Wildlife Genetics

 

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Great Gray Owl

Mtn Lion

Anna's Hummingbird

Bear

magpie

Red-shouldered Hawk

White-tailed deer

Galápagos hawk

Photo Credits

 

 

Help us through donations for our wildlife conservation research

  • Our work continues only through grant, contract, and donation dollars.
  • Funding dollars for wildlife research is scarce.
  • You can help by donating money to keep our projects active and/or to fund the education of students who will lead wildlife conservation efforts in not-so-distant future years.

    Adopt-A-Hummingbird!

      • Help California's precious hummingbird populations

      • $100 Anna's or Black-chinned Hummingbird
      • $150 Rufous or Allen's Hummingbird

      Rufous Hummingbird

      • Your Adopt-a-Hummingbird donation (tax-deductible) will provide funding for veterinarians and biologists trained in hummingbird capture, examination, and bird banding to obtain a tiny DNA sample from a bird so we can test whether diseases are a problem and to check their genetic diversity. The sample is taken non-invasively (small number of tiny feathers that they quickly grow back and/or speck of blood), a very very small federal ID band is placed on its leg, and the hummingbird is released unharmed. We watch for the bird to return to our field sites year after year (we see our banded friends frequently year after year).
      • You may mail your check, made out to "UC Regents", and a note with your return mailing address (so I can send you a donation acknowledgement letter) to: Holly Ernest, 258 CCAH, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616.  Also send me an email that the check is coming.

      • Contact Dr. Holly Ernest hbernest(at)ucdavis.edu) for more information or to get on our Hummingbird Health mailing list.

      Donate to Mountain lion genetic diversity research to assist conservation efforts!

      Mountain Lion

      • $200 provides funding to analyze a mountain lion's DNA from a blood sample to determine its family relationships to others and whether the population has suffered a decline in genetic diversity
      • $100 provides funding to examine mitochondrial DNA - DNA inherited through the mother's lineage.
      • $300 allows us to extract DNA from museum and scat (fecal) specimens and determine current and past genetic diversity.
      • Contact Dr. Holly Ernest hbernest(at)ucdavis.edu) for info.

    Black Bear Disease Ecology needs your help!

    Bear

    • $200 funds sample collection and analysis of a bear to test for Trichinella and certain worms, diseases that are dangerous to humans.contact Dr. Holly Ernest hbernest(at)ucdavis.edu)

    Our lab is known California conservation science productivity. Be a part of the scientific discovery process through your donation!

    Healthier Pet Ferrets through Genomics
    Be a part of this research!

    Pet Ferrets

Your funding can help us to identify genes that contribute to high cancer incidence and short life span in treasured pets - contact Dr. Holly Ernest hbernest(at)ucdavis.edu)

Your thoughtful donation will support our continued work

  • For information on how your dollars can help wildlife, or to set up a donation, contact Dr. Holly Ernest (hbernest(at)ucdavis.edu)

  • Or send your check made our to "University of California Regents" with subject line listing "for wildlife conservation research of Dr. Holly Ernest" and mail to: Holly Ernest, 258 CCAH, School of Veterinary Medicine, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, CA 95616,   Also send me an email that the check is coming.  Thanks for your support!