BSG Co-chair

Dave was a Wildlife Research Scientist (Bear Project Leader) for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for 37 years, before his retirement in 2020. He conducted population and ecological studies of American black bears, with direct application in management of the state’s bear population. As an adjunct professor, he also advised graduate students on studies of the other bear species of the world, aimed at improved conservation. Previously he studied American black bears in the Great Smoky Mountains for his M.S. degree (University of Tennessee) and sea otters in Alaska for his PhD (University of Minnesota). His current interests are in monitoring trends of bear populations, discerning factors limiting population growth, and understanding ecological adaptations of bears, especially in human-modified environments or at the edge of their geographic range. He strives to identify and assess major threats to populations, evaluate effects of conservation actions, and build capacity and enthusiasm for bear conservation in less-developed countries. Dave has been co-chair of the Bear Specialist Group since 2004.