Conference Updates
Call for Papers
- Human dimensions
- Recent research in contraceptive development
- Advancement in practical applications
- Modelling the effect of fertility control on populations
- Socio-economic aspects of fertility control applications
- Ethics, health, & welfare
- Advancement in delivery methods
- Regulatory, legal, & political challenges
Cheryl Asa Receives 2022 Trailblazer Award
During the 9th International Conference on Wildlife Fertility Control, BIWFC Advisory Board and Conference Committee member Cheryl Asa was presented with the 2022 Trailblazer Award. This award recognizes and honors an individual who has had a profound impact on our field, one who has an exemplary reputation, and one who serves as a model, especially for emerging practitioners and researchers.
The name of this award is appropriate in both the figurative and literal sense. Cheryl has devoted 30+ years to research, writing, and teaching to advance an understanding of reproductive strategies, their differences and adaptive value. Cheryl established and served as director of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Reproductive Management Center, formerly the AZA Wildlife Contraception Center, for over 27 years. She concurrently directed the Saint Louis Zoo’s Reproductive and Behavioral Sciences Department.
For more than 20 years, Cheryl supervised 27 graduate and post-doctoral students and taught courses in Animal Behavior at Washington University and in Endocrinology and Behavioral Endocrinology at Saint Louis University. Cheryl has published 180 scientific articles, co-edited the book Wildlife Contraception: Issues, Methods and Application, and was lead author on the Fertility Control chapter of the National Academy of Sciences report on feral horse management.
Even in retirement, Cheryl continues to blaze trails in wildlife fertility control. In addition to her service to The BIWFC, she chairs the AZA Reproductive Management Center Advisory Board and is a Scientific Advisory Board member of the Found Animals Foundation and the Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs, as well as the IUCN Equid and Canid Specialist Groups. She also continues to run the gene banking program for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Mexican wolf recovery program.
Congratulations Cheryl!
Continuing Education Credits
Attendance at the 9th International Conference on Wildlife Fertility Control qualifies for earning a maximum of 18 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in Category I of the Certified Wildlife Biologist® Renewal/Professional Development Certificate Program offered by The Wildlife Society (TWS).
The Wildlife Society supports the development and advancement of wildlife professionals throughout their careers. Certification constitutes recognition by TWS that, to its best knowledge, a member meets the minimum educational, experience, and ethical standards adopted by the Society for professional wildlife biologists. TWS’ membership currently consists of more than 1,900 Certified Wildlife Biologists®.
The TWS Certification Program is managed by Council via the Certification Review Board and is available to applicants worldwide.
Please CLICK HERE if you are interested in receiving TWS Continuing Education Units in connection with the 9th International Conference on Wildlife Fertility Control.
Colorado Governor to Speak at Conference
We are excited to announce that The Honorable Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado, will speak at the 9th International Conference on Wildlife Fertility Control at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs, CO. Governor Polis will address the conference attendees at 10:30 AM on Monday, May 23.
Governor Polis is an entrepreneur, education leader, public servant, and Colorado native. After launching several successful companies, including one out of his college dorm room, Polis committed himself to making sure other Coloradans had the opportunity to pursue their dreams. Polis founded schools for at-risk students and new immigrants and started nonprofits to help veterans and entrepreneurs.
Prior to serving as Governor, Polis served on the State Board of Education where he worked to raise pay for teachers and reduce class size for students, and represented Colorado’s 2nd Congressional district, where he was rated the most effective member of the Colorado delegation.
As Governor, Polis has focused on saving Coloradans money, keeping their economy strong, and preserving their Colorado way of life. Polis delivered universal free full-day kindergarten, signed a number of bills to save families money on health care, and made significant progress towards the goal of 100% renewable energy by 2040, all while cutting taxes for small businesses and investing in affordable housing and transportation. His efforts to expand health care access to medically underserved communities and to ensure that equity and justice remain central to building a Colorado for All have produced impactful legislation and made progress toward his administration’s bold vision.
BLM is Diamond Conference Sponsor
We are proud to announce that the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will serve as a Diamond Sponsor for the 9th International Conference on Wildlife Fertility Control. The BLM joins our Premier Sponsor, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (USDA APHIS Wildlife Services) as well as 15 additional sponsors and exhibitors, including:
- The Humane Society of the United States/ Humane Society International
- American Wild Horse Campaign
- Animal Welfare Institute
- Berryman Institute, S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources, Utah State University
- The Science and Conservation Center
- ASPCA
- Return to Freedom
- SpayVac-for-Wildlife, Inc.
- Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Balance
- Animal Care and Equipment Services, LLC
- Immunology Foundation
- SPAY FIRST!
- Wild Animal Initiative
- Yashraj Biotechnology, LTD
Pre-conference Workshop
Planning a Project on Wildlife Fertility Control: What Could Possibly go Wrong? Tips, Ideas and Warnings From the Field.
DATE: Sunday, May 22, 2022
TIME: 3:30-5:30 pmd
COST: $25
PLACE: Cheyenne Mountain Resort
TARGET AUDIENCE: students and researchers planning projects on fertility control for a new species in a novel context or in a new country.
This course will cover key elements of designing and implementing a project aimed at using fertility control on various wildlife species and in different social and geographical contexts. Through a series of practical activities, participants will discuss real case scenarios and be exposed to the process of project planning. This will involve how to make better decisions based on the biology and behavior of a species but also on community support, legal requirements, logistical constraints, costs and public expectations, and how to monitor progress and evaluate results.
Led by:
• Dr Giovanna Massei (BIWFC Europe, University of York, United Kingdom)
• Dr Jens Jacob (Julius Kühn-Institut, Germany)
• Dr Douglas Eckery (APHIS-USDA, National Wildlife Research Center)
- This workshop is offered to conference delegates the day prior to the start of the conference.
- It will take place at the conference venue and have limited availability.
- Attendance will be on a first-come-first served basis and will be limited to a maximum of 25 participants.
To attend the courses, please register for it as part of your regular conference registration.
Bestselling Author Mary Roach to Speak at Conference
The Botstiber Institute for Wildlife Fertility Control (BIWFC) is pleased to announce Bestselling Author Mary Roach will serve as a Guest Speaker for the 9th International Conference on Wildlife Fertility Control, May 23-25, 2022 in Colorado Springs, CO. Roach’s newest book, Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, is a New York Times Bestseller, #1 Los Angeles Times Bestseller, #1 Indie Hardcover Nonfiction Bestseller and a New York Times Editor’s Choice. Fuzz has also been longlisted for the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction.
Dubbed, “America’s funniest science writer” by Peter Carlson of the Washington Post, Roach is the author of several New York Times bestsellers including Stiff, Spook, Gulp, and Packing for Mars. Her books have been published in 21 languages, and her second book, SPOOK, was a New York Times Notable Book. Mary has written for National Geographic, Wired, The New York Times Magazine, and the Journal of Clinical Anatomy, among others. She has been a finalist for the Royal Society’s Winton Prize and a winner of the American Engineering Societies’ Engineering Journalism Award. Read more about Mary.
The 9th International Conference on Wildlife Fertility Control is a continuation of the international forum on the development of wildlife fertility control methods and the role fertility control can play in mitigating human-wildlife conflicts. The theme of the conference, Creating Connections, exemplifies BIWFC’s goal to bring together professionals from a range of disciplines to share the latest information, ideas, strategies and more.