About Us
We are made up of a team of biologists from the DEEP Wildlife Division and researchers from the University of Connecticut.
Dr. Tracy Rittenhouse, Associate Professor at the University of Connecticut in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Center Director of the WFCC, and the principle investigator on the Connecticut Bobcat Project. Dr. Rittenhouse research focuses on managing wildlife populations within intermixed ecosystems. Jason Hawley, Connecticut Wildlife State Biologist and PhD student at the University of Connecticut on the Connecticut Bobcat Project. Jason's dissertation is focused on bobcat movements within exurban development. Kristen Beattie, Research Specialist and former MS student at the University of Connecticut on the Connecticut Bobcat Project. Kristen's thesis focused on bobcat occupancy patterns and dietary habits within exurban developments. UConn Wildlife and Fishers Conservation Center (WFCC) supports collaborative research that informs management decisions that affect the future sustainability of fish and wildlife species. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Wildlife Division is responsible for managing our bobcat population. The Connecticut Bobcat Project is funded by the Pittman-Robertson Act through the Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund. Pittman-Robertson funds are generated from an excise tax on the sale of firearms and ammunition and the funds are used to fund wildlife conservation by restoring, managing, and enhancing wildlife and their habitat. |