Anthony Fischbach
Applying wildlife biology tools, including satellite imagery interpretation and telemetry, to address Pacific walrus conservation problems.
Professional Experience
2022 - Present Research Wildlife Biologist, USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
2004 - 2022 Wildlife Biologist, USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
2003 - 2004 Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Kodiak, Alaska
1999 - 2003 Wildlife Biologist, USGS, Alaska Biological Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
1998 - 1999 Wildlife Biologist, Marine Mammals Management, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska
1997 - 1999 (summers) Volunteer Wildlife Biologist, Tongass Bat Habitat Project, U.S. Forest Service, Thorne Bay, Alaska
1995 - 1998 Biological Technician / Walrus Harvest Monitor, Marine Mammals Management, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska
1994 - 1995 Volunteer, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Soldotna, Alaska
Education and Certifications
M.A. 1994 University of Texas, Austin, TX Ecology
B.S. 1989 University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI Molecular Biology
Affiliations and Memberships*
Reviewer: BioScience, Arctic, Marine Mammal Science, Progress In Oceanography, Polar Biology
Contributor: R-sig-geo
Honors and Awards
1989-1990 Fulbright Scholar, Bayreuth, Germany
Science and Products
Divergent movements of walrus and sea ice in the northern Bering Sea
Catalogue of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal den locations in the Beaufort Sea and neighboring regions, Alaska, 1910–2010
Enumeration of Pacific walrus carcasses on beaches of the Chukchi Sea in Alaska following a mortality event, September 2009
Modeling haul-out behavior of walruses in Bering Sea ice
Pacific Walrus Response to Arctic Sea Ice Losses
Molecular method for determining sex of walruses
Landward and eastward shift of Alaskan polar bear denning associated with recent sea ice changes
Adjusting for telemetry bias in behavior data
Comparison of remotely deployed satellite radio transmitters on walruses
Genetic characterization of brown bears of the Kodiak Archipelago
Habitat characteristics of polar bear terrestrial maternal den sites in northern Alaska
Polar bear aerial survey in the eastern Chukchi Sea: A pilot study
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 22No Result Found
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Filter Total Items: 38
Divergent movements of walrus and sea ice in the northern Bering Sea
The Pacific walrus Odobenus rosmarus divergens is a large Arctic pinniped of the Chukchi and Bering Seas. Reductions of sea ice projected to occur in the Arctic by mid-century raise concerns for conservation of the Pacific walrus. To understand the significance of sea ice loss to the viability of walruses, it would be useful to better understand the spatial associations between the movements of seAuthorsChadwick V. Jay, Mark S. Udevitz, Ron Kwok, Anthony S. Fischbach, David C. DouglasCatalogue of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal den locations in the Beaufort Sea and neighboring regions, Alaska, 1910–2010
This report presents data on the approximate locations and methods of discovery of 392 polar bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal dens found in the Beaufort Sea and neighboring regions between 1910 and 2010 that are archived by the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska. A description of data collection methods, biases associated with collection method, primary time periods, aAuthorsGeorge M. Durner, Anthony S. Fischbach, Steven C. Amstrup, David C. DouglasEnumeration of Pacific walrus carcasses on beaches of the Chukchi Sea in Alaska following a mortality event, September 2009
On September 14, 2009, we encountered substantial numbers of fresh walrus carcasses on the Alaskan shores of the Chukchi Sea near Icy Cape. We enumerated 131 carcasses using geo-referenced strip transect photography and visual counts of solitary carcasses. All appeared to be young animals based on review of aerial photographs and reference to 12 carcasses that we examined on the ground. The eventsAuthorsAnthony S. Fischbach, Daniel H. Monson, C.V. JayModeling haul-out behavior of walruses in Bering Sea ice
Understanding haul-out behavior of ice-associated pinnipeds is essential for designing and interpreting popula-tion surveys and for assessing effects of potential changes in their ice environments. We used satellite-linked transmitters to obtain sequential information about location and haul-out state for Pacific walruses, Odobenus rosmarus divergens (Il-liger, 1815), in the Bering Sea during ApriAuthorsMark S. Udevitz, Chadwick V. Jay, Anthony S. Fischbach, J. L. Garlich-MillerPacific Walrus Response to Arctic Sea Ice Losses
Sea ice plays an important role in the life of the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens). U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists are seeking to understand how losses of sea ice during summer over important foraging grounds in the Chukchi Sea will affect walruses. USGS scientists recently modified a remotely deployed satellite radio-tag that will aid in studying walrus foraging habitats anAuthorsChadwick V. Jay, Anthony S. FischbachMolecular method for determining sex of walruses
We evaluated the ability of a set of published trans-species molecular sexing primers and a set of walrus-specific primers, which we developed, to accurately identify sex of 235 Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens). The trans-species primers were developed for mammals and targeted the X- and Y-gametologs of the zinc finger protein genes (ZFX, ZFY). We extended this method by using theseAuthorsAnthony S. Fischbach, Chadwick V. Jay, James V. Jackson, Liselotte W. Anderson, George K. Sage, Sandra L. TalbotLandward and eastward shift of Alaskan polar bear denning associated with recent sea ice changes
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the northern Alaska region den in coastal areas and on offshore drifting ice. We evaluated changes in the distribution of polar bear maternal dens between 1985 and 2005, using satellite telemetry. We determined the distribution of maternal dens occupied by 89 satellite collared female polar bears between 137°W and 167°W longitude. The proportion of dens on pack iceAuthorsAnthony S. Fischbach, Steven C. Amstrup, David C. DouglasAdjusting for telemetry bias in behavior data
No abstract available.AuthorsMark S. Udevitz, Chadwick V. Jay, Anthony S. Fischbach, Joel L. Garlich-MillerComparison of remotely deployed satellite radio transmitters on walruses
No abstract available.AuthorsC.V. Jay, M. P. Heide-Jorgensen, Anthony S. Fischbach, M.V. Jensen, D.F. Tessler, A.V. JensenGenetic characterization of brown bears of the Kodiak Archipelago
Here we examine genetic characteristics of brown bears of Kodiak and Afognak islands, using 14 variable nuclear microsatellite loci and nucleotide sequence information including the hypervariable domain I of the mtDNA control region (Wakely 1993). Because these markers, or a subset of them, have been used to characterize brown bears of the Kenai Peninsula (Jackson et al. 2005), Katmai National ParAuthorsSandra L. Talbot, Judy R. Gust, George K. Sage, Anthony S. Fischbach, Kristin S. Amstrup, William Leacock, Larry Van DaeleHabitat characteristics of polar bear terrestrial maternal den sites in northern Alaska
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) give birth to and nurture their young in dens of ice and snow. During 1999-2001, we measured the structure of 22 dens on the coastal plain of northern Alaska after polar bear families had evacuated their dens in the spring. During the summers of 2001 and 2002, we revisited the sites of 42 maternal and autumn exploratory dens and recorded characteristics of the under-sAuthorsGeorge M. Durner, Steven C. Amstrup, Anthony S. FischbachPolar bear aerial survey in the eastern Chukchi Sea: A pilot study
Alaska has two polar bear populations: the Southern Beaufort Sea population, shared with Canada, and the Chukchi/Bering Seas population, shared with Russia. Currently a reliable population estimate for the Chukchi/Bering Seas population does not exist. Land-based aerial and mark-recapture population surveys may not be possible in the Chukchi Sea because variable ice conditions, the limited range oAuthorsThomas J. Evans, Anthony S. Fischbach, Scott L. Schliebe, Bryan Manly, Susanne B. Kalxdorff, Geoff S. York - Software
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