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department or program was new. That has certainly What do you view as your
changed—conservation biology departments and greatest accomplishment?
courses in applied conservation science now exist at
most universities around the world, which is fantastic. Two related things. Certainly, the work that I have
done with colleagues to develop analysis methods,
A more recent change in conservation is a and the software to apply those methods, has
growing recognition that the decline and loss of allowed many people (in zoos, in governmental
many wildlife species comes from the combined and agencies, and in academia) to develop effective
interacting threats of habitat loss, over-exploitation, conservation strategies for many species. What
genetic decay, emergent diseases, invasive species, makes the approaches that I have pursued especially
pollution, and more. It is now recognized that valuable is that they combine analyses of demogra-
conservation efforts won’t be successful if we study phy (influences on survival and reproduction),
only a single factor and try to address conservation genetics, habitat modification, disease, species
problems one threat at a time. Instead, we need
integrated analyses that look not only at the multiple
threats but also at the ways in which they interact.
We then need comprehensive conservation strategies
that rely on expertise in many areas of science and
many segments of society to address the suite of
threats that species face.

MEXICAN GRAY WOLVES

Above: Lacy shows Society staff how they can use his software programming to help with species population management.

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