Back to StoriesWyoming Researcher Receives Aldo Leopold Award
August 29, 2024
Wyoming Researcher Receives Aldo Leopold AwardMatthew Kauffman recognized for lasting conservation contributions through migration studies
Dr. Matthew Kauffman (right) and former PhD student Anna Ortega collect a blood sample from a bighorn sheep after fitting it with a GPS tracking collar in 2017. Kauffman is lead scientist of the Wyoming Migration Initiative and leader of the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Wyoming. Photo by Benjamin Kraushaar
by Sophie Tsairis
A renowned Wyoming
wildlife biologist and researcher has been awarded the 2024 Aldo Leopold Award
for his work in the field of ungulate migration.
Matthew Kauffman,
leader of the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit at the University of
Wyoming, U.S. Geological Survey researcher, and lead
scientist for the Wyoming Migration Initiative,
was bestowed the prestigious Leopold Award for his pioneering of migration
studies, which colleagues say will have a lasting impact on the field.
Awarded annually by
the American Association of Mammalogists, the Aldo Leopold Award recognizes
individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conservation of
mammals and their habitats.
Reflecting on his career
thus far, Kauffman recalls arriving in Wyoming without any preconceived notion
that his career would lead him here. “We were studying mule deer and we kept
getting collars back,” he said, “and I was just fascinated by the movement [of
ungulates] and where they were going.”
Migration has since
become the central focus of Kauffman’s research, emphasizing both conservation
and management. His team at the University of Wyoming has explored the reasons
behind ungulate migrations, their methodologies, and the various threats
affecting their patterns. This research has led to the first convincing
evidence of “green wave surfing” in Wyoming mule deer, a hypothesis stating
that ungulates follow the seasonal wave of nutrient-rich young plants from low
elevations to the mountains. Kauffman likens this forage to the fresh spring
greens at a grocery store.
“We’ve used remote
sensing and GPS collars on mule deer and figured out how to evaluate how well
they match their movements to the green wave,” Kauffman told Mountain
Journal. “They essentially choreograph their movement with the best, most
optimal forage.”
One of Kauffman’s
recent studies examined the impact oil and gas developments have had on mule
deer, revealing that they can disrupt migration patterns and a herd’s alignment
with the green wave. When deer reach the edges of these developments, they stay
in a holding pattern for several days or weeks, and the green wave passes them
by.
In addition to this
research, Kauffman is dedicated to mapping migration corridors and making this
data publicly available. Collaborating with the Wyoming Game and Fish
Department and other agencies, his team has developed a science-based approach
to monitoring habitats and migration routes. This involves tracking animals
with collars, creating detailed maps of their movements, and using this
information to inform the placement of fences, crossing structures, and energy
developments.
“I’m honored to receive the award,” Kauffman said. “I’ve been
really fortunate to be part of this great team, and I will be accepting it on
behalf of our whole team. Being nominated and receiving this award has made me
reflect on how fortunate I am to collaborate with great people and agencies in
a place where we still have a lot of intact landscape that’s still pretty wild
and supports migratory herds.”
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