
Werdel Wildlife
Current Lab Members


Lab PI
Ty Werdel, Ph.D.
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.


M.S. Student
Conner Ties
Conner's research interests include landscape ecology, carnivore ecology and conservation, and mammalogy. He is currently developing a project with Dr. Werdel focusing on Texas javelina distribution, occupancy, and movement in Texas. Besides javelinas, 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.


B.S. Student
Drake Dancila
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.


B.S. Student
Lulu Hoffman
MacKenzie (Lulu) is a Senior Wildlife & Fisheries Science major from Round Rock, Texas. She is currently working on abundance and interaction data for white-tailed deer, wild pigs, and domestic cattle by analyzing camera trap data. Lulu has previously worked in genetics, collecting and organizing samples of migratory waterfowl, extracting DNA, and performing PCRs for Grace Lab at Texas A&M University. Besides research - Lulu has experience with small mammal and avian Husbandry and is currently a Senior Undergraduate Avian Caretaker at the Schubot Center for Avian Health. Lulu is a member of the Texas A&M Fly Club, as well as a member of the Student chapter of the Wildlife Society at Texas A&M. Lulu hopes to spend much of her time after graduation working outside and gathering hands-on experience with wildlife.