Werdel Wildlife
Our People
Current
Ty J. Werdel, Ph.D. - Lab PI
Email: ty.werdel@ag.tamu.edu
Dr. Werdel is a wildlife ecologist who primarily studies mammalian species. He is interested in how wildlife interacts within communities and their surrounding, ever-changing landscapes. He was born on the Lake Traverse Reservation in northeastern South Dakota, but spent much of his life as a Nebraskan. New to Texas, Ty enjoys spending most of his free time with his wife Chelsea, daughter Raylan, and dog Husker. Currently his title is "Vice Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow", but will transition to an Assistant professor within the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management in June of 2023. Ty also teaches Techniques of Wildlife Management and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Seminar. You can see Dr. Werdel's full professional record on the CV page. Pertinent links to sites regarding Ty's social media and research can be found on the Contact page.
Conner Ties - M.S. Student
Email: cties@tamu.edu
Conner's research interests include landscape ecology, carnivore ecology and conservation, and mammalogy. He is currently developing a project with Dr. Werdel focusing on North American river otter distribution, occupancy, and movement in Texas. Besides river otters, he has worked on plains spotted skunks in South Dakota, ecological diversity in Iowa, swift foxes in Kansas, and muskrats in Minnesota. He received his bachelor's degree in Wildlife Ecology and Management from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, where he was heavily involved in the student chapter of The Wildlife Society. He is also a member of several professional organizations, including the American Society of Mammalogists, The Wildlife Society, and the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society. In his free time, he enjoys birding, adding species to his life list, and reading about western history or the history of wildlife.
Drake Dancila - Undergraduate Researcher
Drake is a senior Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences major from Grapevine, Texas. He is currently analyzing the reproductive parameters of wild pigs in south-central Oklahoma. In addition to his wild pig study, Drake will be assisting with the river otter project ongoing in the lab. Prior to this, he has worked with quail in the Rolling Plains region. At Texas A&M, Drake is a member of the American Fisheries Society and the Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society. After graduation, he hopes to get back out to West Texas and work as a wildlife technician.
Email: drake.dancila@tamu.edu
Lulu Hoffman - Undergraduate Researcher
