News Center

President Barack Obama and his nominee for Secretary of the Department of the Interior, Sally Jewell, applaud outgoing Secretary Ken Salazar. (Credit: Pete Souza/The White House)

Sally Jewell Tapped for Interior
(San Francisco Chronicle)
In a break with tradition, President Barack Obama tapped business executive Sally Jewell to head the Interior Department, overseeing hunting, conservation and energy development on hundreds of millions of acres of public lands. Jewell’s long business background, including eight years as CEO of Recreational Equipment Inc., makes her a surprising choice to succeed Ken Salazar as Interior Secretary. More

NEWS FROM NORTH AMERICA

California Great White Sharks Get Protections for Now
(The Associated Press via KABC-TV)
The most feared predator in the ocean received new protections when a California commission decided the great white shark should be studied as a potential endangered species. The Fish and Game Commission unanimously voted to advance the candidacy of the shark, which means during a one-year study review it will receive the same protections it would if it were listed as endangered. More

Federal Officials Propose Endangered-Species Protection for Wolverine
(The Associated Press via Billings Gazette)
The tenacious wolverine, a snow-loving carnivore sometimes called the “mountain devil,” could soon join the list of species threatened by climate change — a dubious distinction putting it in the ranks of the polar bear and several other animals the government says will lose crucial habitat as temperatures rise. Federal wildlife officials proposed Endangered Species Act protections for the wolverine in the Lower 48 states. More

Report: America’s Wildlife Struggling to Keep Up with Changing Climate
(National Wildlife Federation)
The climate crisis is already changing the playing field for wildlife and urgent action is needed to preserve America’s conservation legacy, according to a new report released by the National Wildlife Federation. Wildlife in a Warming World: Confronting the Climate Crisis examines case studies from across the country illustrating how global warming is altering wildlife habitats. More

Ottawa’s Oil-Spill Plan for BC Can’t Cope with Coming Supertankers
(Vancouver Sun)
The Harper government’s disaster planning has not kept pace with proposals to greatly expand oilsand exports from B.C. ports using supertankers, Canada’s environment commissioner said. Scott Vaughan said in a report that the number of tanker trips from the West Coast will increase to 2,400 a year from 600 in 2010 because of increased exports of natural gas and oilsands crude via proposed pipelines to B.C. from Alberta. More

World’s Oldest Living Bird Gives Birth to a Hatchling at Age 62
(Global Post)
A 62-year old Laysan Albatross named “Wisdom” has successfully given birth to a chick, yet another remarkable achievement in this long-lived bird’s well documented life. Wisdom, the oldest living wild bird known to science, blew scientists away when they discovered that the bird — who would be pushing retirement age if she were human — had managed to successfully hatch a new chick, says the Washington Post. More

Red Squirrels Endangered, but Breeding Program Could Come to the Rescue
(Arizona Daily Star)
“Al” and “Bob” bound across their cages when Stuart Wells opens the door to their room at the Phoenix Zoo’s conservation center. It’s an act of aggression, says Wells, the zoo’s director of conservation and science. The Mount Graham red squirrels, isolated atop the Pinaleño Mountains in Southeastern Arizona, are territorial and defensive. They are also endangered. The Phoenix Zoo is Noah’s Ark for the only two Mount Graham red squirrels in captivity. More

Polar Bears ‘May Need to be Fed by Humans to Survive’
(The Guardian)
The day may soon come when some of the 19 polar bear populations in Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Norway and Russia will have to be fed by humans to keep them alive during an extended ice-free season or prevent them from roaming into northern communities. Some bears may have to be placed in temporary holding compounds until it is cold enough for them to go back onto the sea ice. In worst-case scenarios, polar bears from southern regions may have to be relocated. More

Florida Wildlife Officials Search for West Nile Crocodile on Loose
(NBC Miami)
Off the back roads of Florida’s Miami-Dade County, an unsolved mystery lingers amid quiet farmland. It began when a planter spotted a small crocodile near a canal in March 2011. But it wasn’t just any croc. It was one that belonged on another continent. “We really don’t know what happened to it,” said Jenny Ketterlin Eckles, a wildlife biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “We might not ever know what happened to it.” More

Student Research Team to Further Conservation Awareness of Bats in Mexico
(Texas A&M University)
A unique group of student researchers with a variety of interests, from botany to caving to theater arts, have one unifying goal: bat conservation. This spring, a team of three Texas A&M students will head to Mexico to conduct research on a species of bat known as the Mexican long-nosed bat. Ph.D. student Emma Gomez, who received her masters of science degree in environmental management, will lead the research team. More

WILDLIFE HEALTH AND DISEASE NEWS

Crabs Help Reef Fight Disease
(Science Alert)
A particular species of crab has been helping Great Barrier Reef coral combat white syndrome, a deadly disease that causes coral tissue to disintegrate. Joseph Pollock, from James Cook University’s School of Marine and Tropical Biology and the Australian Institute of Marine Science, has been studying the disease, and its unlikely helper, the “furry coral crab.” More

Experts: West Nile Virus Spreading Due to Mosquitoes in Orchards, Vineyards
(Science Daily)
Washington State University researchers have linked orchards and vineyards with a greater prevalence of West Nile virus in mosquitoes and the insects’ ability to spread the virus to birds, horses and people. The finding, reported in the latest issue of the journal PLOS ONE, is the most finely scaled look at the interplay between land use and the virus’ activity in key hosts. More

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Report: Japanese Subsidies Keep Whaling Industry Afloat
(The New York Times)
A wildlife conservation group has said in a report that Japan has been propping up its whaling industry with nearly $400 million in tax money in recent years, stepping up subsidies even as the consumption of whale meat has slumped. The report, compiled by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, in Yarmouth Port, Mass., challenges assertions by the Japanese government that whaling is a tradition with wide support among Japanese consumers. More

Protection ‘Insufficient’ for Yangtze Finless Porpoise
(BBC)
Protection for highly threatened Yangtze finless porpoises in China is “insufficient,” researchers say. The mammals have suffered a dramatic decline and are now threatened with extinction. Researchers carried out a survey to the establish how the animals are distributed in the Yangtze river. They found current protected sections of the Yangtze do not cover all the areas where most porpoises were found. More

Giant Panda Habitat Threatened by Forest Reform
(Conservation International)
China’s recent achievements in giant panda conservation are at risk of being undermined by the reform of its system of collective forest tenure, said Conservation International scientists in a letter published in the journal Science. The reform of China’s 167 million hectares of forest — 345,700 hectares of which constitutes 15 percent of the panda’s remaining habitat — enables individual farming households to transfer or lease operation rights to outside enterprises. More

(Credit: Marvin Moriarty/USFWS)

Mammoth Cave National Park in central Kentucky has confirmed the presence of white-nose syndrome (WNS), a fungus that grows on the muzzle, ears, and other body parts of bats and is responsible for the death of over 5.5 million bats in eastern United States and Canada over the past 6 years. WNS was confirmed three weeks ago in the parks’ Long Cave population of long-eared bats. Long Cave, which is closed to the public, is the park’s largest hibernaculum and thus the confirmed presence of WNS could be potentially devastating to all nine species of bats occurring in the park, including endangered Indiana and gray bats. Mammoth Cave National Park is the ninth national park affected by WNS.

Last week a bat in Missouri tested positive for WNS. Six counties in Missouri now have confirmed cases. WNS was first documented in New York in late 2006 and has since rapidly spread across eastern North America. WNS disrupts hibernation and often leads to erratic behavior. WNS is suspected to be the cause of strange behavior in bats being reported in Great Smoky Mountains Nation Park, which straddles Tennessee and North Carolina. Bats in Great Smoky Mountain National Park have been active during the day and flying into park visitors. The cause of the bats’ strange behavior will be confirmed later this month during an annual census.

Bats are an economically important species, helping to reduce insect populations, including many

(Credit: Susi von Ottingen/USFWS)

agricultural pests, and serve as pollinators. To learn more about WNS visit White-nose Syndrome.org, and the white-nose syndrome national plan.

For previous news on WNS covered by The Wildlife Society, please visit the following links:

WNS Spreads to North Carolina

Bats and WNS: Cave Closures, Spread to KY, Economic Losses

News Update: WNS Reaches Indiana

New York Bats Slowly Rebound from MNS

Status of FY12 Appropriations for Wildlife Programs

Sources: National Park Service (January 14, 2013), E&E News (January 16, 2013), The Washington Post (January 20, 2013), Greenwire (January 21, 2013), Greenwire (January 28, 2013), White-nose Syndrome.org

Barred Owl (Credit: Alannyiri/Wikimedia)

Shooting of Owls OK’d to Protect Endangered Species
(CBC)
The British Columbia government has approved the shooting of one species of owl in a last-ditch effort to save their endangered cousins, as the number of northern spotted owls continues to decline decades after they became the mascot of the “War in the Woods” over old-growth logging. Northern spotted owls are on the brink of extinction in Canada, with only 10 birds remaining in the wild in southwestern B.C., according to some estimates. More

NEWS FROM NORTH AMERICA

Team Ready to Champion Sage Grouse Conservation
(Missoulian)
In Nevada’s ongoing struggle to protect the sage grouse without federal intervention, the state has selected a team of five people to champion the bird’s cause. Federal action could come with devastating side effects statewide, officials fear. The five-member Sagebrush Ecosystem Technical Team was formed to implement the state’s plan and will meet for the first time Feb. 21. More

British Columbia Badgers on Brink of Extinction
(St. Albert Gazette)
An endangered population of badgers in British Columbia’s Columbia Valley and surrounding Kootenay region has dropped to as few as 100 mature individuals and remains on the brink of extinction. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada assessed the eastern population as endangered. Road mortality, habitat loss and urban development continue to threaten badgers. More

Nevada Wildlife Director Resigns
(Reno Gazette-Journal)
The director of the Nevada Department of Wildlife resigned abruptly at the request of Gov. Brian Sandoval following months of pressure from representatives in rural Nevada over deer management and agency efforts to stave off federal protection for sage grouse. In an email letter to staff obtained by the Associated Press, Ken Mayer said the decision to take the agency in another direction is the governor’s prerogative. More

Researchers Seek Data on Role of Whitebark Pine in Changing Grizzly Populations
(Big Horn Radio Network)
In the ongoing deliberations over federal protections for Yellowstone area grizzly bears, debate often focuses on a fixed number of total bears living in the region. Counting bears — or more appropriately, estimating grizzly bear populations — is essential to helping determine when government recovery goals have been met. But just as important is tracking trends in population changes, and trying to determine the causes of those changes. More

Litter Putting Dolphins at Risk
(The News-Press)
We love dolphins to death. “Literally,” said Kim Bassos-Hull, senior biologist and research associate from the world-renowned Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, based at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota Bay, Fla. Bassos-Hull knows firsthand how human affection might place these marine mammals in danger after monitoring and rescuing dolphins for two decades in Southwest Florida. More

Montana Officials Proposing to Farm Portion of Wildlife Management Area
(Billings Gazette)
Twenty percent of a grain crop raised this year in Montana on 125 acres of Isaac Homestead Wildlife Management Area would be left standing for wildlife under a lease proposal being reviewed by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The 1,169-acre WMA is located in two separate parcels about seven miles west of Hysham on the north side of the Yellowstone River. It was initially purchased in 1969 with additional property added in 1970 and 1973. More

Alaska’s Board of Game Eyes Wolf Control on Gravina Island
(Anchorage Daily News)
Alaska’s Board of Game took a step toward a potential wolf control program on Gravina Island recently when it directed the state to prepare an “operational plan” for the board to consider in March. Meeting in January in Sitka, the board accepted the feasibility studies completed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game regarding the potential for wolf control programs on Gravina Island and in limited areas near Petersburg to help boost deer populations. More

WILDLIFE HEALTH AND DISEASE NEWS

Mercury’s Silent Toll on the World’s Wildlife
(Yale Environment 360)
This month, delegates from more than 140 countries gathered in Geneva and finalized the first international treaty to reduce emissions of mercury. The treaty — four years in the works and scheduled for signing in October — aims to protect human health from this very serious neurotoxin. But barely considered during the long deliberations, according to those involved in the treaty process, was the harm that mercury inflicts on wildlife. More

Officials Tracking Distemper Outbreak in Raccoons
(Mail Tribune)
Wildlife biologists are investigating an apparent outbreak of canine distemper that’s racing through the Oregon raccoon population. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in the past two weeks has collected eight raccoons that turned up dead in Ashland, Talent, Phoenix, Jacksonville and south Medford, and six already have been confirmed as suffering from distemper. More

Officials: British Columbia Man Died from Hantavirus
(CBC News)
Health officials from British Columbia and Yukon are in Atlin, B.C., looking for the source of a deadly case of Hantavirus. The rare disease is normally spread through the urine and feces from deer mice. Officials confirmed the virus was responsible for the death of Gerhard Holmok, 45. Holmok died suddenly Jan. 9 at the Whitehorse hospital. More

Common Pesticides Can Kill Frogs Within an Hour
(The Guardian)
Widely used pesticides can kill frogs within an hour, new research has revealed, suggesting the chemicals are playing a significant and previously unknown role in the catastrophic global decline of amphibians. The scientists behind the study said it was both “astonishing” and “alarming” that common pesticides could be so toxic at the doses approved by regulatory authorities, adding to growing criticism of how pesticides are tested. More

Sea Lion Pup Disease Death Worries Ranger
(The Southland Times)
There are fresh concerns about the fate of the critically endangered New Zealand sea lion, with disease found to have struck down Dunedin’s latest arrival. The Department of Conservation has confirmed a two-week-old young female sea lion died from klebsiella, a disease that affects the heart and lungs. Massey University was unable to determine what caused the pup, born to female sea lion Gem, to get sick. More

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Corridors Critical for India’s Big Cats
(National Geographic)
Every day, little by little, our species is creating new islands. These are not islands in the sea. They are patches of forest, grassland, mountainside and swamp that encompass what remains of the wild. Unlike islands dotted across the sea, though, there are sometimes pathways between these protected swaths that permit organisms to traverse the small percentage of their range that remains open to habitation. More

57 Rhinos Lost During First Month of Year
(Wildlife News)
South Africa has just released the rhino poaching figures for January, and the news is not good: 57 rhinos have been lost in the country so far this year, with Kruger National Park losing 42 rhinos. The good news is the head of South Africa National Parks believes that the tide is beginning to turn. SANParks Chief Executive Officer, Dr David Mabunda, said despite increased incursions from Mozambique, anti-poaching operations were starting to yield results. More

(Credit: Laura Whitehouse/USFWS)

The US Fish and Wildlife Service invites comments on a proposed rule that would establish a nonessential population of wood bison in the Yukon Flats, Minto Flats, and lower Yukon River areas of Alaska. The nonessential population designation serves to ease Endangered Species Act restrictions that could potentially impact gas and oil development in the proposed areas for reintroduction.  After one to three herds are successfully established, regulated hunting will be included as part of the management plan to manage herd size, reduce the potential for spreading disease, increase public safety along roads, and promote public support. A disease-free captive wood bison herd from the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage, AK will serve as the source population for the reintroduction.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game will be the primary managing agency. Wood bison, North America’s largest land animal, were extirpated from Alaska by the early 1900s as the result of over harvesting and habitat fragmentation. Due to successful reintroduction efforts in Canada, the Wood Bison was reclassified as threatened in 2011.

Comments may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal (search for docket FWS-R7-ES-2012-0033) or by mailing comments to:  Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R7-ES-2012-0033; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203. For additional information, contact: Sonja Jahrsdoerfer, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503, (907) 786-3323, or email woodbison-AK@fws.gov. The comment period closes March 4, 2013.

Source: Federal Register (January 18, 2013)

February 2013 issue of Wildlife Monographs. (Credit: TWS)

A team of scientists has just completed a comprehensive analysis of 108 years’ worth of data on the size of horns and antlers among 25 trophy categories  in North America and discovered that, over the past century, size of trophy horns and antlers for most species has declined slightly.

The team of six biologists—from Idaho State University, the University of Montana, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and the California Department of Fish and Game, led by Dr. Kevin L. Monteith, now at the University of Wyoming—analyzed 22,000 records of trophy categories of big game from North America, including mule deer, mountain sheep, and moose. Publishing their results in The Wildlife Society’s newest Wildlife Monographs, the authors found a small (less than 2 percent) but consistent decline in horn and antler size across most trophy categories over the past century.

Through careful analyses, the biologists ruled out several potential causes of the declines, including climate change, habitat alterations, and the “sociological effect” of increased interest among hunters in submitting trophies to the record books. Instead, the analyses provided moderate support for intensive harvest of males as the most likely explanation for the declines, which lowers male age structure, allowing fewer animals to reach trophy status prior to harvest.

The findings have potential implications for management of many species, although the small declines in size of trophy horns and antlers may be of little importance relative to the benefits of hunting as the cornerstone of wildlife management in North America. Nevertheless, the authors offer several recommendations to managers concerned about balancing overall opportunity to hunt with opportunity to harvest large males.

The authors were “initially quite surprised” by the results, says Terry Bowyer, who oversaw the analyses at Idaho State University. Yet he adds that no other study has spanned the time (108 years), geographic extent (all of North America), and range of ungulate species (25 trophy categories), or amassed such a huge sample size (22,000 animals), using precise official horn and antler measures of the Boone and Crockett Club. “There is little doubt that our findings are real,” he concludes. “We hope our research will be of value to fish and game agencies charged with the management of these important natural resources.”

Damage by hurricane Sandy to the only road leading into Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in Rhode Island (Credit: USFWS)

On Monday January 28th, the Senate voted to approve (62-35) the $50.5 billion Sandy Relief Package passed by the House on January 15th. President Obama says he plans to sign the bill as soon as he receives it.

Sources: USA Today (January 29, 2013), NBC News (January 29, 2013), E&E News (January 29, 2013)

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar displays his Get Your Goose On! towel at a Colorado event to broaden awareness of the Service and the Refuge System.
Credit: Marla Trollan/USFWS Source: USFWS

Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced his plan to step down from his position in March. Salazar will leave the Department of Interior after just over four years of service to return home to his family in Colorado. In his statement on January 16th, Salazar thanked the 70,000 DOI employees for their dedication as custodians of America’s natural and cultural resources. He also took the opportunity to thank President Obama for his friendship while serving as Senators and for honoring him with the opportunity to serve in his cabinet for the past four years.

Since being unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 2009, Secretary Salazar has helped to mark a new era of conservation in the U.S. through implementing community-driven, science-based conservation of ecosystems and landscapes.  The Wildlife Society praised Secretary Salazar for his strong leadership and commitment to protecting America’s wildlife and natural resources. Dr. Winifred Kessler, President of The Wildlife Society, noted that “Throughout his tenure as Secretary, Ken Salazar has worked hard to maintain high standards of scientific integrity and to promote the use of science in programs, decisions, and policies of the Department of Interior.  The Wildlife Society is grateful for those efforts and for Secretary Salazar’s visionary leadership on cross-agency collaboration in support of landscape-scale conservation.”

In particular, many believe his lasting legacy will be his efforts to engage diverse stakeholders in public land management and establishing partnerships with states, localities, and landowners.  Under his leadership, the DOI established seven new national parks and ten national wildlife refuges, authorized thirty-four solar, wind, and geothermal energy projects on public lands, established the first program for offshore wind leasing, and revamped the DOI’s management of oil and gas resources.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar at the newly established Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge near Albuquerque, NM.
Credit: Tami Heilemann/DOI Source: USFWS

Secretary Salazar has said he is most proud of improving the federal government’s relationship with American Indians, reforming the oil and gas program, and broadening the clean energy agenda.

Secretary Salazar oversaw the government’s response to the Deepwater Horizon spill, resulting in an overhaul of safety standards for oil and gas development. Since Salazar’s appointment as Secretary, the DOI has undergone the largest overhaul of its oil and gas program in US history, splitting the Minerals Management Service into three independent agencies. Under his direction, the department has new ethics standards and aims to use science-based decisions on where and how to develop oil and gas resources.

Before his role as Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar served as director of Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources, Colorado’s Attorney General, and then represented Colorado as a Senator from 2005 to 2009, sitting on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  Ken Salazar earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Colorado College and a law degree from the University of Michigan. Salazar’s decision to step down as Secretary of the Interior follows similar announcements from members of Obama’s first-term cabinet including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Treasurer Secretary Tim Geithner, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson.

Sources: Department of Interior (January 16, 2013), Denver Post (January 16, 2013), USA Today (January 16, 2013), National Wildlife Refuge Association (January 17, 2013), American Forests (January 17, 2013)

American black bear (Credit:John Sullivan/Wikimedia)

Montana Houndsmen Support Bear Hunting, Oppose Mountain Lion Trapping
(Billings Gazette via Missoulian)
Montana houndsmen turned out in force to oppose a bill that would allow trapping of mountain lions and support one that would allow the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission to authorize hunting black bears with hounds. Supporters of House Bill 144 touted the use of hounds to hunt black bears as a way to promote family time together, remove bears that are preying on elk calves, remove dangerous bears and those causing problems with homeowners and beekeepers. More

Wisconsin Cuts Harvest Quota for Bears
(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Record kills by hunters in recent years have reduced the black bear population in Wisconsin, prompting wildlife officials to reduce the harvest quota and the number of permits available in 2013. The Natural Resources Board approved a plan to cut the bear harvest quota by 13 percent and issue 5 percent fewer kill permits. Wildlife managers had recommended the reductions based on preliminary estimates of a bear population study and data from recent hunting seasons. More

Mercury Emissions Threaten Ocean, Lake Food Webs
(Environmental Health News)
As United Nations delegates end their mercury treaty talks, scientists warn that ongoing emissions are more of a threat to food webs than the mercury already in the environment. At the same time, climate change is likely to alter food webs and patterns of mercury transport in places such as the Arctic, which will further complicate efforts to keep the contaminant out of  people and their food. More

California Senior Community to Sterilize Deer Population
(The Oakland Tribune)
They’re chewing through the landscape and becoming bolder by the day. So frustrated management officials in San Jose, Calif., insist it’s time to take action and sterilize a deer population that has doubled in the past two years at a gated senior community. The deer have grazed there for years, and it’s not the first time the idea of curbing the population has been floated — a plan to use archers to thin the herd in 2007 was derailed after a week of angry protests. More

Residents of Polar Bear-Besieged Canadian Village Cry Out for More Hunting
(Anchorage Daily News)
Polar bear season used to be an autumn thing in Arviat, an Inuit village in southern Nunavut on Hudson Bay. But changes in sea ice brought on by climate change mean polar bears now show up any time of year in Arviat. Frightened residents say bears have stalked them, peered in their windows and killed their sled dogs. But scientists and the Canadian government, fearing the bears are endangered by global warming, are reluctant to take drastic action. More

More Bald Eagles Being Seen in Central Nebraska
(The Independent)
Residents at the Nebraska’s Grand Island Veterans Home have been visited by a national symbol recently as a bald eagle has been spotted at the pond on the property in northern Grand Island. The noble visit shouldn’t come as too big of a surprise, however. Mick Bresley, wildlife biologist for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in Kearney, said bald eagles are doing “really well.” “We have lots of them around this time of year,” Bresley said. More

Senator Joins South Florida War on Pythons
(The Daytona Beach News-Journal)
“Pythons proved to be elusive in the warm weather. None caught today.” That was the message on U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s Twitter feed. His disappointment was evident. Still, the visuals — your action senator in knee-high rubber boots, machete in hand, tromping through the sawgrass, hunting monster snakes in the Everglades — should go down in Florida political lore. More

Survey: Bighorn Sheep Numbers Up on Kofa Refuge
(Yuma Sun)
A recently completed survey of the desert bighorn sheep population on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Kofa National Wildlife Refuge indicates the herd has grown slightly in size over the past two years, putting it at the highest it has been since a 2007 survey. According to the survey’s results, there are an estimated 428 sheep now on the refuge, slightly up from a 2010 survey which estimated the herd size to be at 402 sheep. More

Tens of Thousands of Dead Fish Wash Ashore on South Carolina Beach
(NBC News)
Thousands of dead fish washed up on a mile and a half stretch of beach in South Carolina on Tuesday, officials said, at least the second such occurrence in the region in a week. Roughly 30,000 to 40,000 menhaden fish, 6 to 8 inches long, were spread along the shore from DeBordieu Beach in Georgetown County, S.C., to Pawleys Island, a town on the state’s Atlantic Coast, and thousands more were expected, Pawleys Island Police Chief Michael Fanning said. More

Wide Range of Mercury Contamination in Chicks of Southern Indian Ocean Seabirds
(PLoS ONE)
Using top predators as sentinels of the marine environment, mercury contamination was investigated within the large subantarctic seabird community of Kerguelen Islands, a remote area from the poorly known Southern Indian Ocean. Chicks of 21 sympatric seabirds presented a wide range of mercury concentrations, with the highest contaminated species containing about 102 times more feather mercury than the less contaminated species. More

Trichinella Infection in Wildlife of Northeast of Iran
(NCBI)
In order to determine the extent of Trichinella infection in carnivores in northeast Iran, researchers collected muscle tissue from 120 stray dogs, 26 wold boars, 25 rodents, two foxes, and two hyenas captured in Mashhad City. Trichinella larvae identified as T. britovi were detected in three of the stray dogs. More

Australia’s Wombats Struggling to Survive
(BBC)
The wombat is in trouble. Some are dying in bushfires, or being shot by farmers. Others are scratching themselves to death because of a mite infection. Only 115 of one species — the northern hairy-nosed wombat — remain alive in the wild. “He was quite some flatmate — he took over the house, moved my fridge, re-arranged the furniture and then dug a hole right through the living room floor,” said Ian, a wildlife volunteer near Sydney. More

Tiger Smuggling Ring Busted in Nepal
(Wildlife News)
Nepalese police have arrested seven people involved with tiger smuggling in the country and recovered seven tiger skins, hundreds of tiger parts and bones. Two operations were undertaken by the Nepalese authorities following specialist intelligence training by Interpol in December. The first operation was on Jan. 11. Officers of Manaslu Conservation Area seized four tiger skins, 117 pounds of tiger bones and arrested four people who were allegedly trying to smuggle the tiger parts into Tibet, China. More

Australian Conservation Bodies Race to Save Great Barrier Reef from World Heritage Status Delisting
(International Business Times)
Racing overtime, the World Wildlife Fund and the Australian Marine Conservation Society have merged together to create a conservation campaign, primarily geared towards political leaders, in a futile attempt to save the Great Barrier Reef from being delisted off its World Heritage status. Saying since 2013 is an election year for Australia, it would be best if political wannabes include in their agenda the deteriorating state of the reef as well as how to prevent it and preserve it. More

Animal Kingdom is Smaller Than We Thought (But That’s Good News)
(The Independent)
How many species are there? It was a question that fascinated Charles Darwin, and generations of biologists who followed him, with recent estimates ranging from a few million to as many as 100 million — now scientists believe the true number of animals and plants is nearer to 5 million. The incredible diversity of life on Earth and the sheer scale of the taxonomic problem have mesmerized biologists trying to figure out the total number of living species. More

USGS Director Marcia McNutt (Credit: USGS)

On January 11th, United States Geological Survey director Marcia McNutt announced her resignation, effective February 15th of this year. In her letter of resignation, McNutt called the USGS leadership top-notch and commented on the staff’s commitment to conducting the best possible science. The list of USGS accomplishments during her tenure includes: the new Landsat 8 satellite, launching the WaterSMART Initiative with the BLM, publishing two reports on biological carbon sequestration, establishing of a strategic planning group with DOI, helping to inform DOI Secretary Salazar about uranium resources, water, and ecosystems that aided in withdrawing 1 million acres for 20 years from additional mining leases, and helping to advance US energy independence.

Director McNutt earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Colorado College and her PhD in earth sciences from University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institute of Oceanography. Prior to heading up the USGS, McNutt was the president and CEO of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. She cites distance from her family as the reason for her resignation.

Sources: Spacepolicyonline.com (January 14, 2013), San Diego Reader (January 11, 2013).

NASA’s satellite image of Hurricane Sandy from 2:20 p.m. EDT on October 29, 2012. (Credit: NASA)

The house voted Tuesday January 15th on the Sandy Relief bill, which consists of a base package of $17 billion in emergency relief and several amendments. One amendment would provide an additional $33.7 billion to repair damaged infrastructure, including $2.9 billion for new projects to prevent damage from future natural catastrophes. This amendment, introduced by Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen (R- NJ), includes an increase in relief funding for the USFWS by $28 million and $360 million for the Department of Interior to restore and rebuild national parks, national wildlife refuges, and other public assets to increase the resiliency and capacity of coastal habitat and infrastructure to withstand future storms.

Jordan Black, sawyer from Great Smoky Mountains National Park helps with Hurricane Sandy clean-up efforts at Floyd Bennett Field, on Barren Island, Jamaica Bay, New York.
(Credit: Warren Bielenberg/NPS)

In response to concerns over the Frelinghuysen amendment, the House also voted on an amendment introduced by Representative Rob Bishop (R-UT), which would prevent the purchase of new federal lands and assets with relief funding. Some have criticized Bishop’s amendment because it prevents the purchase of strategic parcels to protect parks form future storms. The bill, along with the Frelinghuysen and Bishop amendments, passed in Tuesday’s vote, 241-180. Another amendment that failed to pass would have offset the $17 billion in emergency aid but cutting monies from other agencies. The Sandy Relief package now heads to the Senate, where it will likely be voted on this week.

Sources:  ClimateWire (January 16, 2013), Environment and Energy Daily (January 16, 2013), Washington Post  (January 15, 2013)

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will step down from his post in March 2013. (Credit: Department of the Interior)

Interior’s Ken Salazar Stepping Down
(CNN)
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who led the response to the 2010 BP oil spill and administered a moratorium on offshore drilling, announced Wednesday that he is stepping down. The former Colorado lawmaker plans to return home in March after eight turbulent and busy years in Washington, four years in the U.S. Senate and four years as head of the Interior Department. More

California Agency Says US Removed Wildlife Habitat Without Permit
(Los Angeles Times)
A California state regulatory agency said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers failed to obtain a required permit before it removed 43 acres of wildlife habitat in the Sepulveda Basin and filled in a pond used by migrating waterfowl. The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board has directed the Army Corps to provide information by Feb. 11 about its decision to eliminate woodlands and potentially foul the Los Angeles River with sediment. More

Bat Fungus Spreads in Kentucky
(The New York Times)
Officials have confirmed the presence of a deadly bat fungus in Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. The fungus has already killed millions of bats across the Northeast and in the Midwest. The fungus, which is harmless to humans and other animals, is known popularly as white nose syndrome for its tendency to make bats’ muzzles look like dandelions about to go to seed. More

BP Cash to Help Gulf Coast Wildlife
(Pensacola News Journal)
Helicopters, all-terrain vehicles and armies of cleanup workers poured onto Northwest Florida beaches in the spring and summer of 2010 in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The unprecedented around-the-clock activity to clean up oil-stained beaches was welcome, but it had tragic consequences for rare shorebirds and endangered sea turtles. More

Thousands of Protesters Greet Northern Gateway Hearings in Vancouver
(The Province)
Thousands of protesters gathered outside Canada’s federal review panel in downtown Vancouver to voice noisy opposition to oil pipeline projects proposed for British Columbia. Prominent in the crowd was a large contingent of the Idle No More movement. More

Wood Bison One Step Closer to a Return to the Wild
(The Associated Press via Anchorage Daily News)
Federal and Alaska state wildlife officials have reached an agreement that could lead to the reintroduction of wood bison, a species that inhabited Alaska before the 1900s. Wood bison are listed as a U.S. endangered species and are found in the wild only in Canada. More

Researchers Hope Florida ‘Python Challenge’ Reveals Data About Python Habits
(The Associated Press via The Washington Post)
Florida wildlife officials say 11 Burmese pythons were killed during the first three days of a public hunt for the invasive species in the Everglades. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says more than 1,000 people from more than 30 states have registered to compete in the month-long “Python Challenge.” The pythons killed since the competition began will be processed by the University of Florida. More

Texas State Parks May Face Closure in Proposed Budget Cuts
(The Dallas Morning News)
Coming off a difficult streak of wildfires, drought and budget cuts, the Texas state park system could now face closures if initial House and Senate spending plans hold. Legislative base budgets would reduce the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s overall allocation for 2014-15 — the House would cut 5 percent, and the Senate would lop nearly 10 percent. More

NJ Preserves More Than 5,000 Acres in Atlantic County
(New Jersey 101.5)
The Department of Environmental Protection along with the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, The Nature Conservancy and Conservation Resources, Inc. has preserved 5,079 acres of woodlands and wetlands in Atlantic County’s Great Egg Harbor River watershed at a cost of $9.7 million. Two related land purchases securing 4,970 acres from Lenape Farms and 109 acres from HBH Associates were finalized by the DEP’s Green Acres program. More

Idaho Wildlife Managers Mulling Paid Trappers to Manage, Reduce Wolf Population
(The Associated Press via The Republic)
Idaho wildlife officials are considering paying private trappers to kill wolves roaming in specific hunting zones where wolves have had a significant impact on elk populations. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is mulling several different ideas for using fewer than a dozen proven trappers as way to more affordably and effectively manage and reduce wolf numbers in three northern hunting zones. More

Asia’s Third Largest Animal May Be on the Rebound
(Mongabay)
Unlike Asia’s largest animal (the elephant) and its second largest (the rhino), the wild yak — the third largest animal on the world’s biggest continent — rarely makes headlines and is never paraded by conservation groups to garner donations. Surviving on the top of the world, in the Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau, the wild yak (Bos mutus) lives its life out in such obscurity that even scientists know almost nothing about it. More

Two More Countries Ban Hunting of Africa’s Endangered Species
(Care2.com)
The Republic of Zambia in south Africa has announced that it is banning the hunting of lions and other endangered big cats, including leopards. Currently, Zambia makes about $3 million from tourists who come to hunt but the appeal of killing endangered speeches for sport is fading. As Sylvia Masebo, Zambia’s tourism minister, said: “Tourists come to Zambia to see the lion, and if we lose the lion, we will be killing our tourism industry.” More

Massacres Alter Social Structure of Africa’s Elephants
(Wired)
Poachers are slaughtering elephants across Africa at an unprecedented pace. But scientists tracking the animals’ carcasses — their faces and ivory hacked away — are seldom able to explain in detail what these deaths mean to the pachyderms’ populations and social structure. Now, a 14-year study of elephants in northern Kenya concludes that the adult behemoths are more likely to die at the hands of humans than from natural causes. More

(Credit: USFWS)

This month, U.S. District Court Judge Ralph R Beistline overturned a 2010 federal rule designating 187,000 square miles of critical polar bear habitat around the Beaufort and Chukchi seas in Alaska. While Judge Beistline remarked that the 2010 rule was admirable and valid in many ways, he said the area designated was too extensive and that the USFWS failed to provide evidence that all areas designated were essential to polar bear recovery. The rule has been sent back to the UFWS for revision.

Sources: ABC News (January 12, 2013), Washington Post (January 11, 2013), Greenwire (January 14, 2013).

Like other TWS presidents before me, I commenced my term by identifying certain things I hope to accomplish this year — or at least to make substantial progress on. My agenda includes six items, selected because they are key to TWS’s future success and also very important to me personally:

1. Recruit and hire a highly qualified Executive Director.
2. Put TWS on a pathway to financial health.
3. Identify ways to increase the positive impact of TWS’s Government Affairs activities.
4. Analyze the changing demographics of TWS membership and recommend changes to improve member services and benefits.
5. Review the 2008-2013 TWS Strategic Plan and initiate the plan’s revision.
6. Inspire wildlife professionals to share their science widely and engage with the public.

I wrote about agenda item three in my last President’s Podium, and about item four in the most recent issue of The Wildlife Professional. This time I’ll focus on agenda item one, taking great pleasure in sharing that the recruitment of a highly qualified Executive Director (ED) has been successfully completed!

On March 4, Dr. Byron “Ken” Williams will begin his new duties as ED of The Wildlife Society. Ken is known to many of you because of his 30+ years of accomplishment in the wildlife profession, his long-time membership in TWS, and the far-reaching influence he has had in national leadership roles. I’ll share some details about Ken’s background so all TWS members can learn more about the accomplished professional who will lead our Society forward.

Ken’s education includes bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics from University of Oklahoma, an master’s in statistics from Colorado State University, and a Ph.D. in ecosystems ecology from Colorado State University. His areas of concentration for the Ph.D. were natural resource management and operations research, and his dissertation focused on optimal grazing management in salt desert ecosystems.

After graduating he served four years as a biometrician in the Biometrical Research and Services Section of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, followed by two years as the Section Leader and another year as the Chief of the Technical Services Branch at Patuxent.

In 1986 Ken became the Assistant Chief of the FWS Office of Migratory Bird Management, moving up to Chief three years later. In this national position he managed critical aspects of migratory bird conservation such as status and trend assessments, development of management policies for migratory birds and their habitats, and cooperative relationships with federal and non-federal partners. In 1990 Ken served as a Special Assistant to the Director of the FWS, focusing on the implementation of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

Ken then moved into a Unit Leader position with the National Biological Service (NBS). He established and managed the Vermont Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Vermont in cooperation with the FWS and State of Vermont. This included an Associate Professor position at the University of Vermont, leading research that focused on wildlife population management and assessment of ecosystems in the northeastern United States.

In 1995 he became Executive Director of the FWS North American Waterfowl and Wetlands Office, directing conservation programs in support of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. Responsibilities included administering the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund, co-chair of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan Committee, Coordinator of the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, and Secretary of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan Implementation Board.

Since 1997 Ken has served as the Chief of the Cooperative Research Units Program, now a part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). In this position Ken has provided leadership for 40 research units and 121 scientists in 38 states throughout the U.S. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team for the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area, he advised on strategies for delivering biological research to federal and state partners. In 2010 Ken accepted an additional leadership role as Co-director for the USGS Science and Decisions Center with a strategic focus on advancing the use of science in natural resources decision making.

Ken is widely published in areas such as adaptive management, biological modeling, vertebrate mapping, waterfowl management, habitat conservation, population monitoring, and dynamic optimization in natural resources management. His contributions include lead authorship of the Department of Interior (DOI) Adaptive Management Technical Guide and the DOI Adaptive Management Applications Guide. In addition to being an accomplished scientist, Ken has led diverse research and policy teams, managed large budgets, administered complex programs, excelled in collaboration, and demonstrated a strong personal commitment to conservation.

I speak for the entire TWS Council when I say we are pleased that Ken Williams has accepted the Executive Director position for TWS, and I hope you will join me in welcoming him aboard. Ken’s first official meeting with TWS Council will occur on March 24-25, just prior to the start of the North American, in Washington, D.C.

Another Change at Headquarters

In light of the positive news I’ve just shared, I’m sorry to have to report that Shannon Pederson, TWS’ Subunits and Certification Program Manager, is leaving after six extraordinary years of service to our members, subunits, and the profession. Anybody who has interacted with Shannon—and there are lots of you out there—know just how effective she has been in assisting chapters and sections and their officers, interacting at conferences and workshops, making sure the Certified Wildlife Biologist program runs smoothly, supporting students in their professional development, and juggling her many vital tasks with admirable professionalism.

While it’s sad to see her leave TWS, the reasons for her departure are cause for celebration: Shannon is entering the Ph.D. program and accepted a teaching assistantship at the University of Maryland to further develop her wildlife career and to pursue her keen interest in the ecology of urban coyotes (the subject of her master’s thesis). We can look forward to seeing Shannon at TWS conferences and other events, and sharing her findings about D.C. urban coyotes. Good luck Shannon, and thanks for all you have done for TWS!

The Subunits and Certification Program Coordinator position is a critical one that directly serves all TWS members, so the search has commenced to recruit a well-qualified replacement as quickly as possible. See the position.

The Wildlife Society’s Awards Program honors individuals and groups who have made notable contributions to TWS and wildlife management and/or conservation. Please help us recognize deserving recipients by submitting your nominations for these awards. Please refer to each award description for deadlines and instructions on preparing your nominations.

• Aldo Leopold Memorial Award
• Caesar Kleberg Award For Excellence in Applied Wildlife Research
• Chapter and Student Chapter of the Year Awards
• Conservation Education Award 
• Distinguished Service Award
• Diversity Award
• Excellence in Wildlife Education Award
• Fellows Program
• Group Achievement Award
• Honorary Membership
• Jim McDonough Award
• Rusch Memorial Game Bird Research Scholarship
• Special Recognition Service Award
• Student Chapter Advisor of the Year
• Wildlife Publication Awards

2013 Annual Conference Call for Proposals
The Wildlife Society Annual Conference is taking place October 5-10 in Milwaukee. The deadline for proposals for workshops, symposia, panel discussions, breakfast roundtables, and special poster sessions is this Friday, January 18. View complete information. The deadline for contributed papers and posters is April 12.

TWS Spring Council Meeting
The spring meeting of TWS Council will be held March 24-25 in Arlington, VA at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in conjunction with the Wildlife Management Institute’s  North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. Members are welcome to attend.

Current Issue of The Journal of Wildlife Management Free to Non-Subscribers
Every year, Wiley Press, publisher of The Journal of Wildlife Management, provides unrestricted access to the first issue of the journal’s new volume. The January 2013 issue of JWM is now freely available to all non-subscribers until the January 2014 issue is released. For the first time ever, the journal will contain a special section dedicated to articles on the same topic — density dependence, or the complex and controversial phenomenon in which population growth rates are affected by a population’s density.

Outside of this section, this latest issue of JWM contains research on the effects of habitat management on bobwhites and hares, the use of multi-species occupancy modeling to inform management decisions, and the relationships between hydrology and alligator nesting.

Access the issue.

New Student Chapter Approved
We are pleased to welcome TWS’ newest student chapter at Bemidji State University (Minnesota). Council approved its formation on December 11, 2012.

Member Benefit
As a member of TWS, you are entitled to a 25% discount on Wiley scientific books and on Johns Hopkins University Press books. To access coupons and instructions, visit the Membership Center and log in using your membership username and password, then click “My Publications.”

The Wildlife Society Career Center
For the latest full time, part time, and internship positions, visit The Wildlife Society Career Center.  You can set up job alerts and post your resume as well. See the latest job listings.

In Memoriam
Long-time Western Section leader Jim Yoakum passed away on November 20, 2012 at the age of 86. Jim was a very special part of our profession and the Western Section, and he will be missed by all who knew him. A memorial page has been posted on the Western Section’s website for contributing memories and stories about Jim, either related to his work with the sagebrush steppe community, pronghorn, or Western Section operations. Also included are many photos of Jim and an obituary.

New Technical Review: The North American Model
The Wildlife Society is pleased to announce the release of its latest Technical Review, “The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.” The Model is a set of principles that, collectively applied, has led to the form, function, and successes of wildlife conservation and management in the United States and Canada.

The authors found that the underlying principles of the Model were established to address particular concerns and can serve as a basis for meeting emerging issues in wildlife management. This review provides insights into the history of the Model that can assist the wildlife management institution in adapting this successful model to future challenges. The Technical Review is available for download.

Call for Proposals in Greater Yellowstone Biodiversity Research and Public Education: The Camp Monaco Prize
In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the visit to Yellowstone by H.S.H Prince Albert I of Monaco, the $100,000 Camp Monaco Prize is being awarded as a joint project among the Buffalo Bill Historical Center’s Draper Museum of Natural History, University of Wyoming’s Biodiversity Institute, and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation-USA.

All three organizations are dedicated to the conservation of native biodiversity and are creating the Camp Monaco Prize as a collaborative effort to promote this common mission. Proposals should address Greater Yellowstone Biodiversity Research and Public Education.

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is world-renowned as a bastion of biodiversity conservation and an arena for exploring the relationships among human demographics, social and economic development, and natural resources conservation. The objective is that the $100,000 prize will stimulate scientific exploration and public education that will expand the knowledge and understanding of biological diversity in Greater Yellowstone and foster concrete actions to safeguard biodiversity in conjunction with continued social and economic development.

The prize will be awarded at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center’s annual Patrons Ball in September 2013 in the presence of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco. The deadline for proposal submissions is April 19, 2013. More information.

Funding Available for Environmental Technology Demonstrations
The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), supports the demonstration of technologies that address priority DoD environmental requirements. The goal of ESTCP is to promote the transfer of innovative environmental technologies through demonstrations that collect the data needed for regulatory and DoD end-user acceptance.

Projects conduct formal demonstrations at DoD facilities and sites in operational settings to document and validate improved performance and cost savings. ESTCP is seeking proposals for innovative environmental technology demonstrations as candidates for funding beginning in FY2014.

This solicitation requests pre-proposals via Calls for Proposals to Federal organizations and via a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Private Sector organizations. Pre-proposals are due by Thursday, March 14, 2013. More information.

ESTCP Funding Opportunities for Environmental Technologies
ESTCP Director Dr. Jeffrey Marqusee will conduct an online seminar on January 29, 2013, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST.  This “How to play” briefing will offer valuable information for those interested in new ESTCP funding opportunities.  During the online seminar, participants may ask questions about the funding process, the current ESTCP solicitation, and the proposal submission process. Pre-registration for this webinar is required. Register.

TWS Student Conclaves – Mark Your Calendar!

Northeast Student Conclave
The Northeast Student Conclave will be hosted by the University of Connecticut at J.N. Webster Scout Reservation in Ashford, CT, April 5-7, 2013.

Midwest Student Conclave
The Midwest Student Conclave will be hosted by Michigan State University at Camp Pinewood, MI, April 12-14, 2013.

Southeastern Student Conclave
The Southeastern Student Conclave will be hosted by North Carolina State University, March 7-10, 2013.

Western Student Conclave
The Western Student Conclave will be hosted by University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, March 15-18, 2013.

Canadian Student Conclave
The Canadian Student Conclave will be hosted in Canmore, Alberta, March 8-9, 2013.

TWS Western Section Annual Meeting
January 28 – February 3, 2013, at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel in Sacramento, CA. More information.

2013 Joint Meeting of the Alberta Chapter and Canadian Section
March 8-10, 2013, at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre, Canmore, Alberta, Canada.

26th Vertebrate Pest Conference
March 3-6, 2014, at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, Big Island, Hawaii. More information.

(Credit: Courtesy of Ken Williams)

The Wildlife Society (TWS) is pleased to announce that Dr. Byron Kenneth (Ken) Williams will become the Society’s new Executive Director effective March 4, 2013. Highly regarded for his leadership at state and federal levels, Williams brings significant natural-resources expertise to the helm of TWS, the premier scientific society for professionals in wildlife management and conservation.

Williams is currently completing his service as Co-Director of the Science and Decisions Center in the U.S. Geological Survey, where he has focused on adaptive management, valuation of ecosystem services, and advancing the use of science in natural-resources decision making. Since 1997, Williams has also been Chief of the USGS Cooperative Research Units, a natural-resources science program with research units at 40 universities in 38 states. In that role he has been responsible for strategic planning, budget management, and coordinating research activities with federal, state, and university partners.

After earning MS degrees in mathematics from the University of Oklahoma and statistics from Colorado State University, Williams earned a Ph.D. in rangeland ecology from Colorado State. Prior to his service with USGS, he held science and management positions at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland, then served as Chief of the Office of Migratory Bird Management for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, leader of the Vermont Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Vermont, and Executive Director of FWS’s North American Waterfowl and Wetlands Office.

Widely published, Williams has authored scholarly papers on issues including adaptive management, biological modeling, vertebrate mapping, waterfowl management, and habitat conservation. Over the past 20 years he has been heavily involved in developing an adaptive framework for integrating science into natural-resource management for the U.S. Department of the Interior, serving as lead author of the DOI Adaptive Management Technical Guide and the DOI Adaptive Management Applications Guide.

“The Wildlife Society has just celebrated its 75th anniversary and reached record membership of nearly 11,000 professionals,” says TWS President Wini Kessler. “At this time of growth and celebration, we are extremely pleased to welcome Ken Williams, a leader of vision who will strengthen our mission to promote science-based wildlife management and conservation for future generations.”