Jerod Merkle

Occupation: Ph.D. student

Affiliation: Département de Biologie, Université Laval

Jerod’s Research: Behavioral mechanisms of range expansion

Education:

B.S. in Rangeland, Watershed, and Wildlife Resources, University of Arizona (2006)

M.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, University of Montana (2010)

Favorite Animal Species: Black bear

Best Sampling Trip: Winter study with Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone National Park, 2007

Places I’ve Lived: Phoenix (AZ), Tucson (AZ), Alpine (AZ), Gardiner (MT), Missoula (MT), Québec (QC)

In my Field Backpack: Binoculars, lunch, Leatherman, bear spray, bug net, Camera and tripod, comb, lenspen

My First Catch-and-Release: In 2005, I held my first live captured gray wolf.  No, they are not like a domestic dog. The sheer mass and size of the muscles on wild wolves is mind boggling.  To this day, I am always amazed by how solid and developed the muscles are on wild animals.

My Most Recent Wildlife Adventure: In the summer of 2012, a red fox family denned up right next to my field station.  I watched 5 little puppies grow up from playful and mindless to curious and bold.

Places I’ve Done Research:

  1. Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area, Arizona and New Mexico
  2. Yellowstone National Park
  3. The area in and around Missoula, Montana
  4. Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan

Jerod’s Contact Info:

▪   Email Jerod at jerod.merkle.1@ulaval.ca

▪   Learn more about Jerod’s research at: https://jamerkleresearch.wordpress.com/

** Jerod’s current research is funded by Parks Canada Species at Risks Recovery Action and Education Fund, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and Université Laval.