April 2018 Featured Expert: Katey Duffey

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1 I happily introduce Katey Duffey. a Zoologist and Snow Leopard Biologist, who was recently promoted to Director of Communications for The Tulsi Foundation where she has worked for the past four years. Snow Leopard status is now Vulnerable. They are no longer endangered, though threats still remain. Please help me welcome her! - Kirsten TPNC: What does a typical work day look like for someone in your position? Duffey: My research on snow leopards began in 2014 with Irbis Mongolia, and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, where we interviewed herders on livestock losses to snow leopards, and formulated plans to help them protect their animals so we could also protect the cats from retaliatory killings. Starting in 2017, I began collaborating with Green Initiative NGO and Duquesne University to investigate possible zoonoses transmission from livestock to snow leopards. During all my fieldwork, I have worked with my field partners to study very little known population of snow leopards in western Mongolia. Most of my field surveys for the cats are more like reconnaissance missions, where we hike up mountain ranges not yet explored for snow leopards to see what we can or can t find.

2 Days are spent hiking up and across mountain transects in search of snow leopard sign so we can collect scat samples and set camera traps. We will average around 20km a day, which includes free climbing up cliffs, over large boulders, and narrow ledges while its bitter cold (Day temperatures dropping between o C, and night temperatures dropping to -40 o C and sometimes -50C). Snow adds as an extra obstacle to hike or drive through. In the winter, transportation is very limited so we stay with a host family in a ger (traditional nomadic home). Those are kept warm during the day by keeping the fire in the wood stove going. At night the top of the ger is kept closed after the fire is out. Although the felt and wool ger walls keep the wind out, the temperature inside is about the same as it is outside. I wake up with my double sleeping bag covered in hoarfrost, and everything else is frozen. Gers are settled at the base of a mountain where livestock are kept. It s also where snow leopards come down from the peaks at night to attack unsuspecting sheep and goats. Winter is the time of year when snow leopard conflicts are highest due to their easier access to herds, and their increased activity from breeding season, so this season (though harsh to endure) is the optimal time for fieldwork. When you work and stay with nomadic families in snow leopard range countries, you eat meat, carbs, starches, and more meat. This diet becomes long-lasting fuel for your body to burn during the frigid temperatures and intense activity. Mongolians mainly rely on livestock for their

3 food since the environmental conditions do not sustain many crops. This means that fruits and vegetables are pretty scarce. The closest I come to a salad might be some carrot and pepper bits mixed in some sort of red sauce. Fruits and vegetables don t keep well in the fluctuating temperatures. We eat a lot of potatoes! If we are feeling fancy, we might add some pickles to a meal. However, meat such as mutton (sheep) or even horse can be kept frozen outside. Pasta and bread products are made from scratch. When we visit locals, we are frequently offered fresh made, dairy products from their goats, cows, or yaks. Most water for drinking or cooking comes from natural sources such as streams or snow, and is boiled. TPNC: What do you like about your job? Duffey: One of my favorite things about the fieldwork is simply being in the mountains. I live at sea level in an area surrounded by farmland, so expeditions to an extreme environment of 2,500-4,000m is a great change of scenery. I love the challenge of the terrain, conditions, and trying to find an elusive big cat. It s also fascinating to be immersed in the culture. TPNC: What do you find challenging about your job? Duffey:The physical demand of the fieldwork can be a challenge if I don t remain fit, and the altitude takes some acclimatization for a few days, but the most challenging part is interacting with locals. I only speak a little of the language so I m still often left confused on what is going

4 on or being said. Many of the customs are completely opposite from what I know. However, the people are very hospitable and are always willing to help. TPNC: What types of classes did you have to take in college to get your position? Duffey: I earned a Bachelor s in Zoo and Wildlife Biology, and minored in Psychology at Malone University, then earned a Master s in Zoology at Miami University. Throughout my education I took many courses in biology, including; Vertebrate Zoology, Invertebrate Zoology, Herpetology, Ornithology, Animal Behavior, Ecology, Animal Physiology, and Wildlife Management etc. During undergrad and throughout earning my Master s, I also obtained a variety of experiences with both captive animals (including 70+ species of reptiles, grey wolves, birds, and small mammals), and fieldwork (including studying grey wolves, various reptile population surveys, and even stream health assessment). Public outreach for a broad audience of all ages was also a part of these experiences that I intend to keep integrating into projects as part of my interest in science communication. Another skillset I encourage people to acquire if they want to work in remote environments is in learning wilderness first aid. Taking classes from a basic first aid and CPR program is good, but

5 it doesn t prepare you for being where there is no proper help for several hours across rugged terrain, where there may not be a rescue team on call, and where you have super limited resources to handle various situations. My interest in wilderness medicine stemmed from my experience as an Army Combat Lifesaver, when I was able to apply that training to fieldwork. I then refreshed those skills with an Advanced Wilderness Life Support course, joined The Tulsi Foundation (a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing trauma training to frontline conservation staff) as the Director of Conservation, and recently became certified as an ECSI Wilderness First Aid Instructor. TPNC: What is your favorite aspect of nature? Duffey: I ve always enjoyed being outside, going for a hike and watching whatever wildlife I can find. Nature allows me to relax and just be in the moment. It gives me a chance to clear my mind from Life s stresses and gain inspiration for new ideas. TPNC: What is the biggest misconception you would like the public to know about what you do? Duffey: The public may often see fantastic images of snow leopards from camera traps and in documentaries, without realizing what goes into capturing that image. For every one really good

6 image people see, there are literally hundreds or thousands of images that are just from moving shadows, the wind blowing snow, sun glare, rocks shifting, or livestock walking by. When studying snow leopards, unless you are doing a project where you are trying to collar a cat, your chances of ever seeing your study species are incredibly low. For the first time last spring, I briefly glimpsed a snow leopard as my team was leaving a valley for the evening. It quickly leapt across rocks and disappeared into a cave. It s possible that I may never see one like that again and I m ok with it. Wildlife research is not just about the wildlife. When I first got into doing field projects, it was in part because I could spend more time focusing on work in the wilderness and not be around a bunch of people. However, conservation is more about working with people and learning to empathize with their concerns and beliefs. Thanks to Katey for sharing your work!