| Website © Lisa Selner "Buffalo Annie" |
| Field Experiences |
Gaining hands-on experience with an endangered species of the prairie,
acceptance among many Lakota Sioux ceremonies and celebrations, and ranch life
on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota; not to mention
delighting in my many buffalo encounters!
As a team leader for an endangered species program, I supervised up to eight
Wildlife Technicians and temporary wildlife staff while employed by the Cheyenne
River Sioux Tribe. I conducted black-footed ferret (BFF) field surveys, and
monitored ferrets via all-night spotlighting surveys, using a GPS to record BFF
locations. Ferrets were live-trapped if they didn’t produce a microchip reading
during spotlighting surveys. Unidentified ferret captures were brought to the study
camper, immobilized, and inserted with microchip implantations.
I organized a BFF release for a new site on the Reservation, arranged the release
ceremony to be conducted by a local Holy Man, and invited guests to a luncheon
and observation of ferrets being released into the wild. Participation in a site visit to
the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation facility while under construction in
Colorado, attendance at BFF committee meetings in South Dakota, Arizona and
Colorado, and attendance at a BFF informational meeting on the Rosebud Sioux
Indian Reservation to offer advice about a BFF project on their Reservation, was
also accomplished.
I implemented black-tailed prairie dog field surveys by using a GPS to record
prairie dog town locations, conducting prairie dog density surveys and live-
trapping prairie dogs for quarantine. Captured prairie dogs were cared for and
held in quarantine for 14 days prior to processing. After quarantine prairie dogs
were euthanized, processed, veterinarian inspected, and carcasses shipped to a
captive BFF breeding facility as food.
Predator control surveys on prairie dog towns within BFF management areas were
performed as well. I collected blood samples from coyotes harvested during aerial
gun control for disease testing purposes and accompanied coyote hunters during
an aerial search via airplane for coyotes on a rolling prairie landscape. The view
was spectacular!
I took part in numerous tribal buffalo roundups (pickups and ATV’s used) with the
Tribe’s Buffalo Program. This involved assistance with sorting and loading at the
buffalo corrals, and euthanizing injured bison. Site visits to bison slaughterhouses
were accomplished (when tribal animals were being delivered). And I witnessed
processing at the tribally owned slaughter unit. Other bison-related duties included:
volunteering at an annual Fair & Powwow for the Buffalo Programs concession
stand, assistance with a buffalo dinner at local Elderly Nutrition Center, attendance
at bison-related meetings throughout the west, and so forth.
When time permitted I also assisted tribal Fish & Game with deer spotlight
surveys, presented a buffalo box educational project to local community schools
and tourism groups, provided wild horse and bison tours, and photographed tribal
wildlife for website and tourism brochures.
Field Photo Albums:
acceptance among many Lakota Sioux ceremonies and celebrations, and ranch life
on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota; not to mention
delighting in my many buffalo encounters!
As a team leader for an endangered species program, I supervised up to eight
Wildlife Technicians and temporary wildlife staff while employed by the Cheyenne
River Sioux Tribe. I conducted black-footed ferret (BFF) field surveys, and
monitored ferrets via all-night spotlighting surveys, using a GPS to record BFF
locations. Ferrets were live-trapped if they didn’t produce a microchip reading
during spotlighting surveys. Unidentified ferret captures were brought to the study
camper, immobilized, and inserted with microchip implantations.
I organized a BFF release for a new site on the Reservation, arranged the release
ceremony to be conducted by a local Holy Man, and invited guests to a luncheon
and observation of ferrets being released into the wild. Participation in a site visit to
the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation facility while under construction in
Colorado, attendance at BFF committee meetings in South Dakota, Arizona and
Colorado, and attendance at a BFF informational meeting on the Rosebud Sioux
Indian Reservation to offer advice about a BFF project on their Reservation, was
also accomplished.
I implemented black-tailed prairie dog field surveys by using a GPS to record
prairie dog town locations, conducting prairie dog density surveys and live-
trapping prairie dogs for quarantine. Captured prairie dogs were cared for and
held in quarantine for 14 days prior to processing. After quarantine prairie dogs
were euthanized, processed, veterinarian inspected, and carcasses shipped to a
captive BFF breeding facility as food.
Predator control surveys on prairie dog towns within BFF management areas were
performed as well. I collected blood samples from coyotes harvested during aerial
gun control for disease testing purposes and accompanied coyote hunters during
an aerial search via airplane for coyotes on a rolling prairie landscape. The view
was spectacular!
I took part in numerous tribal buffalo roundups (pickups and ATV’s used) with the
Tribe’s Buffalo Program. This involved assistance with sorting and loading at the
buffalo corrals, and euthanizing injured bison. Site visits to bison slaughterhouses
were accomplished (when tribal animals were being delivered). And I witnessed
processing at the tribally owned slaughter unit. Other bison-related duties included:
volunteering at an annual Fair & Powwow for the Buffalo Programs concession
stand, assistance with a buffalo dinner at local Elderly Nutrition Center, attendance
at bison-related meetings throughout the west, and so forth.
When time permitted I also assisted tribal Fish & Game with deer spotlight
surveys, presented a buffalo box educational project to local community schools
and tourism groups, provided wild horse and bison tours, and photographed tribal
wildlife for website and tourism brochures.
Field Photo Albums:
 | Black-footed Ferrets | |
| Tribal Buffalo Herd | |
| Buffalo Roundups | |
| Tribal Elk Herd | |
| Tribal Mustang Herd | |
| Wildlife Field Biologist Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Nation Prairie Management Program South Dakota June 2002 to July 2003 |
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