Danielle Deming
Texas Tech University
Thesis Master of Science in Wildlife, Aquatic, and Wildlands Science and Management
Growing up in a city, my passion for wildlife began with books and wildlife TV shows. My imagination ran wild reading Jack London, while I was inspired by wildlife icons like Steve Irwin and Richard Perkins. After I received my Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Conservation at the University of Florida, I immediately moved out to the Rocky Mountain West. I have been fortunate enough to work on a range of wildlife research projects, from gray wolves to elk to wolverines, as well as endangered species like the desert tortoise and woodpeckers.
Now, as a Master’s student under Dr. Warren Conway, my research is focused on canid genetics and dietary habits in the Mojave Desert. This study is a collaboration with the Marine Corps Air to Ground Combat Center and aims to build a population estimation model for the local coyote and fox populations, as well as get a comprehensive analysis of seasonal diet. I am a passionate dog trainer and my detection dog Radar is part of my methods, exemplifying the efficient use of dogs in wildlife research. With this study, I hope to enhance DNA analysis with canid scat as well as provide management recommendations for MCAGCC.
