I am a Scientist Emeritus at the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center. My research focuses on wildlife ecology, monitoring, and management.
I study mammalian ecology and wildlife-habitat relationships. My personal interests include outdoor activities, my family, reading biographies and history, and traveling.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Wildlife Ecology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID (1985)
M.S., Wildlife Ecology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR (1980)
B.S., Zoology, University of California, Davis, CA (1977)
Science and Products
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Post-release survival of translocated fishers: Implications for translocation success
Plant community succession following ungulate exclusion in a temperate rainforest
Factors influencing the post-release movements of translocated fishers: Implications for translocation success
Diet composition of Fishers (Pekania pennanti) reintroduced on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Elk monitoring in Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks: 2008-2017 synthesis report
Small mammals and ungulates respond to and interact with revegetation processes following dam removal
Vegetation sampling and management
Occupancy patterns in a reintroduced fisher population during reestablishment
Status of Pacific martens (Martes caurina) on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Trends in landbird density at two national parks in fragmented, mixed-use landscapes of the Pacific Northwest
Natural resource condition assessment: Olympic National Park
Landbird population trends in mountain and historical parks of the North Coast and Cascades Network: 2005–2016 synthesis
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Fisher Restoration on the Olympic Peninsula
Elwha River ScienceScape: Understanding Ecosystem Recovery Following Large-Scale Dam Removal
USGS science supporting the Elwha River Restoration Project
Wildlife Monitoring in National Parks
Mammalian Ecology and Management in Protected Areas
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Hoh Valley elk telemetry, Washington, 1978-79
Post-release point locations and survival history of fishers translocated from British Columbia to Olympic National Park, Washington, 2008-2010
Fisher (Pekania pennanti) detections and analysis covariates on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, 2013-2016
Habitat use, diet, movement, and vegetation use by western gray squirrels (Sciurus griseus) in the North Cascades Range, USA, 2008-2011
Science and Products
- Publications
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 61Post-release survival of translocated fishers: Implications for translocation success
As a vital tool for the conservation of species at risk, translocations are also opportunities to identify factors that influence translocation success. We evaluated factors associated with post-release survival of 90 radio-tracked fishers (Pekania pennanti) translocated from central British Columbia, Canada, to the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, USA, from 2008 to 2011. We hypothesized that theAuthorsJeffrey C. Lewis, Kurt Jenkins, Patricia J. Happe, David J. Manson, Paul C. GriffinPlant community succession following ungulate exclusion in a temperate rainforest
Ecosystem structure and processes of coastal temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest are thought to be strongly influenced by herbivory primarily of Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) and secondarily of Columbian black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus). Two large (0.5-ha) exclosures were built in old-growth coniferous rainforest communities in Olympic National Park, WashiAuthorsAndrea Woodward, Kurt Jenkins, Mark E HarmonFactors influencing the post-release movements of translocated fishers: Implications for translocation success
Long distance, post-release movements of translocated wildlife can be a key factor limiting translocation success. Yet, for many species, we have little or no understanding of factors that influence post-release movements. Translocations have been important for recovering fisher Pekania pennanti populations across the southern portion of their North American range. However, little is known abouAuthorsJeffrey C. Lewis, Patricia J. Happe, Kurt Jenkins, David J. MansonDiet composition of Fishers (Pekania pennanti) reintroduced on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Knowledge of diet composition can inform management strategies and efforts to recover endangered carnivore populations in vacant portions of their historic ranges. One such species, the Fisher (Pekania pennanti), was extirpated in Washington State prior to any formal documentation of its food habits in the coastal coniferous forests of western Washington. Fisher recovery efforts in Washington, basAuthorsPatricia J. Happe, Shelby H. Pace, Laura R. Prugh, Kurt Jenkins, Jeffrey C. Lewis, Joan HagarElk monitoring in Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks: 2008-2017 synthesis report
In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began collaborating with the National Park Service (NPS)-North Coast and Cascades Network (NCCN), the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe (MIT), Puyallup Tribe of Indians (PTOI), and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to develop a standard survey protocol for monitoring long-term changes in the abundance, distribution, and population composition of elAuthorsKurt Jenkins, B. C. Lubow, P. J. Happe, K. Braun, J. Boetsch, W. Baccus, T. Chestnut, D. J. Vales, B. J. Moeller, M. Tirhi, E. Holman, P. C. GriffinSmall mammals and ungulates respond to and interact with revegetation processes following dam removal
Terrestrial wildlife communities are often overlooked as components of ecosystem restoration following dam removal. However, a diverse mammalian fauna colonizes habitat on dewatered reservoirs and may influence restoration processes. We studied mammalian colonization and ungulate herbivory from 2014 to 2018 following the removal of two large dams on the Elwha River in Washington, USA. SpecificallyAuthorsRebecca McCaffery, Kurt J. Jenkins, Sara Cendejas-Zarelli, Patricia J. Happe, K.A. Sager-FradkinVegetation sampling and management
What is the utility of vegetation measurements for wildlife managers? In the prairie, savanna, tundra, forest, steppe, and wetland regions of the world, mixtures of plant species provide wildlife with food, cover and, in some circumstances, water; the 3 essential habitat elements necessary to sustain viable wildlife populations. We define habitat in reference to use of a vegetation type by an animAuthorsKenneth F. Higgins, Kurt Jenkins, Daniel W. Uresk, Lora B. Perkins, Kent C. Jensen, Jack E. Norland, Robert W. Klaver, David E. NaugleOccupancy patterns in a reintroduced fisher population during reestablishment
Monitoring population performance in the years following species reintroductions is key to assessing population restoration success and evaluating assumptions made in planning species restoration programs. From 2008–2010 we translocated 90 fishers (Pekania pennanti) from British Columbia, Canada, to Washington's Olympic Peninsula, USA, providing the opportunity to evaluate modeling assumptions useAuthorsPatricia J. Happe, Kurt Jenkins, Rebecca McCaffery, J. C. Lewis, Kristine Pilgrim, Michael K. SchwartzStatus of Pacific martens (Martes caurina) on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Pacific martens (Martes caurina) remain common in montane regions of the Pacific states, yet their distribution and status on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, is uncertain. Between 1968– 2008, six reliable marten detections exist; a dead juvenile female (2008) indicates martens were reproducing on the Peninsula within the last decade. To assess the status of martens, we describe carnivore surveyAuthorsK. M. Moriarty, K. B. AubryTrends in landbird density at two national parks in fragmented, mixed-use landscapes of the Pacific Northwest
National parks play a key role in conserving species by providing landscapes where threats from anthropogenic disturbance are reduced. In a recent study of 3 large wilderness parks in the Pacific Northwest, nearly all landbird species were found to be stable or increasing. Nonetheless, contemporary results from the Breeding Bird Survey and mark-recapture studies fuel concerns that some landbirds iAuthorsChris Ray, Mandy Holmgren, Robert L. Wilkerson, Rodney B. Siegel, John R. Boetsch, Kurt J. Jenkins, Jason I. RansomNatural resource condition assessment: Olympic National Park
The Natural Resource Assessment Program aims to document condition and trends of selected park resources while identifying emerging issues and information needs. This information is intended to serve as a platform for natural resource managers to use in developing future resource stewardship priorities and planning.Olympic National Park (OLYM) on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula protects remarkableLandbird population trends in mountain and historical parks of the North Coast and Cascades Network: 2005–2016 synthesis
Long-term monitoring of landbird populations within the National Park Service (NPS) North Coast and Cascades Inventory and Monitoring Network (NCCN) began in 2005, with the goal of detecting trends to inform the conservation and management of landbirds and their habitats. Here we use 2005–2016 data from over 3500 point-count stations to report landbird occurrence and trends in each of five NCCN paAuthorsChris Ray, James F. Saracco, Mandy Holmgren, Robert L. Wilkerson, Rodney B. Siegel, Kurt J. Jenkins, Jason I. Ransom, Patricia J. Happe, John R. Boetsch, Mark H. HuffNon-USGS Publications**
Jenkins, K.J., Starkey, E.E., 1996, Simulating secondary succession of elk forage values in a managed forest landscape, western Washington: Environmental Management, v. 20, no. 5, p. 715-724.Jenkins, K.J., 1995, The Mentasta caribou herd InLaRoe, E.T., Farris, G.S., Puckett, C.E., Doran, P.D., Mac, M.J., eds., Our Living Resources: A Report to the Nation on the Distribution, Abundance, and Health of U.S. Plants, Animals, and Ecosystems: Washington DC, US National Park Service, National Biological Service, p. 357-358.Jenkins, K.J., Starkey, E.E., 1993, Winter forages and diets of elk in old-growth and regenerating coniferous forests in western Washington: American Midland Naturalist, v. 130, no. 2, p. 299-313.Easterly, T.G., Jenkins, K.J., McCabe, T.R., 1992, Efficacy of orally administered ivermectin on lungworm infection in free ranging bighorn sheep: Wildlife Society Bulletin, v. 20, p. 34-39.Jenkins, K.J., Starkey, E.E., 1991, Food habits of Roosevelt elk: Rangelands, v. 13, no. 6, p. 261-265.Easterly, T.G., Jenkins, K.J., 1991, Forage production and use on bighorn sheep winter range following spring burning in grassland and ponderosa pine habitats: Prairie Naturalist, v. 23, no. 4, p. 193-200.Jenkins, K.J., Happe, P.J., Wright, R.G., 1990, Evaluating above-snow browse availability using nonlinear regressions: Wildlife Society Bulletin, v. 18, p. 49-55.Jenkins, K.J., Wright, R.G., 1988, Resource partitioning and competition among cervids in the northern rocky mountains: Journal of Applied Ecology, v. 25, p. 11-24.Jenkins, K.J., Wright, R.G., 1987, Dietary niche relationships among cervids relative to winter snowpack in northwestern Montana: Canadian Journal of Zoology, v. 65, p. 1397-1401, https://doi.org/10.1139/z87-220.Jenkins, K.J., Wright, R.G., 1987, Simulating succession of riparian spruce forests and white-tailed deer carrying capacity in northwestern Montana: Western Journal of Applied Forestry, v. 2, no. 3, p. 80-83.Leslie, D.M., Jenkins, K.J., 1985, Rutting mortality among male roosevelt elk: Journal of Mammalogy, v. 66, no. 1, p. 163-164.Jenkins, K.J., Starkey, E.E., 1984, Habitat use by Roosevelt elk in unmanaged forests of the Hoh Valley, Washington: Journal of Wildlife Management, v. 48, no. 2, p. 642-646, https://doi.org/10.2307/3801209.Jenkins, K.J., Starkey, E.E., 1982, Social organization of Roosevelt elk in an old-growth forest: Journal of Mammalogy, v. 63, p. 331-334.**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
- Science
Fisher Restoration on the Olympic Peninsula
Researchers at the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Olympic Field Station, have been involved in fisher restoration to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula since 2008, when fishers were reintroduced to the peninsula following decades of extirpation.Elwha River ScienceScape: Understanding Ecosystem Recovery Following Large-Scale Dam Removal
The Elwha River – located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington - is home to an iconic dam removal and ecosystem restoration project. The Elwha offers a unique setting to explore the ecosystem level effects of dam removal and river restoration because of its prominence, such as large sediment volume, several salmon populations, and pristine wilderness.USGS science supporting the Elwha River Restoration Project
The Elwha River Restoration Project has reconnected the water, salmon, and sediment of a pristine river and coast of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington.Wildlife Monitoring in National Parks
Maintaining a current understanding of ecological conditions is fundamental to the National Park Service in meeting its mission to preserve park resources in an unimpaired state for future generations. Ecological monitoring establishes reference conditions, which over time help to define the normal limits of natural variation, determine standards for comparing future changes, and identify the need...Mammalian Ecology and Management in Protected Areas
National parks and other protected areas are key components of the wildlife conservation landscape. The goal of wildlife managers in national parks is to preserve the ecological integrity and authenticity of natural systems for future generations. Wildlife populations of national parks, however, are in continuous flux as a result of changing land uses outside their boundaries, climate variability... - Data
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Hoh Valley elk telemetry, Washington, 1978-79
Data set represents radiotelemetry location data for Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) in the Hoh Valley of Olympic National Park from 1978-1979.Post-release point locations and survival history of fishers translocated from British Columbia to Olympic National Park, Washington, 2008-2010
The data set includes point location data and survival status of 90 fishers that were translocated from central British Columbia, Canada, to Olympic National Park, Washington, 2008-2010.Fisher (Pekania pennanti) detections and analysis covariates on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, 2013-2016
From 2013-16 we deployed 3 motion-sensing cameras paired with hair (DNA)-snaring devices within each of 263 24-square kilometer primary sampling units distributed systematically across the Olympic Peninsula in northwestern Washington. The data set contains detection histories of fishers during each of 3 14-day sampling intervals at each hexagon. The data set also includes detectability and environHabitat use, diet, movement, and vegetation use by western gray squirrels (Sciurus griseus) in the North Cascades Range, USA, 2008-2011
Data are contained in a comma-separated spreadsheet files (.csv) that describe vegetation characteristics of high- and low-use areas, nest tree sites, and individual nest trees used by western gray squirrels in the North Cascades as determined through live-trapping and radiotelemetry at two study sites: Stehekin, and the southern Methow Valley (Squaw Creek drainage), Washington. Squirrels were liv - News