Three incredible biologists recently joined the team. Here’s a bit about them and what they’ll be working on.
Dr. Rebecca Viejou
Senior Biologist
Caribou Program
What will you be working on?
Mainly the ungulate density project. Last year the team put up a whole bunch of trail cameras in a grid throughout the study area. I’ll be analyzing that data to assess moose, deer, and other wildlife densities.
What are you most excited for?
I’m excited about a lot of things to be honest. Camera traps are becoming such a big part of wildlife science, so I’m looking forward to diving into that. The team is also going to resurvey some stuff that I did in 2015, so it’ll be cool to hear about how those areas have changed or not changed.
What were you up to before this?
I did a PhD! I was studying reindeer energetics, movement, population density, and demography in Norway through the University of Guelph. Basically, I was trying to answer the question of how much digestible energy there is in those herds’ winter forage.
What else is fun?
My favourite activities lately are cross country skiing, gardening, all of the biking (really just all the outdoor sports), and a new thing for me is free diving!
Got a song recommendation for us?
Oh, um let’s go with a Nightwish song. My Walden.
Cam McClelland
Senior Biologist
Grizzly Bear Team
What will you be working on?
I’ll mostly be doing the grizzly bear monitoring work. Also helping with the update to GBtools: testing new layers and leading workshops with partners. Then when things quiet down I’ll be working with the accelerometer data we got from the bear collars we used starting around 2015. I’m hoping we can use it to link bear behaviour to habitat characteristics.
What are you most excited for?
Stoked for the new crews. It’s always a fun time of year to meet new people with new perspectives when I can learn and teach and set up to collect some good data.
What were you up to before this?
Most recently I was a landscape ecologist with Alberta Forestry and Parks. Mainly management planning and policy around the impacts of different forms of recreation such as quads and equestrians.
What else is fun?
Horseback riding, hunting, trapping, skiing, hockey, and sailing.
Got a song recommendation for us?
Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys by – that was Waylon Jennings? Yeah, by Waylon Jennings.
Claire Allore
Biologist
Water and Fish Program
What will you be working on?
I’ll be helping with the stream temperature monitoring project this summer, driving along the eastern slopes to set up data loggers, and also doing a fair bit of backpack electrofishing to look at trout populations in the Kakwa area.
What are you most excited for?
I think I’m most excited for the electrofishing. I’ve been doing a lot of lab work recently, so it’s nice to get outside and get familiar with the native species here like bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout.
What were you up to before this?
Most of my time in the last few years was spent on my MSc at the University of Acadia. I found out that the mangrove rivulus fish cannot feel temperature when it is in a social environment!
What else is fun?
I do art! I paint and draw, and use marine debris as a medium. I also love anything outdoors: hiking, canoeing, bouldering, and overnight backpacking.
Got a song recommendation for us?
Ohh, I am always listening to Spotify. I have so many. How about We Are the People by Empire of The Sun?
