About Tom
Tom joined the lab January 1st, 2013 to study the hyper-abundant moose population in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland. Although moose are often portrayed as an icon of Canadian Boreal forests, overgrazing by extreme moose densities threaten the unique forest ecosystem in Gros Morne National Park. In order to preserve the ecological integrity of Gros Morne, Parks managers initiated a controlled moose hunt starting in October, 2011. Tom’s research has focused on studying the response of moose, through resource selection functions and movement behaviour, to hunting pressure in the park. Hunter pressure is being quantified using resource selection functions developed from known moose harvest locations taken from sampled hunters. Determining the impacts of hunting on moose behaviour will contribute knowledge to a relatively unstudied area of research, as well as provide Parks Canada with information on moose distribution within the Park.
Additional Information:
Tom’s passion for wildlife motivated him to complete his B.Sc. in Environmental Biology (Honors) at the University of Saskatchewan in 2012. Prior to graduation, Tom spent his summers as a field technician working with Saskatchewan Fisheries, as well as the University of Saskatchewan Limnology Laboratory. Tom’s background in Biology is also deep-rooted in his outdoors lifestyle; whether it’s hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing or hiking. If he isn’t spending time in the outdoors, expect to find Tom on any one of the Biology campus rec sports teams, or, racquet courts.