Carnivore and Ungulate Ecology

Alaska is one of the few places left that supports intact communities of large carnivores (wolves, bears) and ungulates (e.g. moose, caribou, Dall’s sheep). These species are wide-ranging and move across different land use types where they are exposed to varying degrees of protection, habitat quality, harvest, and other forms of anthropogenic pressure. They play a pivotal role in a properly functioning ecosystem, and their sustainable management is a high priority for Alaskans due to their social, cultural, and economic value for subsistence harvest and tourism. Unfortunately, they are often among the first species to disappear from heavily disturbed ecosystems.

Our carnivore and ungulate research program seeks to identify the ecological, environmental, and anthropogenic pressures influencing animal movement, behavior, and population dynamics. We are particularly interested in predator-prey dynamics and human-wildlife interactions, and their implications for conservation and management.