I am grateful to have worn many hats in the ACS lab.
I first volunteered on various lab projects and completed a Work Study and Directed Study during my undergraduate degree. I then completed an Honours within the lab, where I researched the prices charged to hunt different ‘big game’ species in North America. I asked whether prices related to ‘costly’ (i.e. high failure risk to the hunter), yet ‘desirable’, characteristics, following theory in evolutionary psychology. I also worked as the ACS Lab Manager during this time, which saw me coordinating volunteers and daily lab logistics.
During my MSc degree, I worked with the Heiltsuk Integrate Resource Management Department (HIRMD) and estimated movement and connectivity of grizzly bears among Pacific salmon spawning areas. This provided information about the extent to which movement corridors were protected or subject to resource extraction in the area.
I have also worked with the Haíɫzaqv and Gitga’at Nations on the Raincoast Bear Monitoring Project throughout this time. I currently coordinate and co-lead the project with the Haíɫzaqv Nation.
I am currently a PhD student in the lab. My work is made possible with the support of the NSERC PGS-D Award and the Raincoast Conservation Fellowship program.
Publications:
Darimont, C., Hall, H., Eckert, L., Mihalik, I., Artelle, K., Treves, A., and Paquet, P. 2021. Large carnivore hunting and the social license to hunt. Conservation Biology. Open Access.
Mihalik, I., Bateman, A.W., and Darimont, C.T. 2019. Trophy hunters pay more to target larger-bodied carnivores. Royal Society Open Science 6, 191231. Open Access.
