Working Together for Wildlife: An Inside Look at the Day-to-Day in the Wildlife Contracts Branch of Arizona Game and Fish

What is it like to do applied biological research for a wildlife management agency?

Ryan O'Donnell oversees a team of biologists conducting a variety of research and monitoring projects on amphibians, reptiles, birds and small mammals throughout Arizona.

He will provide an overview of some of the ongoing projects the Wildlife Contracts branch works on, and a taste of his day-to-day professional life.

Effective wildlife conservation relies on basic research to advance scientific knowledge, and on applied research to monitor populations, advise management decisions and maximize effectiveness of conservation efforts. The Wildlife Contracts Branch of the Arizona Game and Fish Department leverages the resources of other agencies, the military and private industry to conduct applied wildlife research, and to provide the information needed to protect Arizona's most sensitive species. It is known for its studies on Sonoran Desert Tortoises, Flat-tailed Horned Lizards and Mexican Gartersnakes, but the branch works on a wide range of species.