Wildlife Ecology & Management

Wildlife Ecology and Management is a huge field of study at Utah State University.

This website offers a small slice of what Utah State University researches on the topic of Wildlife Ecology and Management. You may visit https://qanr.usu.edu/ to search for all of the resources and research we have available. Alternately, extension.usu.edu has a vast array of resources for you to read and download. To see if your interested topic is here, try the search bar first.

Detecting Wildlife in Your Yard

Doorbell cameras and trail cameras have made it easier than ever to see who's really visiting your yard after dark — bears, deer, even the occasional coyote. Once you know what you're dealing with, you can decide whether it's something to enjoy, or something to manage.

A trail camera is the best way to find out. Search "trail camera" in your favorite store or search engine, pick one that fits your budget, then use our guide below to set it up. A piece of corrugated plastic works well for mounting it outdoors; cardboard is fine for a short-term setup, as long as it won't be exposed to rain.

Utah Wildlife Overpasses - Parleys Canyon Case Study

In 2018, Utah Department of Transportation installed a wildlife overpass within Parleys Canyon, crossing 6 lanes of Interstate 80; the overpass was operational in 2019. In 2020, Utah State University, under the direction of Dr. Nicki Frey, began monitoring Parleys Canyon Overpass (PCO) to determine its effectiveness as a crossing opportunity for ungulates and other wildlife species. The primary objective of the overpass was to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions involving moose (Alces alces) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). The overpass is unique in its construction, having a width: length ration of 0.13, which is much smaller than the recommended 0.80 ratio suggested by the Federal Highway Administration. The objectives of our study included: determine the crossing rates of ungulates, determine species visitation of the overpass, compare the effectiveness of the overpass to other wildlife crossing structures in Utah.

Wild Horses & Burros

Wild horses and burros are managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service on western public rangelands. Wild horses and burros can also be found on state and Tribal lands in the western United States. In the Eastern U.S., wild horses occur on several barrier islands along the Atlantic Coast.

Utah State University has spearheaded many studies on wild horse and burro management in the last decade. You can find resources about some of our studies at the links provided here.

Who's the Bad Guy Here?

When jays, chipmunks, and squirrels get a little too comfortable with visitors at Bryce Canyon, who's really at fault? Our look at human-wildlife interactions on public lands.

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Field Guide