Curriculum Vita
Research Interests
- Urban ecology of mammals, and the implications for anthropogenic effects on population dynamics of wildlife
- Behavioral ecology of carnivores, with a special emphasis on intraguild relationships between mesopredators
- Emerging infectious diseases in wildlife, particularly the interaction between landscape characteristics, host population dynamics, and parasite prevalence
Current Research Projects
Ecology of eastern coyotes in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia.
Working closely with Parks Canada, this project is an attempt to understand why coyotes in this park have a history of attacks on people, including the tragic attack on Taylor Mitchell. Our hypothesis is the unique ecosystem of the park, combined with the unique characteristics of the animals, may contribute to attacks, and our goal is to identify management strategies to minimize the danger to people and coyotes.
Long-term population ecology and disease dynamics of coyotes in the Chicago Metropolitan Area.
We have been monitoring coyotes in this highly urbanized landscape for the past 12 years, having marked nearly 700 coyotes, making this the largest urban study of its kind. The general objective is to provide a better understanding as to how coyotes are successfully exploiting the urban landscape, and the implications of this success for people, pets, and other wildlife.
Population dynamics and movement patterns of free-ranging domestic cats in urban parks.
We are in the final stages of a comprehensive program to describe the ecology of free-ranging cats, and cats associated with Trap-Neuter-Return colonies, and the interactions between cats and native mesocarnivores such as raccoons.
White-tailed deer movements, fawn survival, and coyote movements during the fawning season in Cleveland Metroparks.
I am part of a group of researchers from Cleveland Metroparks interested in the challenges of managing urban white-tailed deer populations in urban parks. We are particularly interested in the role that coyotes may play in the population dynamics of deer, particularly through predation on fawns in urban parks.
Interviews through various media
Television
Radio
National Geographic Radio, Dec. 2 2012, interview with Boyd Mattson
Print Media
Los Angeles Times
October 5, 2012 | by Monte Morin
e! Science News
October 5, 2012 | in Earth & Climate
e! Science News
September 25, 2012 | in Biology & Nature
New York Magazine
February 9, 2010 | by Jessica Pressler | in Daily Intelligencer
News Discovery
Watch out urbanites, here come the carnivores
December 13, 2012 | by Julie Larsen Maher / Wildlife Conservation Society
CBC News
October 5, 2012 | in Technology & Science
