Giving Back

Scholarship Recipient

Jose Gerardo Cortez Jr.


Jose Gerardo Cortez Jr.

Jose Gerardo Cortez Jr.

Texas A&M University-Kingsville

Year Received: 2019

Graduate Research Assistant/ Rangeland and Wildlife Management/ Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute

Acceleration of Thornshrub Habitat for the Ocelot

The study that I am working on for my thesis is focused around habitat restoration for the endangered ocelot. I am working on a ranch north of Raymondville, Texas. The main focus on the study is to test treatments that include shredding, mulching, and a combination of both to see if they can regenerate this habitat quickly and efficiently. I am applying these treatments on 700 newly planted thornshrub saplings and on 480 naturally established plants. Plants that are shredded are hypothesized to grow multi-stemmed and thicker from the base, meeting habitat benchmarks that the ocelot look for. Plants that were mulched are expected to have increased water retention and have a higher chance of survival. Plants that received both are expected to express both of these qualities. If this study proves successful maybe one day we can begin to use this information to bridge the gap between the two ocelot populations to increase genetic drift and increase the chances of survival for the ocelot.


UPDATE

I was a recipient of the Dan L. Duncan Scholarship for 2019-2020. I am very grateful
to the Houston Safari Club Foundation and Mr. Gary Rose for choosing me as a
recipient of this scholarship, it has supported me immensely as I continue my studies
with the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

The thesis project for my master’s degree revolves around developing a protocol for
the accelerated growth of thornscrub habitat for the state threatened ocelot. I take great
pride in my research because it covers an area of conservation that I find to be of the
utmost importance, habitat restoration. In my opinion, one of the basic requirements that
ocelots need more of is, quite simply, more habitat available to them. My project is
working on finding methods that can help with just that, developing protocol to speed up
the growth of brush.

The journey that I have had throughout my master’s degree has been phenomenal! I
have had the opportunity to present my research at the Texas Section of the Society for
Range Management Conference and at the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society
Annual Meeting. I presented a talk titled “Ocelot Habitat Restoration Acceleration” which
looked at some of the initial findings of my research. So far, my data shows signs that
the effects of simulated shredding and mulching naturally established plants has had a
positive effect on canopy area over time if browsing is excluded. I am hopeful in that
once all my data has been collected and analyzed, I will see some exciting results that
would make all of my hard work pay off.

I am very grateful for all the support that the Houston Safari Club and the Dan L.
Duncan Scholarship Committee has given me by awarding me their scholarship.
Hunting and fishing from a young age sparked my interest in the fields of rangeland and
wildlife management, and I hope to use what I have learned throughout my studies to
protect the resources that I love dearly. If any of HSCF members would like to hear
more about my research, feel free to contact me and we can start a conversation!

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