their corner of the world. Think of it as your visual Who, What and Where Guide to the Wildlife.Fish Network. www.wildlife.fish/map

Job Opportunities & Events Calendar Find fish & wildlife events and job opportunities around the world. Share your job postings and event notices with us to add them to the calendar. www.wildlife.fish/events

www.wildlife.fish


partnerships Buy & Sell for Biologists Have items to sell or donate that might be of interest to biologists? Post them on the Buy & Sell Site for Biologists. www.auctions.wildlife.fish

Websites by Wildlife.Fish Want a new or updated website for your fish & wildlife project? Get a hassle-free website with built-in networking and publicity. www.invite.wildlife.fish/websites

Grant Funding Supporting fish & wildlife biologists, research, conservation, and science communication is built into the foundation of Wildlife.Fish! Join the network to be eligible to apply for various grants, and to help our grant funding program grow. www.invite.wildlife.fish/profiles

Ambassador Program Share your unique referral link to help Wildlife.Fish grow and earn credits for funding that can be donated to fish & wildlife projects of your choice!

resources

www.invite.wildlife.fish/profiles

www.wildlife.fish

WILDLIFE.FISH | 33


through a biologist’s lens

What do you see in this landscape? Biologists see the wind. Wind has a profound influence on wildlife ecology. It dictates where and what you may be able to eat in winter. It funnels movement patterns out of valleys and onto precipitous ridgelines. It shapes your strategies for ambushing prey and evading predation. Wind does all this as it sweeps and drifts snow. It is a wicked friend and a fearsome foe. And it is a constant narrative in these northern mountains.

34 | life of a biologist

www.wildlife.fish


www.wildlife.fish

WILDLIFE.FISH | 35


CARSON LILLARD

LIFE OF A BIOLOGIST Surveying the rocky intertidal for sea star wasting disease in Olympic National Park.

Wildlife.Fish Magazine

Stay Connected

Subscribe

PO Box 1176 Mackenzie BC Canada V0J 2C0 www.wildlife.fish hello@wildlife.fish

Instagram Twitter Facebook LinkedIn

Digital subscriptions are FREE Sign up at www.wildlife.fish/subscribe

@lifeofabiologist @wildlifedotfish @wildlifedotfish Wildlife.Fish


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.