Dean Biggins, PhD
Dr. Biggins is a scientist emeritus at the Fort Collins Science Center.
Dr. Biggins has been interested in grassland ecology since 1981. Within that broad topic his research has involved varied themes, including aspects of behavioral ecology, predator-prey relationships, and ecology of wildlife diseases. Most of his investigations have been motivated by their application to conservation and recovery of federally listed species. In that context, Dr. Biggins has worked at field study sites from Montana to Chihuahua, Mexico, as well as in Inner Mongolia and the Tibetan Plateau. Research has involved students at various universities (in CA, CO, ID, NM, MI, MO, TX, WY, France, and China). Taxa of interest have been carnivores (e.g., black-footed ferrets, Siberian polecats, badgers, weasels, coyotes, foxes), rodents, arthropods (fleas, ticks), and bacteria (Yersinia pestis). His present research emphasis is on ecology of plague, including its hosts and vectors, concentrating on maintenance of plague and its chronic effects on wildlife populations and ecosystems during inter-epizootic periods.
Professional Experience
Scientist Emeritus, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019 - Present
Adjunct Faculty, Department of Biology, Colorado State University, 2002-present
Research Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, 1996-2019
Research Wildlife Biologist, National Biological Service, 1993-1996
Research Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1976-1993
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Zoology, Colorado State University, 2000
M.S., Wildlife Biology, University of Montana, 1975
B.S., Wildlife Management, Humboldt State University, 1968
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Society of Mammalogists, 1989 to present
Honors and Awards
2012—Aldo Leopold Award, American Society of Mammalogists
2005—Science Excellence Award of the Year, USGS, Biolo
2004—Conservationist of the Year, Denver Zoological Foundation
1998—Special Recognition Award, Black-footed Ferret Recovery Implementation Team
Science and Products
Hybridization and the phylogenetic relationship between polecats and domestic ferrets in Britain
Noninvasive monitoring of fetal growth and development in the Siberian polecat (Mustela eversmanni)
The effect of rearing methods on survival of reintroduced black-footed ferrets
The captive environment and reintroduction: the black-footed ferret as a case study with comments on other taxa
A comparison of sevoflurane and isoflurane for short-term anesthesia in polecats (Mustela eversmanni)
Management of an endangered species: the black-footed ferret
Activity rhythm and home range of alpine weasel
Activity rhythms and distribution of natal dens for red foxes
Black-Footed Ferrets
Reintroduction of the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes)
Recovery of the black-footed ferret: looking back, looking forward
A technique for evaluating black-footed ferret habitat
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 120
Hybridization and the phylogenetic relationship between polecats and domestic ferrets in Britain
Ferrets (Mustela furo) were domesticated from polecats (M. putorius, M. eversmannii) over 2000 years ago. Following their introduction to Britain, they escaped and hybridized with native European polecats (M. putorius). Native polecats declined to the point of near extinction prior to World War I, but have recently begun to expand from a Welsh refugium. Concern has arisen as to the extent of polecAuthorsA. Davison, J. D. S. Birks, H. I. Griffiths, A. C. Kitchener, D. Biggins, R. K. ButlinNoninvasive monitoring of fetal growth and development in the Siberian polecat (Mustela eversmanni)
The Siberian polecat (Mustela eversmanni) is the preferred species to assess procedures and establish normative values for application in the related and endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes). This study was undertaken to physically, ultrasonographically, and radiographically evaluate fetal development in a spontaneously breeding captive Siberian polecat population. UltrasonographicalAuthorsJeffrey Wimsatt, Jay D. Johnson, Robert H. Wrigley, Dean E. Biggins, Jerry L. GodbeyThe effect of rearing methods on survival of reintroduced black-footed ferrets
We estimated minimum survival rates for 282 young-of-year, captive-reared, black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) reintroduced into prairie dog (Cynomys spp.) colonies in Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota. We used night surveys with spotlights to locate ferrets about 1 month and 9 months postrelease. We modeled minimum survival rates using gender, year, site, and 4 rearing methods. Minimum surviAuthorsD.E. Biggins, J.L. Godbey, L.R. Hanebury, B. Luce, P.E. Marinari, M.R. Matchett, A. VargasThe captive environment and reintroduction: the black-footed ferret as a case study with comments on other taxa
No abstract available.AuthorsB. J. Miller, D. E. Biggins, A. Vargas, M. Hutchins, L. Hanebury, J. L. Godbey, Gerardo Ceballos, S. Anderson, J. L. Oldemeyer, F. L. KnopfA comparison of sevoflurane and isoflurane for short-term anesthesia in polecats (Mustela eversmanni)
Twenty-four Siberian polecats (Mustela eversmanni) from 12 litters were anesthetized with either inhaled sevoflurane or isoflurane. With 7% delivered sevoflurane and 5% delivered isoflurane, time to loss of righting reflex (mean +/- SE) with sevoflurane (1.9 +/- 0.1 min) was significantly shorter compared with isoflurane (2.6 +/- 0.1 min). During maintenance at a light plane of anesthesia, systoliAuthorsJ. S. Gaynor, J. Wimsatt, C. Mallinckrodt, D. E. BigginsManagement of an endangered species: the black-footed ferret
No abstract available.AuthorsD. E. Biggins, B. J. Miller, T. W. Clark, R.P. ReadingActivity rhythm and home range of alpine weasel
The activity rhthms and home ranges of alpine weasels were studied by telemetric techniques in 1990 at YUER mountain near Haibei Research Station of Alpine Meadow Ecosystem.The main activities of alpine weasels were as follows: play, self-groom, sunbath, explore, fecd, and activities of alpine weasels were as follows: play, self-groom, sunbath, explore,dens, the daily activity peads of adult femalAuthorsWei Wanhong, Zhou Wenyang, Naichang Fan, Dean E. BigginsActivity rhythms and distribution of natal dens for red foxes
The red fox, Vulpes vulpes, was investigated with snow tracking, radiotracking and directive observation at the Haibei Research Station of Alpine Meadow Ecosystem, Academia Sinica, from March to September 1994. The objectives of this study were to determine the distribution and use of natal dens, activity rhythms, and home range sizes for the foxes.AuthorsZhou Wenyang, Wei Wanhong, Dean E. BigginsBlack-Footed Ferrets
The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) was a charter member of endangered species lists for North America, recognized as rare long before the passage of Endangered Species Act of 1973. This member of the weasel family is closely associated with prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) of three species, a specialization that contributed to its downfall. Prairie dogs make up 90% of the ferret diet; inAuthorsD. Biggins, J. L. GodbeyReintroduction of the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes)
The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) (Figure 27.1) is a small, secretive, nocturnal member of the family Mustelidae (Hall, 1981; Honacki, Kurman and Koeppl, 1982). Ferrets have an obligate dependence on the prairie dog (Cynomys spp.) community, utilizing the prairie dog for food and its burrows for shelter (Campbell et al., 1987).AuthorsB. Miller, D. Biggins, L. Hanebury, A. VargasRecovery of the black-footed ferret: looking back, looking forward
No abstract available.AuthorsJ. L. Godbey, D. E. BigginsA technique for evaluating black-footed ferret habitat
In this paper, we provide a model and step-by-step procedures for rating a prairie dog (Cynomys sp.) complex for the reintroduction of black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes). An important factor in the model is an estimate of the number of black-footed ferret families a prairie dog complex can support for a year; thus, the procedures prescribe how to estimate the size of a prairie dog complex andAuthorsDean E. Biggins, Brian J. Miller, Louis R. Hanebury, Bob Oakleaf, Adrian H. Farmer, Ron Crete, Arnold Dood
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government