Dear John, As the long days of the Northern Hemisphere summer stretch onwards, we're taking continued precautions to ensure our staff remain safe and healthy, while adapting to new ways of advancing our projects in this time of limited human interaction. Thankfully, for many of us, immersing ourselves in nature remains a viable option. I encourage you, as you're able, to also spend time outdoors to appreciate the wildlife and landscapes we all work so fervently to preserve. As we look forward to the rest of this year, we're excited to welcome our new Development Director, Kim Howes, who joins us at our headquarters in Salt Lake City headquarters from our partner organization, Wild Utah Project. Kim brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience in preserving wild landscapes and protecting wildlife populations through science-based strategies. |
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And, in case you missed it, our Chief Scientist Dr. Ron Sutherland was co-author on a recently-published paper that outlines a framework for protecting and maintaining habitat connectivity for species in areas expected to experience climate and land use change. As much of our planet is subject to such changes, this research has important implications on how best to navigate these challenges from a conservation perspective. I'm confident that these are all positives steps setting the stage for a successful remainder of 2020. But, as always, we couldn't do it without your support. |
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Katie Davis
Executive Director |
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Why Red Wolves Could Be Good News for Quail The last remaining red wolves in the wild roam the Albemarle Peninsula of northeastern North Carolina. This summer, Wildlands Network interns collected data on bobwhite quail from across this region in an effort to better understand the importance of top carnivores on the survival of quail populations. Researching not only red wolves, but also other species that are present in their food web, is important for the wolves’ survival. |
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Safe Crossings for Wildlife that Walk, Swim or Even Fly Birds may not be the first group of species that come to mind when you think of roadkill. In reality, birds are frequent victims of collisions with motor vehicles, our Mexico Program Road Ecology Coordinator Mirna Manteca points out. Wildlands Network has been promoting building wildlife crossings in Sonora, Mexico since 2014, with an emphasis on large mammals like black bears, jaguars and Mexican wolves. However, many of these structures could also help birds. |
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| The stretch of Interstate 40 winding through the North Carolina-Tennessee border's Pigeon River Gorge is a notoriously dangerous road—for both people and wildlife alike. Wildlands Network Wildlife Biologist and Western Carolina University alumna Dr. Liz Hillard has spent the last year and a half studying how wildlife such as elk and bears cross this mountain highway. "We’ll be using this information to help guide where mitigation strategies should be focused along the roadway to help connect wildlife habitat, ensure safe passage for wildlife and improve human safety,” she said. |
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