Michael Cherkiss
Michael Cherkiss' research interests include population ecology and conservation of amphibians and reptiles, with experience extending to radio telemetry and transmitter attachment on pythons, crocodilians, sea turtles and other species.
BACKGROUND
Prior to joining the USGS, Cherkiss was a biologist with the University of Florida for over ten years. He has over 15 years’ experience conducting research in the coastal areas of South Florida, Everglades ecosystems and internationally throughout the Caribbean, Central and South American.
Education and Certifications
M.S., Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, 2000
B.S., Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, 1996
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 52
The American crocodile in Biscayne Bay, Florida The American crocodile in Biscayne Bay, Florida
Intensive crocodile monitoring programs conducted during the late 1970s and early 1980s in southern Florida resulted in an optimistic outlook for recovery of the protected species population. However, some areas with suitable crocodile habitat were not investigated, such as Biscayne Bay and the mainland shorelines of Barnes and Card Sounds. The objective of our study was to determine...
Authors
Michael S. Cherkiss, Stephanie S. Romañach, Frank J. Mazzotti
Cold-induced mortality of invasive Burmese pythons in south Florida Cold-induced mortality of invasive Burmese pythons in south Florida
A recent record cold spell in southern Florida (2–11 January 2010) provided an opportunity to evaluate responses of an established population of Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) to a prolonged period of unusually cold weather. We observed behavior, characterized thermal biology, determined fate of radio-telemetered (n = 10) and non-telemetered (n = 104) Burmese pythons, and...
Authors
Frank J. Mazzotti, Michael S. Cherkiss, Kristen M. Hart, Ray W. Snow, Michael R. Rochford, Michael E. Dorcas, Robert N. Reed
A field test of attractant traps for invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in southern Florida A field test of attractant traps for invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in southern Florida
Context: Invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) are established over thousands of square kilometres of southern Florida, USA, and consume a wide range of native vertebrates. Few tools are available to control the python population, and none of the available tools have been validated in the field to assess capture success as a proportion of pythons available to be captured...
Authors
Robert N. Reed, Kristen M. Hart, Gordon H. Rodda, Frank J. Mazzotti, Ray W. Snow, Michael Cherkiss, Rondald Rozar, Scott Goetz
Estimating trends in alligator populations from nightlight survey data Estimating trends in alligator populations from nightlight survey data
Nightlight surveys are commonly used to evaluate status and trends of crocodilian populations, but imperfect detection caused by survey- and location-specific factors makes it difficult to draw population inferences accurately from uncorrected data. We used a two-stage hierarchical model comprising population abundance and detection probability to examine recent abundance trends of...
Authors
Ikuko Fujisaki, Frank J. Mazzotti, Robert M. Dorazio, Kenneth G. Rice, Michael Cherkiss, Brian Jeffery
A field test of attractant traps for invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in southern Florida A field test of attractant traps for invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in southern Florida
Context. Invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) are established over thousands of square kilometres of southern Florida, USA, and consume a wide range of native vertebrates. Few tools are available to control the python population, and none of the available tools have been validated in the field to assess capture success as a proportion of pythons available to be captured...
Authors
R.N. Reed, K.M. Hart, G.H. Rodda, F.J. Mazzotti, R.W. Snow, M. Cherkiss, R. Rozar, S. Goetz
Estimating trends in alligator populations from nightlight survey data Estimating trends in alligator populations from nightlight survey data
Nightlight surveys are commonly used to evaluate status and trends of crocodilian populations, but imperfect detection caused by survey- and location-specific factors makes it difficult to draw population inferences accurately from uncorrected data. We used a two-stage hierarchical model comprising population abundance and detection probability to examine recent abundance trends of...
Authors
Ikuko Fujisaki, F.J. Mazzotti, R.M. Dorazio, Kenneth G. Rice, M. Cherkiss, B. Jeffery
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 52
The American crocodile in Biscayne Bay, Florida The American crocodile in Biscayne Bay, Florida
Intensive crocodile monitoring programs conducted during the late 1970s and early 1980s in southern Florida resulted in an optimistic outlook for recovery of the protected species population. However, some areas with suitable crocodile habitat were not investigated, such as Biscayne Bay and the mainland shorelines of Barnes and Card Sounds. The objective of our study was to determine...
Authors
Michael S. Cherkiss, Stephanie S. Romañach, Frank J. Mazzotti
Cold-induced mortality of invasive Burmese pythons in south Florida Cold-induced mortality of invasive Burmese pythons in south Florida
A recent record cold spell in southern Florida (2–11 January 2010) provided an opportunity to evaluate responses of an established population of Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) to a prolonged period of unusually cold weather. We observed behavior, characterized thermal biology, determined fate of radio-telemetered (n = 10) and non-telemetered (n = 104) Burmese pythons, and...
Authors
Frank J. Mazzotti, Michael S. Cherkiss, Kristen M. Hart, Ray W. Snow, Michael R. Rochford, Michael E. Dorcas, Robert N. Reed
A field test of attractant traps for invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in southern Florida A field test of attractant traps for invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in southern Florida
Context: Invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) are established over thousands of square kilometres of southern Florida, USA, and consume a wide range of native vertebrates. Few tools are available to control the python population, and none of the available tools have been validated in the field to assess capture success as a proportion of pythons available to be captured...
Authors
Robert N. Reed, Kristen M. Hart, Gordon H. Rodda, Frank J. Mazzotti, Ray W. Snow, Michael Cherkiss, Rondald Rozar, Scott Goetz
Estimating trends in alligator populations from nightlight survey data Estimating trends in alligator populations from nightlight survey data
Nightlight surveys are commonly used to evaluate status and trends of crocodilian populations, but imperfect detection caused by survey- and location-specific factors makes it difficult to draw population inferences accurately from uncorrected data. We used a two-stage hierarchical model comprising population abundance and detection probability to examine recent abundance trends of...
Authors
Ikuko Fujisaki, Frank J. Mazzotti, Robert M. Dorazio, Kenneth G. Rice, Michael Cherkiss, Brian Jeffery
A field test of attractant traps for invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in southern Florida A field test of attractant traps for invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in southern Florida
Context. Invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) are established over thousands of square kilometres of southern Florida, USA, and consume a wide range of native vertebrates. Few tools are available to control the python population, and none of the available tools have been validated in the field to assess capture success as a proportion of pythons available to be captured...
Authors
R.N. Reed, K.M. Hart, G.H. Rodda, F.J. Mazzotti, R.W. Snow, M. Cherkiss, R. Rozar, S. Goetz
Estimating trends in alligator populations from nightlight survey data Estimating trends in alligator populations from nightlight survey data
Nightlight surveys are commonly used to evaluate status and trends of crocodilian populations, but imperfect detection caused by survey- and location-specific factors makes it difficult to draw population inferences accurately from uncorrected data. We used a two-stage hierarchical model comprising population abundance and detection probability to examine recent abundance trends of...
Authors
Ikuko Fujisaki, F.J. Mazzotti, R.M. Dorazio, Kenneth G. Rice, M. Cherkiss, B. Jeffery