Hibernating snakes – Part 1
In this short video, lead biologist Jonathan Choquette, Lead Biologist of the Ojibway Prairie Reptile Recovery Program in the Windsor/Essex area of Ontario, talks about our artificial hibernacula - burrows used by snakes for hibernation. See the different parts that...
Introducing Stephanie Winton, Canada’s 31st New Noah
I have always thought that I somehow stumbled upon the path of conservation biology, but when I look back now it is obvious that I was destined to be in this field. There were lots of hints along the way: catching frogs in my aunt’s garden pond (much to her chagrin),...
Global tools for endangered species recovery come to Canada
The current biodiversity crisis requires immediate innovative, and coordinated recovery action to meet Canada’s targets for biodiversity conservation. In today’s world, where human activity is impacting all life around us, the view that species can be saved only by...
Bumble bee community science at The Pinery: Past, present and future
If you’ve been lucky enough to visit one of Ontario’s 45 Provincial Parks you know how special and beautiful these wild places are. One park that Wildlife Preservation Canada’s Native Pollinator Initiative has been fortunate to spend a lot of time at is Pinery...
Artificial Hibernaculum Installation
In this quick video, the Ojibway Prairie Reptile Recovery team is installing artificial hibernacula in the Ojibway Prairie Complex. A hibernaculum (plural: hibernacula) is a shelter that snakes will use over-winter. With a long tube and multiple chambers at different...
What do snake researchers do in the winter?
Baby eastern gartersnakes (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) in WPC’s temporary housing facility. They will spend the winter of 2020/21 in artificial hibernacula as part of a hibernation habitat study by the OPRREC team. Snake research doesn't take a break in the winter!...
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Jonathan Choquette
Lead Biologist – Ojibway Prairie Reptile Recovery Program
Jonathan manages the recovery program for the Ojibway population of the massasauga rattlesnake in Southern Ontario. Jonathan is a habitat expert, studying both biology and landscape architecture at the University of Guelph. As an academic for many years, Jonathan has published numerous articles about the importance of habitat for reptiles and amphibians.

Hannah McCurdy-Adams (she/her)*
Reptile and Amphibian Program Development Coordinator
Hannah is developing the national reptile and amphibian initiative for Wildife Preservation Canada. She has worked with experts in the fields of road ecology, physiology, and genetics. Hannah has been involved in conservation projects for at-risk reptiles and amphibians in Canada for almost a decade.
*Why is this here? Click.

Hayley Tompkins
Ontario Program Coordinator – Native Pollinator Initiative
Hayley has worked for the Native Pollinator Initiative in a variety of roles since 2016, and has had a passion for bumble bees ever since. Currently, she is completing a Master of Science degree at the University of Guelph, and is excited to be working as the Ontario Program Coordinator for the Native Pollinator Initiative.

Andrea Gielens
Lead Biologist – Fraser Valley Wetland Recovery Program
Andrea manages our captive breeding and release programs for the Oregon spotted frog and the coastal western painted turtle. Andrea has studied at-risk reptiles and amphibians in Canada and abroad, including a term at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey. Andrea also manages the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly recovery program on Denman Island in BC.

Jane Hudecki
Conservation Breeding Coordinator – Eastern Loggerhead Shrike Program

Eliza-Jane Morin
Napanee Field Biologist – Eastern Loggerhead Shrike Program
Eliza has been working in the field of avian conservation for over 5 years. Her work experiences have brought her from the Peruvian Amazon to the prairies of Southern Alberta. Most recently, she completed a Master’s degree in Coastal and Marine Resource Management in Iceland.

Genevieve Rowe
Lead Biologist – Native Pollinator Initiative
Genevieve manages the native pollinator recovery programs across Canada. She has worked with renowned experts in the fields of pollinator ecology, taxonomy and systematics, and has taken part in various species at-risk monitoring and recovery programs, both nationally and internationally.

Stephanie Winton
ECanada’s New Noah and Species Conservation Planning Assistant – Canadian Species Initiative
Stephanie is the 31st Canada’s New Noah and is currently assisting the Canadian Species Initiative to build capacity for species conservation planning in Canada. Stephanie holds a master’s degree in conservation biology from Thompson Rivers University where she studied the impacts of road mortality on a threatened rattlesnake species. She has extensive experience working in conservation and research for species at risk reptiles, amphibians, mammals and birds in Western Canada.

Michelle Polley
Endangered Species Techician – Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly
Michelle is a Conservation Biologist and Field Naturalist with a special interest in Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and Herpetiles (reptiles and amphibians). Currently, she is the technician of WPC’s Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly program in Abbotsford, BC. She has worked with conservation projects for species at risk such as monarch butterflies and the turtles of Ontario.

Hazel Wheeler (she/her)*
Lead Biologist – Eastern Loggerhead Shrike Recovery Program
Hazel manages all aspects of our shrike recovery program, from captive breeding and release, field surveys, and landowner relationships in Ontario, to building partnerships with shrike researchers in the US to work towards species recovery throughout North America. Hazel has been working with at-risk birds for over a decade, including a Master’s degree studying the habitat of the chimney swift.
*Why is this here? Click.

Matt Macpherson
Lead Field Technician, Ojibway Prairie Reptile Recovery Project
Matt is currently finishing up his Master’s degree in Biology at Queen’s University where he has been working on developing and improving conservation strategies for gray ratsnakes. Over the years he has worked on several different conservation projects primarily focusing on reptile, bird, and insect species-at-risk both in Canada and abroad.

Alisa Samuelson
Carden BIologist - Eastern Loggerhead Shrike Program
Alisa is a conservation ornithologist specializing in loggerhead shrike and has returned to Carden after a season with WPC in 2017. She has worked with endangered avian species across North America from James Bay to Southern California, where she spent most of 2019 working with the island endemic San Clemente loggerhead shrike. Alisa is a PhD candidate at Queen’s University researching the genetics of migratory urge in loggerhead shrike under the supervision of Dr. Amy Chabot and Prof. Vicki Friesen.