Wildlife

Colorado State University

I am a wildlife biologist currently working on my PhD in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation biology at Colorado State University, where I am studying Chronic Wasting Disease in mule deer. My overarching research interests lie in the application of animal behavior to disease, conflict, and other management challenges.

More from the Wildcat Hills CWD Project coming soon!

Home RANGE WILDLIFE RESEARCH

I am the co-founder and a board member at Home Range Wildlife Research, a non-profit wildlife conservation organization in Washington's Methow Valley. Our mission is to advance wildlife conservation by conducting high-quality research, educating aspiring biologists, and engaging local communities. Check us out!

COHABITATING With WiLdLIFE

Whether its black bears getting into your trash or coyotes killing your chickens, living with wildlife can be challenging, but people and wildlife can get along. Using species specific behavior characteristics and nonlethal management principles, here are some tips for living with wildlife that you might find helpful!

SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

Peer Reviewed

Published

Prugh, L.R., Cunningham, C.X., Windell, R.M., Kerston, B.K., Ganz, T.R., Walker, S.L., & Wirsing, A.J. (2023). Fear of large carnivores amplifies human-caused mortality for mesopredators. Science, 380(6646):754-758.

Bassing, S. B., DeVivo, M., Ganz, T. R., Kertson, B. N., Prugh, L. R., Roussin, T., Satterfield, L. , Windell, R. M., Wirsing, A. J., & Gardner, B. (2022). Are we telling the same story? Comparing inferences made from camera trap and telemetry data for wildlife monitoring. Ecological Applications, 33(1): e2745.

Windell, R.M., Bailey, L., Young, J., Livieri, T., Eads, D., & Breck, S. (2021). Improving evaluation of nonlethal tools for carnivore management and conservation: evaluating fladry to protect an endangered species from a generalist mesocarnivore. Animal Conservation.

Windell, R.M., Lewis, J., Gramza, A., & Crooks, K. (2019). Carnivore carrying behavior as documented with wildlife camera traps. Western North American Naturalist, 79(4): 471-480.

Much (Windell), R.M., Breck, S., Lance, N., & Callahan, P. (2018). An ounce of prevention: Quantifying the effects of non-lethal tools on wolf behavior. Applied Animal Behavior Science, 203: 73-80.

Johnson, H., Lewis, D., Verzuh, T. Wallace, C., Much (Windell), R.M., Willmarth, L., & Breck, S. (2017). Human Development and Climate Affect Hibernation in a Large Carnivore with Implications for Human-Carnivore Conflict. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55(2): 663-672.

In Review

Windell R.M., Bailey, L., Livieri, T., Eads, D., Biggins, D., & Breck, S. In review. Coyote use of prairie dog colonies is most frequent in areas used by American badgers. Journal of Mammalogy.

Malesis, A., Windell, R.M., Vanbianci, C., & Prugh, L. R. In review. A scavenger’s paradise: Coyotes take advantage of ungulate carrion subsidies as wolves recolonize Washington. Canadian Journal of Zoology.

In preparation

Machowicz, A., Windell, R.M., Reese, E., & Prugh, L. In prep. Factors of field observer reliability in species identification of carnivore scat. Wildlife Society Bulletin.

Cunningham, C.X., Windell, R.M., Wirsing, A.J., Newson, T.M., Ganz, T.R., & Prugh, L.R. In prep. Navigating the risks and rewards of scavenging in multi-predator, human-impacted landscapes. Ecology.

Reports

Hoffman, C., Machowicz, A., Windell, R.M. Methow Valley Bear Aware Community Assessment. Produced in partnership with Defenders of Wildlife, Coming Soon.

Machowicz, A., Vanbianchi, C., Windell, R.M. Recreation and Wildlife in Washington: Considerations for Conservation. A report on current knowledge. Produced in partnership with Conservation Northwest, August 2022.