Nuñez Laboratory

As human populations continue to grow, the management of wildlife species is becoming increasingly necessary. As stewards of wild populations, we have a responsibility to manage them with the most effective and ethical means possible. My research suggests that if we are to achieve this goal, we must better understand the potential individual- and population-level side-effects of our management practices. I use feral horses (Equus caballus) as a model to incorporate the natural history, behavioral ecology, and the physiology of species to better understand these issues and to more effectively conserve and manage animal populations. My work lends itself well to undergraduate research, particularly for students interested in the integration of pure and applied science.