Daniel Gordon, M.S. Student

B.S. Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Washington, 2020
Contact: [email protected]

After graduating from UW in 2020, I spent a few years as a wildlife technician bouncing around wildlife projects in Washington, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Illinois. These projects all focused on the population ecology of deer and elk, and the various factors influencing them including predation by cougars and wolves, disease, and human activity. Working on these projects helped foster my interest in population ecology, spatial ecology, and species interactions, particularly concerning large terrestrial mammals. 

My MS research will focus on the population ecology of large ungulates in Southern California. Specifically, I will be looking at estimating Southern mule deer abundance using genetic mark-recapture surveys. I will also be assessing predation risk for both Southern mule deer and Peninsular bighorn sheep and the effects of prey switching by mountain lions on predation risk. My hope is to be a part of research that can be used to advance conservation goals. 

I am a former collegiate competitive gymnast and outside of school, I enjoy climbing, wildlife photography, hiking, and basically anything sports-related. If you have any questions about the Conservation Ecology Lab or the SDSU Ecology M.S. Program feel free to reach out.