Speaker: Paul Jones, Senior Biologist, Alberta Conservation Association
About this Webinar:
Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) are an endemic North American ungulate, first appearing in the fossil record during the Pleistocene epoch. However, their evolutionary history dates back to the Miocene epoch, some 8.8-18.5 million years ago. It was during this long evolutionary history that the pronghorn developed traits that seem out of place in our modern world, making them adapted to predators of the past. Today, pronghorn have persevered in a changing landscape. First from near extinction due to the colonization of the west by European settlers, to recovering in numbers and adapting to a highly fragmented landscape due to anthropogenic disturbances. As our modern world continues to change, due to global warming and increased anthropogenic development, the future of pronghorn on the landscape is fragile.
About the Speaker:
Paul Jones is a senior biologist with the Alberta Conservation Association, a not-for-profit, non-government registered charity, largely funded by Alberta’s hunters and anglers through license levies, and a growing number of corporate partners. He has been with the Alberta Conservation Association for 25 years; of which the last 20 years or so he has studied pronghorn. He has authored or coauthored 27 peer-reviewed publications, of which most are on pronghorn, was the lead author on a book chapter on pronghorn, has coauthored 2 additional book chapters, and presented numerous times at conferences, workshops, and to the general public promoting the conservation of pronghorn. Paul was also a coauthor on the latest version of the North American Pronghorn Management Guides and the Pronghorn Bibliography that were published by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. In 2016, Paul received 2 Special Recognition awards at the Biennial Pronghorn Workshop for his efforts to conserve pronghorn. Last year, Paul was awarded the Prairie Conservationist award for Alberta at the 13th Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species conference for his work on pronghorn and the MULTISAR program. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Lethbridge and a Master of Science degree from the University of Alberta.
PCAP’s Native Prairie Speaker Series is a monthly webinar about prairie conservation or species at risk.
Hosted by: Caitlin Mroz-Sailer, Stewardship Coordinator, Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan