Wildlife

ABOUT ME

I am a wildlife biologist with deep interest in applying animal behavior to disease, conflict, and other management challenges. At present, I am working on my PhD in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation biology at Colorado State University, where I am co-advised by Drs. Georgia Titcomb and Larissa Bailey and work as part of the Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence. I am also the co-founder and a board member at Home Range Wildlife Research, a non-profit wildlife conservation organization in Washington's Methow Valley. 

PRESeNT AND PAST RESEARCH

Chronic wasting disease in mule deer

Wildcat Hills CWD Project,

PhD Research

Human-bear coexistence

Home Range 

Wildlife Research

Coyote predation on black-footed ferrets

MS Research

SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

Peer Reviewed 


Published

Cunningham, C.X., Windell, R.M., Wirsing, A.J., Newson, T.M., Ganz, T.R., & Prugh, L.R. 2025. Navigating the risks and rewards of scavenging in multi-predator, human-impacted landscapes. Ecology. In press. 

Windell R.M., Bailey, L., Livieri, T., Eads, D., Biggins, D., & Breck, S. 2024. Coyote use of prairie dog colonies is most frequent in areas used by American badgers. Journal of Mammalogy. 105(6):1309-1321. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae066 


Malesis, A., Windell, R.M., Vanbianci, C., & Prugh, L. R. 2024. A scavenger’s paradise: Coyotes take advantage of ungulate carrion subsidies as wolves recolonize Washington. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 102(10):798-811. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2024-0019 


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. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adf2472 


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. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2745 


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, 25(1):125-136. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/acv.12726 


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. http://dx.doi.org/10.3398/064.079.0401 


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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2018.02.012 

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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13021 


In preparation/review

Windell, R.M., Malmberg, J.L., Fesmire, S., Simpson, S., Bailey, L.L., & Titcomb, G.C. In prep. Chronic wasting disease exposure risk to male cervids during the mating season in a multi-host community. 

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. 

Reports

Hoffman, C., Machowicz, A., Windell, R.M. Methow Valley Bear Aware Community Assessment. Produced in partnership with Defenders of Wildlife, May 2024.

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. 

Popular Articles And BlOG Posts

Windell, R.M. (2024, November 15th). Chronic wasting disease in Washington. Home Range Wildlife Research blog. 

https://homerangewildlife.blogspot.com/2024/11/chronic-wasting-disease-in-washington.html


Windell, R.M. (2019, February 14). How to keep the fox out of the chicken coop. Modern Farmer. 

https://modernfarmer.com/2019/02/how-to-keep-the-fox-out-of-the-chicken-coop/


Windell, R.M. (2019, October 18th). Doing poop science. Washington Predator-Prey Project blog

https://predatorpreyproject.weebly.com/updates-from-the-field-blog/doing-poop-science