Mapped: 33 new big game migrations across American West
Art and Science
Science
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility
Year in Review
World's Longest Mule Deer Migration
Beluga Whale in Alaska’s Cook Inlet
Wildlife Management Institute Outdoors New Bulletin
Stories from the Field
All Research
Purdue University hosts new CRU!
Budget, Staffing, How our Program Works
Cooperative Research Units
Established in 1935 at Iowa State University, our mission is our hallmark: work with University students to develop the conservation workforce, help decision-makers make complex conservation decisions, and to provide technical assistance between natural resource agencies and universities. There are 43 units in 41 states (Indiana new 2023). Our national office is at the USGS HQ in Reston, VA.
Research at a Glance
Research at a Glance
We have more than 1,000 research projects under way and generate 250-300 scientific publications annually.
How our Program Works
How our Program Works
Fire, wildlife disease, human dimensions, threatened and endangered species
Where's our Science?
Where's our Science?
43 units in 41 states. ~600 students graduate from our program annually. Our newest Unit is at Purdue.
News
Fridays Findings - June 14, 2024
Fridays Findings - June 14, 2024
60 years of data show shifts in the winter ranges of three duck species in the Midwest
60 years of data show shifts in the winter ranges of three duck species in the Midwest
Publications
Lifetime reproductive characteristics of gray wolves
Female and male cooperative breeders can use different strategies to maximize reproduction and fitness over their lifetimes. Answering questions about fitness in cooperative breeders requires long-term studies as well as complete data on group composition and size which can be exceedingly difficult to obtain. Using a long-term genetic data set of complete group pedigrees, I asked how lifetime repr
Marine heatwaves affect breeding, diet and population size but not body condition of a range-edge little penguin colony
Significant marine heatwaves (MHWs) developed along the Western Australian coast in 1999 and 2011. Despite ecosystem losses and the southwards occurrence of many tropical fish species during and after the extreme MHW in 2011, there have been few studies on the effects of this MHW on seabirds, and no biological impacts related to the 1999 MHW have been reported. Using data from 1986-2019, we invest
Prion seeding activity in plant tissues detected by RT-QuIC
Prion diseases such as scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and chronic wasting disease (CWD) affect domesticated and wild herbivorous mammals. Animals afflicted with CWD, the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of cervids (deer, elk, and moose), shed prions into the environment, where they may persist and remain infectious for years. These environmental prions may remain in soil,
Science
Visit a Specific Unit
Established in 1935, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (CRU) program is a unique partnership among the USGS, State Fish and Wildlife agencies, host universities, the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). As of 2023, there are 43 CRUs in 41 states that fall under three supervisory regions and a National Program...
2022 Year in Review
This has been another outstanding year for the CRU Program, and I am pleased to provide you with our 2022 Year in Review report. Highlights of this past year include the creation of our 42nd unit at Michigan State University and the completion of hiring activities for 37 new unit scientists in 31 States. In this report, you will learn more about the spectacular accomplishments of our students...
Wastewater reuse may be detrimental to smallmouth bass abundance in the Shenandoah River Watershed
Issue: Municipal and industrial wastewater effluent is an important source of water for streams and rivers, especially during periods of low flow. The reuse of wastewater effluent may become even more important if climate change exacerbates low streamflow and drought conditions. However, wastewater effluent often contains chemicals that, when chronically present, can affect the health of aquatic...
