National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC)

Field Station Leader: Dr. Julie K. Young,
(julie.k.young@aphis.usda.gov)
Research Wildlife Biologist

USDA/APHIS/WS
National Wildlife Research Center
Predator Ecology & Behavior Project
Room 163, BNR Bldg.
Utah State University
Logan, UT 84322-5295
Phone: (435) 797-2505
Fax: (435) 797-0288
Phone (Millville Site): (435) 245-6091 ext. 3110
Fax (Millville Site): (435) 245-3156

Scientists at the National Wildlife Research Center Logan, UT, field station are studying the ecology and behavior of predators in an effort to identify new management techniques and strategies, especially nonlethal tools. Research efforts are directed towards reducing livestock depredations and damage caused by coyotes, bears, and wolves, resolving conflicts in urban areas, and mitigating impacts of predators on wildlife populations. Station research incorporates a variety of techniques that integrate novel engineering approaches and basic knowledge of the biology of predator species.

The station was established in1972, and operates in close collaboration with Utah State University (USU). In fact, some of the biologists maintain offices on campus. The station’s most prominent feature, however, is the Millville Predator Research Facility. The 165-acre site, also on USU land, allows employees to care for more than 100 coyotes involved in learning, behavior, and physiology studies. Examples of current and recent studies based at the Milville facility include the following:

• Coyote behavior in captive environments
• Coyote reproduction
• Coyote wariness of humans
• Coyote foraging and learning
• Urban conflicts with black bears
• Coyote movements
• Coyote and elk interactions
• Fladry to prevent wolf depredation
• Conditioning bears from campgrounds
• Wolf damage to livestock.
• Coyote interactions with bobcats or lynx
• Sterilization of coyotes to reduce predation on pronghorn
• Non-invasive mark-recapture of Mexican wolves
• Coyote food habits and prey fluctuations

International Collaborations

Because of the scientific expertise and facilities available at the Logan, UT, field station, it draws many national and international collaborators to work on a wide variety of predator issues. For example, station researchers have hosted two interns from Agrocampus Rennes, France, advised a graduate student working on jaguars in Brazil,
sponsored the station's fourth master’s degree student from the University of Exeter,UK, and hosted a visit from officials with the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente in Spain, who are receiving assistance with a study of new capture devices for foxes. A station scientist is also working with counterparts from the Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research to manage conflict with brown bears.

The Predation Ecology and Behavioral Applications Project has 2 approved management documents under the National Wildlife Research Center program management plan. 

Approved Projects

• Developing Control Methods, Evaluating Impacts, and Applying Ecology, Behavior, Genetics, and Demographics to Manage Predators*
  

* the official "Research Projects" that describes the primary focus of research performed at this NWRC field station. The Projects Web pages, in turn, describe goals, objectives and accomplishments of the research. All Project Web pages are also listed under their respective Research Program.

Project Research Wildlife Biologists located at the Logan, UT, field station:

Eric M. Gese, Ph.D. (Research Wildlife Biologist)

Project Research Wildlife Biologists at other locations:

Stewart Breck, Ph.D. (Research Wildlife Biologist), co-located with researchers at the NWRC Fort Collins, CO headquarters.

Scientists assigned to the facility are dedicated to the Wildlife Services mission. Field studies have always depended heavily on the support of the operational program.

Publications - Developing Control Methods, Evaluating Impacts, and Applying Ecology, Behavior, Genetics, and Demographics to Manage Predators