• wfcb.ucdavis.edu/people/faculty/btodd/mnafus.html

Member since: October 29, 2011

A Little About Me

Melia is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the Graduate Group in Ecology at the University of California, Davis. She has always had a strong interest in reptiles and the natural world, and has been dreaming of persuing this career since second grade. As a working professional her attention has been focused on conservation of the reptilian species. In particular, she is interested in using biotelemetry to study movement and spatial use in species of conservation interest, which otherwise present logistical difficulties that impede observation and study. Further, Melia believes combing telemetry with dietary analysis is a useful method to gain understanding about habitat use, resource needs, and ultimately improve management strategies for declining species. More recently she has developed interest in exploring non-traditional approaches, such as dogs, to enhance and simplify wildlife detection and research.