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The Wildlife Biology Program is a joint program between the College of Forestry and Conservation, the Division of Biological Sciences and the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit (a branch of the U.S. Geological Survey). A specialization within Forestry in Wild Life Management was created at UM in 1936; a somewhat similar specialization within the College of Arts and Sciences in Wild Life Technology was created in 1937.  The current structure of the Wildlife Biology Program was created in 1975. The Wildlife Biology Program at UM is recognized as one of the premier programs in the world to seek a B.S., M.S. or Ph.D.

Points of Pride

• The Wildlife Biology Program is home to the only two fully endowed and occupied chairs in the University: The Boone and Crockett Chair and the John J. Craighead Chair. These chairs enable the Wildlife Biology program to attract world class professors that provide senior leadership and research excellence.
• Four of the Program's faculty members have been presidents of The Wildlife Society and four have won the prestigious Aldo Leopold Award. Faculty members consistently publish research in national journals and are recognized for their expertise in the field.
• Wildlife Biology students obtain a strong academic and scientific background as well as hands on experience. Graduates use a science based approach to address the most complex questions related to wildlife conservation.
• Students have the distinct advantage of being able to observe wildlife populations within a few miles of campus.
• 15% of the U.S. citizens enrolled in our graduate programs are nonwhite. Approximately 45% of students enrolled in Wildlife Biology graduate programs are women.
• Undergraduate students are encouraged to explore study abroad opportunities that relate to their wildlife interests and students and faculty at all levels conduct research across the globe. Since 2005, Wildlife Biology faculty have shared their natural resource expertise with the remote Himalayan country of Bhutan.

The Wildlife Biology Program has many opportunities for donor impact, including scholarships for undergraduates, support for student and faculty travel, and tuition for graduate students. Additional funds are needed to support international students, who often do not qualify for work study or other financial aid programs, as well as funding for a seminar series that will bring opportunities for collaboration.

To make a gift to Wildlife Biology Program, please complete the form below.

To join Wildlife Biology alumni in supporting The Dan Pletscher Fund, please follow this link.