Dr. Mike Mooring has been conducting behavioral ecology research since 1985, mounting field studies of African antelope, North American ungulates, and Neotropical mammals. During this time, he has worked in six countries and five states, navigating the logistical challenges of field research in a variety of contexts. His doctoral research focused on the parasite-defense behavior of impala in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Namibia. Mooring received his Ph.D. from the Animal Behavior Graduate Group at University of California, Davis, in 1993 and then completed postdoctoral positions at the University of Pretoria (South Africa), University of Alberta (Canada), and University of California, Davis. Since coming to PLNU in 1997, he has directed over 50 students in field research projects, primarily with bighorn sheep, American bison, and Neotropical felids (e.g., jaguar). His current work in Costa Rica is at the interface of ecology and conservation biology (see A Trek for Conservation article). Since 2010, he and his students have worked with Costa Rican collaborators to survey the elusive mammals inhabiting the montane cloud forests of the Talamanca Cordillera. The project promotes community-based conservation by empowering local partners to conduct their wildlife research and engage in environmental education. Mooring's current research focuses on predation and competition among Neotropical mammalian predators and their prey. In addition, Dr. Mooring teaches annually in Costa Rica in the QERC Semester and Neotropical Ecology study abroad programs.
2019 Summer Research Video (Designed by Student Abby Wagner)
PLNU Viewpoint Article - A Trek for Conservation
PLNU Viewpoint Article - "Return to Cerro Kamuk: Perspectives from the Research Trail"
The Wildlife Society - "Wild Cam: Costa Rica's Black Panthers and Elusive Bush Dogs"
Education
- Ph.D., Animal Behavior, University of California, Davis
- M.Sc., Animal Behavior, University of California, Davis
- B.A., Environmental, Population, and Organismic Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder
Courses Taught
- Environment and People – BIO 1002
- Ecology and Conservation Biology – BIO 1005
- Neotropical Ecology – BIO 3040
- Conservation Ecology – BIO 3063
- Vertebrate Biology – BIO 4010
- Animal Behavior – BIO 4030
Experience in Field
- PLNU Biology, Full Professor (tenured), 2006 – present
- PLNU Biology, Associate Professor, 2002 – 2006
- PLNU Biology, Assistant Professor, 1997 – 2002
- University of California Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, Postdoctoral Research Associate, 1996 – 1997
- University of Alberta Biological Sciences, NATO Postdoctoral Fellow, 1995 – 1996
- University of Pretoria Zoology, Visiting Scientist and Postdoctoral Researcher, 1994 – 1995
- Zimbabwe Department of National Parks and Wild Life Management, Research Associate, 1990 – 1993
- American Musical and Dramatic Academy (New York City), Performing Arts Student, 1980 – 1982
- United Farm Workers Union (California), Community Organizer and Service Center Director, 1972 – 1978
Professional and Community Involvement
- Research Fellow, Zoological Society of San Diego, 2013 – 2022
- Visiting Associate Professor, University of California, Davis, 2004 – 2006
- Member, Animal Behaviour Society
- Founding Member, International Society for Behavioral Ecology
- Member, American Society of Mammalogists
- Member, The Wildlife Society
- Member, Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
- Member, Society for Conservation Biology
Awards and Honors
- Fellow of the Zoological Society of San Diego, 2013-2022
- Quetzal Education and Research Grant, seven awards from 2012-2018
- San Diego Zoo Global Jaguar Awards, ten awards from 2011-2020
- Principal Investigator, NSF-RUI Award IOB-0517771, "Fitness Consequences of Sexually Selected Acoustical Signaling in American Bison", 2005 – 2009
- Sabbatical Grants, three from 2003-2020
- PLNU Provost's Grant, three from 2003-2024
- PLNU Wesleyan Center Fellow, 2001
- PLNU Wesleyan Center Scholar, four awards from 2000 – 2010
- PLNU Research and Special Projects Awards, 25 awards from 1999-2024
- PLNU Alumni Awards, 13 awards from 1999-2024
- Hero for Heroes Award, 2021
- Ryan Botts Award for Excellence as an Honors Scholars Mentor, 2023
Dissertations, Presentations, and Publications
- McCullough, I.M., Beirne, C., Soto-Navarro, C., Eppert, A., Flatt, E., Kemp, Y.J.M., Molnar, P., Mooring, M.S., Nikolova, Y., Olson, E., Pinto, C., Porras, J., Quirós, M.J.M., Rodriguez, G.S., Schipper, J., Tellez, C.R., Soto, J.S.V., Whitworth, A. (2024). Integrating high-resolution remote sensing and empirical wildlife detection data for climate-resilient corridors across tropical elevational gradients. Biological Conservation (in press).
- Mooring, M.S. (2024). Programmed grooming after 30 years of study: a review of evidence and future prospects. Animals, 14, 1266. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14091266
- Bonilla-Sánchez, A., Sartor, C.C., Fox-Rosales, L.A., Feijó, A., Ramírez-Fernández, J.D., Brenes-Mora, E., Mooring. M.S., Blankenship, S.R., Sánchez- Lalinde, C., Oliveira do Nascimento, F., Zug, R., Oliveira, M.J., Marinho, P.H.D., Ferreira, G.B., Solari, S., Gomes de Oliveira, T., Eizirik, E. (2024). Ecological niche modeling of the Leopardus tigrinus complex sheds light on its elusive evolutionary history. Journal of Mammalogy, gyae074, https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae074
- de Oliveira, T.G., Fox-Rosales, L.A., Ramírez-Fernández, J.D. et al. (2024). Ecological modeling, biogeography, and phenotypic analyses setting the tiger cats’ hyperdimensional niches reveal a new species. Sci Rep 14, 2395. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-52379-8
- Mooring, M., Cordero, A. M., Ewing, J. (2023). Wildlife Crossings in Costa Rica: Are wildlife crossing structures effective in mitigating roadkill mortality on tropical highways? OCELOTS Incubator: Creating an online module in tropical biology, QUBES Educational Resources. DOI: https://qubeshub.org/community/groups/ocelots/publications?id=4409&v=1. Ocelot Learning Module.
- Villalobos-Hoffman, R., Ewing, J.E., Mooring, M.S. (2023). Do wildlife crossings mitigate the roadkill mortality of tropical mammals? A case study from Costa Rica. Diversity 14: 665. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/d14080665
- Mooring, M. S., and Eppert, A. A. (2022). Patrones de actividad circadiana y lunar del jaguar y el puma en relación con sus presas y competidoras (Carnivora: Felidae). UNED Research Journal 14(Supl.1): e3858. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v14iS1.3858
- Eppert, A. A., Botts, R. T., and Mooring, M. S. (2022). Selección natural del melanismo en jaguar y tigrillo (Carnivora: Felidae). UNED Research Journal 14(Supl.1): e3857. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v14iS1.3857
- González-Tenorio, R., Eppert, A. A., and Mooring, M.S. Diversidad y patrones de actividad de mamíferos silvestres medianos y grandes en la Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica. UNED Research Journal 13: e3621. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v13i2.3621
- Wyman, M. T., Pinter-Wollman, N., and Mooring, M. S. (2021). Trade-offs between fighting and breeding: a social network analysis of bison male interactions. Journal of Mammalogy 102: 504–519. DOI:10.1093/jmammal/gyaa172
- Botts, R. T, Eppert, A. A., Wiegman, Rodriguez, A., T. J., Blankenship, S. R., Asselin, E. M., Garley, W. M., Wagner, A. P., Ullrich, S. E., Allen, G. R., and Mooring, M. S. (2020). Circadian activity patterns of mammalian predators and prey in Costa Rica. Journal of Mammalogy 101: 1313–1331. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyaa103
- Botts, R. T, Eppert, A. A., Wiegman, T. J., Blankenship, S. R., Rodriguez, A., Wagner, A. P., Ullrich, S. E., Allen, G. R., Garley, W. M., Asselin, E. M., and Mooring, M. S. (2020). Does moonlight increase predation risk for elusive mammals in Costa Rica? Tropical Conservation Science 13: 1–21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1940082920952405
- Mooring, M. S., Eppert, A. A., and Botts, R. T. (2020). Natural selection of melanism in Costa Rican jaguar and oncilla: a test of Gloger’s Rule and the temporal segregation hypothesis. Tropical Conservation Science 13: 1-15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1940082920910364
- Sáenz-Bolaños, C., Fuller, T.K., Mooring, M.S., Porras, J., Sievert, P.R., Montalvo, V.H., Carrillo, E. (2019). Bush dogs in Central America: recent range expansion, cryptic distribution, or both? Tropical Conservation Science 12: 1-5.
- Le Yang, Y.L., Ming, T., Zhigang, J., Zhongqiu, L., Mooring, M. (2018). Tick-defense grooming patterns of two sympatric Tibetan ungulates. Journal of Zoology 307: 1-7.
- Wyman MT, Mooring MS, Pinter-Wollman N. (2016). Socially Connected Dominant Bison Bulls Emphasize Mating Quality Over Quantity. In review for Animal Behaviour.
- Mooring MS, Penedo MCT. (2014). Behavioral Versus Genetic Measures of Fitness in Bison Bulls. Bison bison. Journal of Mammalogy 95: 913-924.
- Li Z, Beauchamp G, Mooring MS. (2014). Relaxed Selection for Tick-Defense Grooming in Père David’s Deer? Biological Conservation. 178: 12-18.
- Wyman MT, Mooring MS, McCowan B, Penedo MCT, Reby D, Hart LA. (2012). Acoustic Cues to Size and Quality in the Vocalizations of Male North American Bison. Bison bison. Animal Behavior. 84: 1381-1391.
- Wyman MT, Mooring MS, McCowan B, Penedo MCT, Hart LA. (2008). Bellow Amplitude of Bison Reflects Male Quality, Seasonal Condition, and Motivation. Animal Behaviour. 76: 1625-1639.
- Mooring MS, Blumstein DT, Reisig DD, Niemeyer JM, Osborne ER. (2007). Insect-Repelling Behaviour in Bovids: Role of Mass, Tail Length, and Group Size. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 91: 383-392.
- Mooring MS, Patton ML, Reisig DD, Osborne ER, Kanallakan AL, Aubery SM. (2006). Sexually Dimorphic Grooming in Bison: Influence of Body Size and Testosterone. Animal Behaviour. 72: 737-745.
- Mooring MS, Hart BL, Fitzpatrick TA, Benjamin JE, Fraser IC, Nishihira TT, Reisig DD. (2006). Grooming in Desert Bighorn Sheep and the Ghost of Parasites Past. Behavioral Ecology. 17: 364-371.
- Mooring MS, Patton ML, Lance VA, Hall BM, Schaad EW, Fetter GA, Fortin SS, McPeak KM. (2006). Glucocorticoids of Bison Bulls in Relation to Social Status. Hormones & Behavior 49: 369-375.
- Mooring MS, Reisig DD, Osborne ER, Kanallakan AL, Wiseman DS, Huber RR. (2005). Sexual Segregation in Bison. Bison bison: A Test of Multiple Hypotheses. Behaviour. 142: 897-927.
- Mooring MS, Patton ML, Lance VA, Hall BM, Schaad EW, Fortin SS, Jella JE, McPeak KM. (2004). Fecal Androgens of Bison Bulls During the Rut. Hormones & Behavior. 46: 392-398.
