I am grateful to have worn many hats in the ACS lab since 2016. I first began as a volunteer and Work Study student, where I spent many hours preparing bear and mouse hair for stable isotope analysis and looking through remote camera images. I then became a Directed Studies student, where I analyzed spatial variation in the diets of black bears within Gitgaāat First Nation Territory, and then an Honours student, where I researched the prices charged to hunt different ābig gameā species in North America. I asked whether prices related to ācostlyā (i.e. high failure risk to the hunter), yet ādesirableā, characteristics, following theory in evolutionary psychology. More recently I was the ACS lab manager, which saw me coordinating volunteers and daily lab logistics. I have also worked with the Heiltsuk and Gitgaāat Nations as a field technician on the Raincoast Bear Monitoring Project throughout this time.
I am currently a MSc student and Raincoast Fellow within the lab, researching temporal foraging dynamics in wildlife.
Publications:
Mihalik, I.,Ā Bateman,Ā A.W., andĀ Darimont,Ā C.T. 2019. Trophy hunters pay more to target larger-bodied carnivores. Royal Society Open Science 6, 191231.Ā Open Access.
Contact:
ilonammillie@gmail.com