Nicole Dickan
Sul Ross State University
Graduate Research Assistant at Borderlands Research Institute/Range and Wildlife Management/Conservation Biology program. Fine-scale behavioral patterns and denning ecology of the newly recolonizing West Texas black bear population.
I was born and raised in New York where I spent much of my time backpacking, climbing, and exploring nature. I received a B.S. degree in Animal Behavior, Ecology and Conservation from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY in 2020 where I developed a passion for wildlife biology and field research. I then went on to work as a wildlife technician in South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Idaho studying bobcats, black bears, grizzlies, bighorn sheep, and various nongame species. These experiences led me to my current master’s thesis project on black bears in West Texas.
For my project, I will be capturing and collaring bears to study their fine-scale behavioral patterns and denning ecology. I will be comparing behaviors identified during field investigations of clusters sites (foraging, resting, scavenging, etc.) to statistical models to determine if we can accurately predict bear behaviors remotely, based on GPS collar data alone. These models can then be used to determine if their habitat selection varies depending on which behavior they are exhibiting. I will also be investigating their denning ecology in order to provide a better understanding of den site selection, denning chronology, birth rates, and cub survival.
