

The second ever Black Mammalogist's Week will begin May 1st, 2022!Get ready!
What is the purpose of Black Mammalogists Week?To provide opportunities for current and aspiring Black mammalogists across the Diaspora to form conscious, fruitful connections, in addition to illuminating historical and present-day Black contributions to the field of Mammalogy.In our ideal future, young Black people of all backgrounds will realize that they are not only welcome, but needed, and vital, to the future of this field.Apply for our scholarship, the Black and Indigenous Scholars in Mammalogy Award!

Daily
Giveaways: new items are available each day, so follow us on twitter so you don't miss out!
RealScientists twitter takeover; hosts change daily so make sure to follow the entire week!
#BMWordle: guess the correct word and get a prize!
5/01: #StealthySunday
Find your fellow Black mammalogists using #ConservationistsAssemble.
Search for cryptic mammals and share them with #StealthySunday.
5/02: #MisunderstoodMammals Monday
Learn about how mammals are misrepresented in pop culture using #MisunderstoodMammals.
Share what nature means to you with #WhatNatureMeansToMe.
5/03: #TechniqueTuesday
National Geographic Society twitter and instagram takeover! Discover what kinds of tools and techniques are used while studying mammals!
OR sign up for and join in on a conservation hackathon, co-run with WildLabs and Conservation X Labs!

5/04: #WildlifeHealthWednesday
5 pm UTC: Black in Wildlife/One Health live panel, moderated by Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant and hosted by Exploring By the Seat of Your Pants. Wild animals and humans are inextricably linked--learn how from Black wildlife vets and One Health experts!

Dr. Mukami Ruoro of the Kenyan Wildlife Service
Ms. Hadiyah Edwards, formerly of Cornell University
Dr. Samniquekah Halsey of University of Missouri
5/05: #GoodTroubleThursday
Share what nature means to you with #WhatNatureMeansToMe.
8pm UTC: African Diaspora and Intersectionality in Mammalogy live panel, moderated by Tykee James and hosted by Exploring By the Seat of Your Pants. Enter into a conversation about what it means to be black in mammalogy!

Mx. Gabi Fleury of UW Madison
Ms. Aalayna Green of Cornell University
Mr. Cesar Estien of UC Berkeley
Dr. Christine Wilkinson of UC Berkeley
5/06: Futures Friday
#BlackMammalogists Career Panel! Talk with representatives from academia, NGOs, science communication jobs, and more, all day long! Sign up here!
5/07: Sea Mammal Saturday
Share what nature means to you with #WhatNatureMeansToMe.
Learn from Justine Hudson about sea mammals and how marine noise impacts them, and more!
Daily
Giveaways and coloring page releases: new items and new animals are available each day, so follow us on twitter so you don't miss out!
RealScientists twitter takeover; hosts change daily so make sure to follow the entire week!
9/13: Sunday Kickoff
National Geographic Society twitter and instagram takeover with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant.
RealScientists twitter takeover with Gabi Fleury.
9/14: Misunderstood Mammal Monday
Coyotes. Rats. Hyenas. Due to misrepresentation, there are a number of mammals that are seen as dirty, evil, dumb, or just altogether bad. We'll help dispel the myths surrounding these awesome species and show a different side of a number of reviled mammals!
RealScientists twitter takeover with Christine Wilkinson.
12:00-1:00 pm PST: Misunderstood Mammal live panel, hosted by Amy Poehler's Smart Girls on Youtube. Featured:
Dr. Jen Hunter, Director of Hastings Natural History Reservation
Dr. Christopher J. Schell, Asst. Professor at UW Tacoma
Christine Wilkinson, PhD candidate at UC Berkeley
Jazmin (Sunny) Murphy, science communicator and reporter
Annetjie Siyaya, researcher and educator with the Cheetah Conservation Fund, Namibia

9/15: Technique Tuesday
Due to their elusiveness, mammals are some of the harder animals to study. We'll show the number of ways that Black mammalogists use to study our favorite species. From snot-collecting drones to cameras to Sherman traps, you'll see it all!
RealScientists twitter takeover with Dr. Jen Hunter.
National Geographic Society twitter and instagram takeover with Dr. Jen Hunter, Gabi Fleury, Dr. Tommy Parker, Alex Troutman, and Megan Henriquez.
9/16: WeOutHere Wednesday
Despite appearances, yes, we are out here! This day is all about connecting current and aspiring Black mammalogists with each other, and celebrating everyday Black hobbyists and mammal lovers.
RealScientists twitter takeover with Rhiannon Kirton.
Amy Poehler's Smart Girls twitter and instagram takeover with Christine Wilkinson, Joelle Jenkins, and Asia Murphy.
#BlackMamFam twitter event: a hashtag to celebrate all the Black mammal-lovers out there!
Are you a Black person who studies mammals? Tell us all about your science! Make sure to make it public-friendly!
Are you a Black artist who draws wolves and cheetahs and grison? Share your art!
Do you have Black children who are enamored of lions and bats and okapi? We want to see them making heart eyes at the zoo!
Share your science, art, and smiling kids with the hashtag #BlackMamFam, and we'll retweet!
9/17: Threatened Mammals Thursday
Lions, tigers, and (polar) bears, oh my! This day will focus entirely on endangered, vulnerable, and rare mammals, what kind of threats they face, and how we can best conserve them, particularly in the face of climate change and Covid-19.
RealScientists twitter takeover with Kendall Calhoun.
11:00 am-12:00 pm PST: Threatened Mammals live panel, hosted by Amy Poehler's Smart Girls on Youtube Live. Featured:
Dr. Nyeema Harris, Asst. Professor at University of Michigan
Dominique Gonçalves, PhD candidate at University of Kent's Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology
Thandiwe Mweetwa, senior ecologist and community educator with the Zambian Carnivore Programme
Kwasi Wrensford, PhD candidate at UC Berkeley
Dr. Jessie Quinn, senior ecologist with the Conservation Lands Network

9/18: Forage Friday
Hunting while Black, in North America or in other parts of the world, is not the same as hunting while white. We'll look into historical and current day experiences of Black hunters, illuminating the varying experiences of using wildlife while in Black skin.
RealScientists twitter takeover with
Jazmin (Sunny) MurphyKaylee Arnold.11:00 am-12:00 pm PST: Fishing for Change: Black Anglers on Conservation, Representation & the Catch live panel, hosted by the Toronto Public Library. Featured:
Tarrance Gordwin, founder of @Pondboyss on instagram
Demiesha Dennis, founder of Brown Girl Outdoor World
1:00-2:30 pm PST: Hunting While Black live panel, hosted by the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports and the Wildlife Society's Hunting, Trapping, and Conservation Working Group. Featured:

Jonathan Wilkins, founder of Black Duck Revival
Sharenda Birts, Director of Community Affairs of Wildherness
Alexis Harvey, consulting forester and founder of Legacy Land Management
Rhiannon Kirton, Msc student at Western University
Anthony Williams, master class Falconer
Forage Friday Interviews with African Conservationists
9/19: Sea Mammal Saturday
We may live on land, but some of the coolest mammals are aquatic! This day will put the spotlight on the Black mammalogists who study species that have forsaken the terrestrial life and decided to return to the water.
RealScientists twitter takeover with Brittany Munson.
California Academy of Sciences twitter and instagram takeover with Justine Hudson.
Today's coloring page is: the coastal wolf (download full version here)!

Live Panels
9/14/20: Misunderstood Mammals
Coyotes. Rats. Hyenas. Due to misrepresentation, there are a number of mammals that are seen as dirty, evil, dumb, or just altogether bad. We'll help dispel the myths surrounding these awesome species and show a different side of a number of reviled mammals!
9/17/20: Threatened Mammals
Lions, tigers, and (polar) bears, oh my! This day will focus entirely on endangered, vulnerable, and rare mammals, what kind of threats they face, and how we can best conserve them, particularly in the face of climate change and Covid-19.
9/18/20: Forage Friday
Lions, tigers, and (polar) bears, oh my! This day will focus entirely on endangered, vulnerable, and rare mammals, what kind of threats they face, and how we can best conserve them, particularly in the face of climate change and Covid-19.
Black Fishers
Black Hunters
Other Videos
Bushmeat Hunting with Caleb Ofori-Boateng
Lions and Culture with Meritho Katei
Black Mammalogists Week from Gabriela Fleury on Vimeo.
Alexander Mammalton from Gabriela Fleury on Vimeo.
Posts
Meet the Scientists of Black Mammalogists Week!
To celebrate the first Black Mammalogists Week (starting Sunday, September 13th), we talked to four of the amazing Black scientists behind this event! Find out what they had to say about their favorite (and most challenging) #tech4wildlife and field research experiences, what advice they have for future scientists from underrepresented communities, how the conservation world can be more inclusive, and why events for the Black science community are so important.
In Black Mammalogists Week, tackling inclusion in new taxa
After TWS member Rhiannon Kirton, became involved in Black Birders Week, she noticed a lot of conversations happening on Twitter. What caught her eye in particular was people's interests in the representation of Black people in the field of mammalogy.
Black Mammalogists Week: Misunderstood Mammals | COMPASS
This week, the Twitterverse leads in the celebration of Black excellence in mammalogy with the first event of Black Mammalogists Week, Misunderstood Mammal Monday. In a dual-purpose event, researchers and scicomm-ers were interviewed on a panel to dispel myths about wildlife that are often perceived poorly by the general public.
Podcasts
Mammalogy with Dr. Danielle N. Lee - alie ward
Mammals: you're one. Your dog is one. So are giant rats. What do we have in common? Nipples. The incredible Southern Illinois University professor, researcher, science communicator and mammalogist Dr. Danielle N. Lee joins to chat about everything from nature's parenting styles to hairy bellies, mil
Episode 30 - Celebrating Black Mammalogists Week with Rhiannon Kirton - The Hunter Conservationist with Mark Hall | Podcast and Blog
Celebrating Black Mammalogists Week with Rhiannon Kirton In this episode Mark and Curtis are helping celebrate Black Mammalogist Week by talking in-depth with Rhiannon Kirton. Rhiannon is a Master of Science candidate at Western University in London, Ontario who is studying the interaction between white-tailed deer and hunters.
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Coloring Pages

Kaylee Arnold: Born in Oceanside, CA, currently living in Athens to complete my PhD. I am a disease ecologist, and I study the gut microbiomes of animals to better understand how infectious diseases are spread across altered landscapes. Fun fact: I regularly teach hip hop and tap dance classes at a local studio.

Kendall Calhoun: Raised in the Central Valley of California (Tracy, CA woo!), but currently living in Oakland, CA. My research interests revolve around understanding how global change pressures impact community ecology and conservation. Currently, I’m using camera traps and GPS collars to understand the impacts of California wildfires on native mammal communities. Fun fact: I didn’t grow up learning an instrument, but using quarantine to teach myself ukulele.

Gabi Fleury: Originally from Boston MA, I am currently located outside of Washington DC where I work at a conservation NGO and am preparing to go on a Fulbright to Botswana in 2021. My research interests include human-wildlife conflict mitigation, interdisciplinary tech for wildlife development, and community-based conservation, particularly within Southern and Eastern Africa. Fun fact: I was almost an engineer before I went into conservation. I currently co-design environmental education video games and am involved in amateur robotics.

Dr. Nyeema Harris: Born and raised in Philadelphia. My research focuses on understanding the biogeography of ecological communities. To understand this, I've used biogeochemistry, genetics, telemetry, parasitology, and non-invasive monitoring like camera traps. Fun fact: I lived in Switzerland for a year.

Justine Hudson: Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. My research focuses on using endocrine techniques to better understand the life histories of Arctic marine mammals and the potential impacts of climate change and human activity. Fun fact: I’m also a beekeeper!

Dr. Jen Hunter: I was born and raised in Seattle, WA and currently live in Carmel Valley, CA where I work as the resident director at the Hastings Natural History Reservation, a biological field station of the University of California, Berkeley. I got my PhD in ecology from UC Davis where I studied intraguild competition and predation in mammalian carnivores. Fun fact: In college I worked as a medical assistant and x-ray technician.

Tykee James: North Philadelphia born but not raised, a collection of states is where I spent most of my days: CA, WI, TX. Only to return to Philly for my senior year in high school where I started my career in conversation. My first job was an environmental educator in my own neighborhood. I'm currently based out of D.C. and while I don't study mammals academically, mammalogists' research informs my policy positions. Wildlife conservation is a critical aspect of the environmental movement. It can be a barometer for climate solutions, land management strategies, and even public health. Fun fact: I've been dancing salsa y bachata since I was 12!

Joelle Jenkins: Hello everyone, my name is Joelle Jenkins and I am from (and currently live in) Denver, Colorado. My research more so looks at the varying identities Black individuals hold and how that may impact their consideration of natural environments (CNE). My research question is “How do elements (i.e., gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, level of education, etc.) of one’s Black identity inform their experiences with the natural environment, and why do they feel that way?” This is important because race is not the greatest/only indicator of who likes or can show concern for nature. Fun fact: My favorite animal is a spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta).

Rhiannon Kirton: I was raised in the UK and Australia. I currently live in Ontario, Canada. As an MSc student I am studying the spatial interactions and movement ecology of white tailed deer and hunters in the cross timbers ecoregion of Oklahoma. To do this I use GIS and R statistical software. Fun fact: I have tattoos of some of the species I worked with in British Columbia!

Dr. Danielle N. Lee: Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee, born and raised in South Memphis. I currently live in the St. Louis Metro area and I am an Assistant Professor of Biology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. I am interested in the natural history, ecology, and behavior of nuisance rodents. I’m curious to better understand how various mice and rats species continue to vex people no matter where we live or how we live. My research involves live-trapping, marking and release, as well as behavioral responses to novelty such as open field arenas, novel food approach and coping tactics. Fun fact: I’m really good at finding four-leaf clovers.

Asia Murphy: Cali-born (west side is the best side), currently in Pennsylvania. My research focuses on answering a variety of population and community-based questions about wildlife using camera traps and I believe that conservation issues today are based firmly in colonial injustices of the past. Fun fact: bungee gum possesses the properties of both rubber and gum.

Jazmin (Sunny) Murphy: I was raised in Riverside and a rural, middle-of-nowhere town known as Beaumont, CA. After studying both in the University of California, Santa Barbara and remotely through American Public University, I began researching the cognitive and behavioral ecology of Canis latrans, the coyote, primarily using camera traps and tracking. Wildlife research and conservation has always been a central interest in my life, and now, as a writer, I hope to stir up the same enthusiasm I feel for these topics in the public, especially BIPOC. Fun fact: Occasionally, I worked as a drone operator in the Serengeti when studying the Great Migration!

Dr. Tommy Parker: I was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee...home of the blues and barbecue, however, I currently reside in Louisville, KY...home of The Greatest and the Derby! My research addresses the question, “What are the habitat and landscape features of cities that influence the ecological adaptations and biodiversity of mammals in urban systems?” I quantify and model vegetation, human created cover (buildings, paved areas, etc.) and population characteristics of mammals at the habitat and landscape scales. At each scale, I focus on the relationship among population-level dynamics, behavior, and resource use. Fun fact: I can sleep standing up.

Dr. Christopher J. Schell: My name is Chris Schell, and I’m from Pasadena, CA. My research program asks questions that center on how urban environments drive adaptive behavioral, physiological, and genomic traits in urban carnivores, with a particular eye on the contributions of structural inequalities to such processes. Fun fact: I play alto saxophone, and was part of a band called Saturn Jazz that dropped an (albeit, decades old) album.

Alex Troutman: Born in Atlanta, GA and raised in Austell, GA. I’m currently in Statesboro, GA pursuing a masters in conservation biology of wetland systems. I’m looking at the prey and predator relations of arthropods and Seaside Sparrows of Tidal marshes on the Georgia Coast. My most recent mammalian research focused on diversity and abundance of Bat species in Crocker Range National Park in Sabah Malaysia and using camera traps to assess the presence of predators in tidal marshes. As an undergrad I studied early successional habitat selection in Old Field mice. Currently my interactions with mammals is focused on trapping and relocating nuisance mammals like Groundhogs. Fun fact: My name is Troutman but I have never caught or ate a Trout before.

Liz Wahid: I am originally from and currently back in Salisbury, NC. I am a Science Illustrator with a wildlife conservation focus. I have a B.S. in Animal Science from Cornell University and am currently finishing up requirements to become a certified Science Illustrator as a graduate student of CSU, Monterey Bay. It is my hope to provide illustrations that help viewers to better understand, identify, and appreciate nature as well as the efforts to preserve it, and that my art aids in more effective communication to the general public. Fun fact: I used to work for the Elephant Listening Project.

Christine Wilkinson: Born in Queens NY, currently in Oakland CA. My research interests include human-wildlife conflict, understanding carnivore movement in human-modified landscapes, multidisciplinary mapping, and using participatory methods for more effective and inclusive conservation outcomes. Fun fact: I’m a performing member of San Francisco Taiko Dojo.

Tyus D. Williams: Born in Orange County, CA (West coast best coast), grew up in Alpharetta, GA. My research questions focus on carnivore ecology, utilizing spatial analytical techniques to study the intersection of movement patterns, predator-prey dynamics, human-wildlife conflict, and multispecies interactions across a landscape. My main focus is on wild cats looking at spatial ecology and their role in promoting ecological cascades. Fun fact: I’ve been playing guitar since I was 12 and I’ve played in multiple rock bands growing up.

Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant: Born in San Francisco, CA, currently living in Santa Barbara, CA. My research focuses on the movement and behavior of large carnivores in landscapes with increasing human activity. My main focus is on patterns of black and grizzly bear movement as they recolonize historic habitat in the Western US. Fun fact: For years I was a professional classical musician.
Stickers

BREAKING: Due to overwhelming demand, we have printed a small number of the limited edition Inaugural Black Mammalogists Week stickers! Throw them on your travel mug. Decorate your laptop. Stick them on a binder.50% of proceeds go to the Black and Indigenous Scholars in Mammalogy Award.Get them here!For a limited time only!