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Faculty - Dr. Thomas L. Serfass - Biography

Professor of Wildlife Ecology

Research interests: My research focuses on various aspects of carnivore ecology and conservation, including reintroduction projects. I currently am conducting research with Amercian martens (Martes americana), fishers (Martes pennanti) and river otters in North Dakota. I also am studying spotted-necked otters (Lutra maculicollis) in Tanzania.

Recent publications:

  • Serfass, T. L. Reintroduction of woodrats: concepts and applications. In J. Peles and J. Wright, Janet (Eds.). The Allegheny woodrat: ecology, conservation, and management of a declining species. Springer Publishing Company. (in press)
  • Spinola, R.M., T. L. Serfass, and R. P. Brooks. Survival and post-release movements of river otters translocated to western New York. Northeastern Naturalist. (in press)
  • Stevens, S. S., and T. Serfass. Visitation patterns and behavior of nearctic river otters (Lontra canadensis) at their latrines. Northeastern Naturalist. (in press)
  • Rothschild, D. M., T. L. Serfass, W. L. Seddon, L. Hegde, and R. S. Fritz. 2008. Using fecal glucocorticoids to assess stress levels in captive river otters. Journal of Wildlife Management. 72:138-142.
  • Beheler, A. S., J. A. Fike, G. Dharmarajan, O. E. Rhodes, Jr., and T. L. Serfass. 2005. Ten new polymorphic loci for North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) and their utility in related Mustelids. Molecular Ecology Notes: 5:602-604.
  • Hubbard, B., and T. Serfass. 2005. Assessing the distribution of reintroduced populations of river otters in Pennsylvania (USA) - development of a landscape-level approach. IUCN Otter Specialist Group Bulletin 21: 63-69.
  • Olson, Z. H., S. S. Stevens, and T. L. Serfass. 2005. Do juvenile Nearctic river otters (Lontra canadensis) contribute to fall scent marking? The Canadian Field-Naturalist 119:457-459.
  • Stevens, S. S., and T. L. Serfass. 2005. Sliding behavior in Nearctic river otters: locomotion or play? The Northeastern Naturalist: 12:241-244.
  • Beheler, A. S., J. A. Fike, L. M. Murfitt, O. E. Rhodes, Jr., T. L. Serfass. 2004. Development of polymorphic microsatellite loci for North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) and amplification in related Mustelids. Molecular Ecology Notes 4:56-58.
  • Dzialak, M. R., and T. L. Serfass. 2003. Effects of flumazenil on fishers (Martes pennanti) restrained with tiletamine-zolazepam. Wildlife Biology 9:235-239.
  • Serfass, T. L., R. P. Brooks, L. M. Rymon, and O. E. Rhodes, Jr. 2003. River otters in Pennsylvania, USA: lessons for predator reintroduction. In Conroy, J.W.H., Gutleb, A.C., Ruiz-Olmo, J. & Yoxon, G.M (Eds). Proceedings of the European Otter Conference "Return of the Otter in Europe - Where and how" - Journal of the International Otter Survival Fund, No. 2. IOSF Broadford, Isle of Skye, Scotland (CD-Rom).

Recent Presentations with Graduate Students:

2007

  • Otters and ecotourism: a recipe for conservation success(?) (a paper) at The 6Th TAWIRI Scientific Conference, Arusha, Tanzania 3-6 DEC 2007.
  • North American Report at Xth International Otter Colloquium, Hwacheon, South Korea, 10-16 OCT 2007.
  • Latrine site characteristics of spotted-necked otters at Rubondo Island National Park, Tanzania at Xth International Otter Colloquium, Hwacheon, South Korea, 10-16 OCT 2007.
  • Summarizing report of the last otter colloquium at Xth International Otter Colloquium, Hwacheon, South Korea, 10-16 OCT 2007.
  • Otters as flagships: social and cultural considerations at Xth International Otter Colloquium, Hwacheon, South Korea, 10-16 OCT 2007.
  • Using remote cameras to monitor otter populations at Xth International Otter Colloquium, Hwacheon, South Korea, 10-16 OCT 2007.
  • Effectiveness of bridge-sign surveys in determining the presence or absence of river otters in Pennsylvania. (a paper) at the 63rd Annual Northeast Fish and Wildlife Conference, Burlington, Mystic, Connecticut APRIL 2007. (Emily Just - Best Conference Presentation)
  • Effectiveness of bridge-sign surveys in determining the presence or absence of river otters in Pennsylvania (a poster) at the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, State College, Pennsylvania. MARCH 2007. (Emily Just - Best Conference Poster Presentation)

2006

  • Seasonal variation in scent marking by river otters (a paper) at the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, State College, Pennsylvania. MARCH 2006. (Zach Olson - Best Student Presentation)
  • Seasonal variation in scent marking by river otters (a paper) at the 62nd Annual Northeast Fish and Wildlife Conference, Burlington, Vermont. APRIL 2006.
  • Monitoring river otters at latrine sites (a paper) at the 2006 Midwest Furbearer Workshop, Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, 10-13 SEPTEMBER 2006.
  • Seasonal variation in scent marking by river otters (a paper) at The Wildlife Society 13th Annual Conference, Anchorage, Alaska, 22-27 SEPTEMBER 2006.
  • Effectiveness of bridge-sign surveys in determining the presence or absence of river otters reintroduced in Pennsylvania (a poster) at Carnivores 2006 - Bi-annual meeting Defenders of Wildlife, St. Petersburg, Florida, 12-15 NOVEMBER 2006.
  • Visitation patterns and behavior of river otters at latrine sites (a paper) at Carnivores 2006 - Bi-annual meeting Defenders of Wildlife, St. Petersburg, Florida, 12-15 NOVEMBER 2006.
  • Use of remote cameras to monitor river otters in riparian areas: challenges and solutions (a poster) at Carnivores 2006 - Bi-annual meeting Defenders of Wildlife, St. Petersburg, Florida, 12-15 NOVEMBER 2006.

Recent Honors and Awards:

  • 2007 Recipient Wilson H. Elkins Professorship, University of Maryland System (first 3-time recipient of the award; http://www.usmd.edu/usm/academicaffairs/elkins.html).
  • 2006 Recipient Wilson H. Elkins Professorship, University of Maryland System.
  • 2005 Recipient Wilson H. Elkins Professorship, University of Maryland System.
  • 2003 First recipient of the Outstanding Recent Alumni Award, The Pennsylvania State University School of Forest Resources.
  • 1997 Three Rivers Environmental Award (Higher Education category - considered the premier environmental award in Pennsylvania) - Sponsored by: Pennsylvania Environmental Council and Duquesne Light Company. Presented to the individual making outstanding contributions to the conservation of natural resources in western Pennsylvania.

Professional Memberships and Committees:

  • International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources - Otter Specialist Group, North American Coordinator.
  • The Wildlife Society (National, Regional, and State Chapters - 1996 President Pennsylvania Chapter).
  • International Union for the Conservation of Nature - Reintroduction Specialist Group, Committee Member.
  • Pennsylvania Biological Survey - Mammal Technical Committee.
  • Research Associate - The Carnegie Museum of Natural History's Powdermill Nature Reserve.
  • Society for Conservation Biology.
  

 
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