Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute

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Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute

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Learn more about the Institute by visiting our website at www.ckwri.tamuk.edu.

The Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute's mission is to provide science-based information for enhancing the conservation and management of Texas wildlife.

10/29/2026

CKWRI congratulates CKWRI Advisory Board member Tio Kleberg for recently being recognized at the Houston Quail Coalition banquet as the 2026 recipeint of the James A. Baker III Lifetime Sportsman Award.

10/26/2026

CKWRI is proud to announce the addition of three distinguished faculty members to our science team. Their diverse expertise will play a vital role in driving our mission forward and mentoring the next generation of conservation leaders. We invite you to explore their backgrounds, research interests, and academic journeys by visiting our faculty page page on our website (link in bio).

10/22/2026

The CKWRI Advisory Board met last week in Hebbronville and recognized Past Chairman, David Killam for his 30 years of service and Stuart Stedman for his 35 years of service as board members. We are fortunate to have the perspective, experience, dedication and knowledge that our Advisory Board offers and grateful for David's and Stuart's many years of involvment and support.

10/19/2026

Katie Pennartz, a second-year PhD student, is officially halfway through a trail camera study in Grass Valley, Utah. Her research examines how mammals respond to habitat treatments intended to reduce wildfire risk by reducing woody vegetation cover on the landscape.
In August 2025, the Monroe Canyon Wildfire burned through part of her study area showing the potential need for these pinyon-juniper forest reductions. Although a few cameras were lost in the fire, others that survived now offer an interesting chance to observe the return of vegetation and wildlife post fire. We thank our partners at the Bureau of Land Management and New Mexico State University for assistance in this research.

10/15/2026

Assistant Professor of Carnivore Ecology Dr. Lisanne Petracca and students (Ph.D. Candidate James Helferich and Ph.D. Student Tori Locke) were recently in Trinidad and Tobago to help lead a two-day workshop with the Trinidad and Tobago Ocelot Project . Project founder (and friend) Tyler Murray-Ramcharan led material on camera trapping for ocelots, while the Texas team led modules on statistical analysis, live trapping, and animal handling. We hope to return next year to help this team trap and monitor ocelots. They are doing incredible work!

10/12/2026

CKWRI Doctoral candidate Marlin Dart and alum Celine Rickels traveled to Colorado Springs, Colorado, with collaborators from Oklahoma State University to share findings from a multi-year study of pronghorn in the Oklahoma Panhandle at the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' 31st Biennial Pronghorn Workshop.
Their presentations explored pronghorn spatial ecology and population dynamics for an audience of wildlife professionals from across North America. The workshop is held every two years and is one of the pronghorn community's biggest meetings, bringing leading managers and researchers together to share research, discuss management strategies, and address the challenges facing pronghorn. This research was conducted in collaboration with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Oklahoma State University, East Central University, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

10/08/2026

CKWRI master’s student Makayla Dernberger is conducting a thermal study on white-tailed deer fawns at the Alkek Ungulate Research Facility.

Half of the fawns experience typical South Texas summer heat, while the other half have access to abundant shade, fans, and air-conditioned hutches.

Heart rate and temperature biologgers were surgically implanted into the fawns, recording their internal temperature and heart rate in real time. Comparing these responses will help us better understand how rising temperatures may affect fawn growth, survival, and recruitment into white-tailed deer populations. Stay tuned for research findings!

10/05/2026

Big news: The TAMUK Student Chapter has been awarded the Wildlife Disease Association (WDA) Student Chapter Achievement Award, a recognition from an international organization with members and chapters around the world.

The chapter is led by graduate students from the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. Founded in 2024, this group has grown fast. We host a regular seminar series where invited professionals in the field share their research, including important topics like New World screwworm and chronic wasting disease. We also plan monthly socials or workshops for our members.

This past year, our chapter secured two major grants:
A WDA Seed Grant ($500) that funded our April 2026 workshop, "Identifying Wildlife Disease through Necropsy and Biological Sample Collection"
The WDA Blossom Grant ($1,000) for our upcoming October 2026 workshop, "Proper Handling and Chemical Immobilization of Wildlife"

A huge thanks to past and current Presidents Kendall Bancroft (founder, 2024–2025), Cole Wzientek (2025–2026), and Hannah Shapiro (2026–2027), to cofounding Vice President Rachel Walters, and to every member who has shown up, volunteered, and brought their passion for wildlife health.

The WDA Student Activities Committee noted that student chapters are one of the most important parts of the Wildlife Disease Association network, and it's inspiring to see that passion reflected in what this group has built.

10/01/2026

This summer, CKWRI Ph.D. student, Calvin Ellis, alongside colleagues at Oklahoma State University and Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) finished the final capture season for his dissertation research. This research project aims to evaluate population performance, movement, and survey techniques for mule deer in western Oklahoma to better inform mule deer management. Total, this project GPS-collared 163 unique adults and monitored survival of 262 fawns from 2024-2026. Additionally, they performed 34 aerial survey flights to collect information for estimating mule deer abundance in western Oklahoma. They have also deployed 406 game cameras to compare abundance estimates against aerial survey estimates. This project will continue to collect game camera images, GPS locations, and survival data into 2027 with final results expected in late 2027. Calvin's dissertation research will ultimately provide Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) with a population model that can compare population trajectory across varying management scenarios.

All animal capture and safe handling are performed under proper and current permits for both university and state partners.

Photo credits: Mossy Oak Gamekeepers, Mitch Alcala (Oklahoma State University), and Calvin Ellis.

09/28/2026

🌱 Texas Native Seeds | West Texas Region Spotlight 🌱

Our work in West Texas is made possible through strong partnerships focused on advancing native seed production and grassland restoration. In the Alpine area, Colin Shackelford, West Texas Assistant Director; Brian Miculka, Native Seed Production Associate at Sul Ross State University; and Helen Snook, Part-Time Technician with the Borderlands Research Institute, are working together to support this important research.

Right now, the team is evaluating mesa dropseed, alkali sacaton, and blackfoot daisy—native species with potential to support future restoration efforts across West Texas.

This work is part of our partnership with University Lands, the largest landowner in the State of Texas, to develop new native seed mixes and restoration methods for grassland restoration across their landholdings.

From seed evaluation to on-the-ground restoration, these partnerships are helping build the knowledge and resources needed to restore and sustain native Texas landscapes. 🌾🌵

Address

700 University Boulevard, MSC 218
Kingsville, TX
78363

Telephone

+13615933922

Website

http://www.ckwri.tamuk.edu/, https://linktr.ee/ckwri

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