Curtis, Paul D
Extension Wildlife Specialist
Dr. Paul Curtis serves as Extension Wildlife Specialist in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University. He has coordinated the Wildlife Damage Management Program during the past 18 years. His applied research and extension programs have focused on reducing human-wildlife conflicts in agricultural and suburban landscapes. His work includes community-based wildlife management issues and public policy education.
research
research and scholarship focus
Primary research activities include evaluation of wildlife behavior and population ecology. Various applied management techniques for reducing human-wildlife conflicts and potential disease transmission have been investigated. Novel methods for reducing transmission of Lyme disease are currently being studied.
primary investigator of
- 4-POSTER SLN APPLICATION FOR FIRE AND SHELTER ISLAND, NEW YORK | Research Grant
- 4-POSTER SLN APPLICATION FOR SHELTER AND FIRE ISLAND, NY (AG. & MKTS. PRIME) | Research Grant
- 4-POSTER SLN APPLICATION FOR SHELTER AND FIRE ISLAND, NY (SUFFOLK COUNTY PRIME) | Research Grant
- ECOLOGY OF COYOTES/CCOYOTE MANAGEMENT IN NEW YORK | Research Grant
- EXTENSION WORK PLAN AND BUDGET | Research Grant
- REVISION, EXPANSION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE INTERNET CENTER FOR WILDLIFE DAMAGE MANAGEMENT | Research Grant
- WILDLIFE DAMAGE MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK: WORK PLAN AND BUDGET | Research Grant
research areas
- adult and extension education | collaborative research area (CALS)
- biological control | collaborative research area (CALS)
- ecology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- education | collaborative research area (CALS)
- environmental sciences | collaborative research area (CALS)
- forest management | collaborative research area (CALS)
- fruit and vegetable production | collaborative research area (CALS)
- integrated pest management | collaborative research area (CALS)
- natural resources | collaborative research area (CALS)
- pest management | collaborative research area (CALS)
- resource policy and management | collaborative research area (CALS)
- wildlife management | collaborative research area (CALS)
- zoology | collaborative research area (CALS)
submitted impact statement
- Best Practices for Nuisance Wildlife Control: a Regional Curriculum | 2007 Impact statement
- The new Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management | 2006 Impact statement
- Impact and management of chronic wasting disease in deer throughout New York state | 2006 Impact statement
- Impact and management of chronic wasting disease in deer throughout New York State | 2005 Impact statement
- Reducing deer-vehicle collisions | 2004 Impact statement
affiliations
faculty appointment in
- Natural Resources (NTRES/DNR) | Cornell department
member of graduate field
- Natural Resources | graduate field
teaching
teaching focus
Courses I teach include applied wildlife science and population ecology. I mentor undergraduate research interns and graduate students interested in wildlife population ecology and behavior.
teaches
- NTRES 4971 - Individual Study in Applied Ecology and Conservation Ecology (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- NTRES 4991 - Honors Research in Natural Resources (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- NTRES 7900 - Graduate-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- NTRES 8900 - Master's Thesis Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- NTRES 9900 - Doctoral-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- NTRES 4971 - Individual Study in Applied Ecology and Conservation Ecology (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- NTRES 7900 - Graduate-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- NTRES 8900 - Master's Thesis Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- NTRES 9900 - Doctoral-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
service
outreach focus
The long-term goal of the Wildlife Damage Management Program is to reduce conflicts, economic losses, and human health and safety concerns caused by wildlife in both agricultural and suburban landscapes. My core programming deals with reducing negative wildlife impacts in New York and nationally. Extension activities include a variety of publications, videos, and web resources.
current professional activities
- Coordinator, Wildlife Damage Management Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension, 1990-present
- Co-Director of the Northeast Wildlife Damage Management Research and Outreach Cooperative
background
featured in
- Cornell University co-hosts chronic wasting disease symposium | Cornell news release
- In pilot program, Cornell uses sterilization and hunting to control campus deer | Cornell Chronicle feature
- Merrill Scholars honor influential high school, CU teachers | Cornell Chronicle feature
- Paul Curtis honored with extension's Award of Excellence | Cornell Chronicle feature
- Why are Coyotes Getting More Aggressive? Cornell Five-Year Study Intends to Find Out | Cornell Chronicle feature
publications
selected publications (listing in progress)
- Merrill, J. A., E. G. Cooch, and P. D. Curtis. 2002. Time to reduction: factors influencing management efficacy in sterilizing overabundant white-tailed deer. Journal of Wildlife Management: (In press).
- Curtis, P. D., E. D. Rowland, M. M. Harribal, G. B. Curtis, J. A. Renwick, and M. D. Martin-Rehermann, and G. L. Good. 2002. Plant compounds in Pachysandra terminalis that act as feeding deterrents to prairie voles (Microtus ochragaster). Hort Science: (In press).
- Curtis P. D., R. L. Pooler, M. E. Richmond, L. A. Miller, G. F. Mattfeld, and F. W. Quimby. 2002. Comparative efficacy of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and porcine zona pellucida immunocontraceptive vaccines for controlling reproduction in white-tailed deer. Reproduction-Supplement 60:131-141.
- Curtis, P. D., E. D. Rowland, and G. L. Good. 2002. Developing a plant-based vole repellent: screening of ten candidate plants. Crop Protection 21:299-306.
- Jensen, P. G., P. D. Curtis, M. E. Lehnert, and D. L. Hamelin. 2001. Habitat and structural factors influencing beaver interference with highway culverts. Wildlife Society Bulletin 29:654-664.
- DeNicola, A. J., K. C. VerCauteren, P. D. Curtis, and S. E. Hygnstrom. 2000. Managing white-tailed deer in suburban environments: a technical guide. Cornell Cooperative Extension Information Bulletin, N.Y. State College of Agriculture and Life Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. 52pp.
speaker at Cornell event
Keywords: applied ecology and wildlife science, damage, ecology, fertility control, habitat management, management, pest, policy, policy education, population ecology, public, vertebrate, wildlife, wildlife damage management, wildlife science