Michigan Tech Geneticist Partners with Citizen Scientists, Biotech Company and Public Partners to Save America's Red Wolves
There’s more than one way to save endangered species, and new advancements in biotechnology are opening conservation doors that scientists would have once thought impossible. Kristin Brzeski (CFRES) is exploring avenues to restore the red wolf population in the American South. Her research with a unique population of “ghost wolves” along the Gulf Coast has attracted partners across the full spectrum of the scientific community — from citizen scientists to de-extinction biotech company Colossal Biosciences.
Brzeski and research partner Bridgett vonHoldt, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton University, are informally known as Team Ghost Wolf. Together, they gather data using non-invasive research methods such as wildlife cameras, collars and widespread surveys to get a more complete picture of the animals’ behavior in the wild.
“Using crowdsourced, non-invasive sampling tools paired with captive animal studies, we’re looking at how ancestry and landscapes are impacting the retention of distinct genetic variation these animals have,” said Brzeski.
The goal? The conservation of one of America’s most iconic species — and the biodiverse ecosystems it relies on.
Read more about Team Ghost Wolf’s efforts and partners on Michigan Tech’s Unscripted Research Blog.