Elk NetworkRMEF Wildlife Research Lead Shares Scientific Journey Insights

General | February 27, 2025

The scene was all too common for Heather Abernathy – a college lecture room full of eager students with open ears and asking questions. Only this time, the now Dr. Abernathy was at the head of the class leading the discussion.

Abernathy recently took some time away from her duties as wildlife research lead for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to visit undergraduate and early-career graduate students and faculty at the University of Montana (UM). She talked about her research pursuits and the common thread linking her work about how wildlife responds to changes in space and time, and how her experiences in wildlife ecology shaped her approach to conservation and research.

“I wanted to outline a roadmap to help students see how different career paths unfold and expose them to various research approaches,” said Abernathy.

Abernathy’s career path began with undergraduate studies leading to a B.Sc. in Ecology (2013) and an M.Sc. in Forestry Resources (2017), followed by a Ph.D. in Fish and Wildlife Science (2021). During her presentation to UM students, she highlighted work from her dissertation: how the fire and flooding regimes of South Florida can influence predation risk for female white-tailed deer. She also discussed her postdoctoral roles, working on deer-elk competition and ecology in southwestern Wyoming and investigating human recreation across the American West with the U.S. Forest Service.

Throughout the presentation, Abernathy illustrated how wildlife survive and thrive in dynamic landscapes and how behavioral ecology and a little creativity can improve conservation strategies. She highlighted key research insights from her career, including integrating animal behavior into species distribution models, using novel data sources to inform wildlife ecology and management, and emphasizing a need to better link fitness outcomes to behavior in fields like movement ecology.

Now at RMEF, Abernathy focuses on leading internal research efforts to enhance elk conservation across North America. She described how her work blends applied science with management, ensuring research translates into meaningful conservation outcomes. She concluded the seminar with a question-and-answer session about career pathways in wildlife ecology, offering insights and advice to students navigating similar fields.

“As conservation challenges grow more complex, it’s clear that interdisciplinary research and long-term conservation planning are more important than ever,” said Abernathy. “Applied science plays a crucial role in wildlife management, and it’s rewarding to work at the intersection of research and real-world conservation efforts. Whether in academia, federal agencies or nonprofit conservation, each sector brings unique challenges and rewards—but together, they shape the future of wildlife conservation. I hope my journey helps inspire the next generation of wildlife biologists to explore diverse career paths and make an impact.”

(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)