Featured Scientist

Krysta Rogers is a senior environmental scientist at CDFW’s Wildlife Investigations Laboratory. She is the statewide lead for avian mortality investigations. Her professional experience has been focused almost exclusively on birds, including bird identification, biology, ecology and behavior. She has led and participated in numerous field projects including bird surveys, trapping, banding and sample collection.

Krysta earned both her Bachelors and Masters of Science degrees in Wildlife from Humboldt State University. She came to CDFW in 2007 as a wildlife biologist, starting out as the avian influenza surveillance coordinator. She subsequently worked on developing the lab’s Avian Investigations program, which includes mortality investigations, disease research and health surveillance for the many different bird species in California.

Who or what inspired you to become a scientist?

I had an interest in animals from a very young age and pursued this initially in the field of veterinary medicine. Although I enjoyed the animal health aspect, I learned I did not want to become a veterinarian in a small animal practice. I was unaware of other career possibilities until I took an elective course on endangered species at my local community college. The class introduced me to the career of wildlife biologist which subsequently informed my decision to attend Humboldt State University to obtain a degree in Wildlife. Later, while working toward my Master’s degree, my thesis advisor, Dr. Rick Botzler, taught me how to incorporate my interest in animal health into the study of wildlife biology.

What is a typical day like for you at work?

As the lead for avian mortality investigations, I spend most of my time responding to reports of dead birds from CDFW staff, other agencies, wildlife rehabilitation centers and the public. Given that most birds are active during the day and are thus highly visible to the public, these reports come in almost constantly. For investigations, I obtain carcasses for post-mortem exam to determine the cause of death, which may inform management actions. I either will perform the gross necropsy myself and submit various tissues for testing, or I will coordinate with another lab for the post-mortem exam and testing. Then I interpret the results and determine the next course of action. These investigations are varied – for instance, house finches and mourning doves dying from diseases at backyard bird feeders, juvenile California scrub jays and Cooper’s hawks dying of West Nile virus, Western and Clark’s grebes dying from starvation along the coast and at inland reservoirs, or bald and golden eagles dying of toxicosis or electrocution.

What is your favorite species to interact with or study?

It’s impossible to pick a single species; I’m interested in birds in general. There are more than 600 species of birds in California that live in a diversity of habitats. Different diseases or conditions can affect different species. This great diversity means always having the opportunity to learn something new in terms of species biology, a pathogen or environmental impacts.

What is it about the work you do that you find most interesting?

Investigating causes of mortality is almost like being a detective. You need to gather lots of detail and determine what factors are relevant to the cause of death for a particular animal. Sometimes this may be relatively easy with a pathogen or condition you routinely investigate, but sometimes it’s something entirely new. This aspect keeps the investigations interesting.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

One challenge is communicating the importance of incorporating animal health into resource management and conservation plans. For many avian species, we don’t have even a basic understanding of the impacts of diseases or contaminants that may influence population growth or decline. The lack of this information may limit our ability to manage species over the long-term, especially in the face of climate change. Climate change will almost certainly favor certain pathogens or host species that can aid in disease transmission.

What is the most rewarding project that you’ve worked on for CDFW?

So far, it’s been collaborating with researchers at the University of California, Davis to investigate avian trichomonosis in our native band-tailed pigeons. Avian trichomonosis is a disease caused by a protozoan parasite that in band-tailed pigeons causes near annual large-scale mortality events. This project enabled us to genetically characterize the parasites infecting band-tailed pigeons, including naming a new species of parasite, and evaluate the ecological drivers and the population impacts of these disease events on band-tailed pigeons, a migratory game species.

If you had free reign and unlimited funding, what scientific project would you most like to do?

I’d like to work towards an improved understanding of the impacts certain pathogens have on different avian species. This would include genetically characterizing the pathogens, identifying host range, and learning how avian species interact with their environment and the means by which they are exposed to certain pathogens.

Do you have any advice for people considering careers in science or natural resources?

Because there are so many career options in the field of science and natural resources, I’d recommend trying to get exposed to a diversity of people and projects as early as possible (e.g. junior high, high school). This can be accomplished through interviewing professionals, volunteering, internships and paid jobs. Learning about the different career options enables you to determine your interests and will help guide your educational path and eventually your career goals.

Tim Hovey is a senior environmental scientist specialist and fisheries biologist with CDFW’s Inland Fisheries Program in the South Coast Region. Based in the northern part of Region 5, his main duties include the monitoring, management and assessment of threatened and endangered fish, amphibian and reptile species. He researches the life history of these species, coordinates field surveys, collects data on habitat, population health and possible stressors, and writes field reports and scientific articles on the data collected.

Tim earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in environmental biology and a Master’s of Science degree in marine biology, both from California State University, Northridge. Originally hired by CDFW as a marine biologist in 1999, Tim transferred to inland fisheries a few years later. He is currently part of a diverse fisheries team that manages every aspect of fisheries science in southern California.

Who or what inspired you to become a scientist?

I didn’t really have an example to follow. I’ve always been interested in the outdoors and spent much of my childhood outside catching whatever I could. After high school, unsure of my direction, I took classes towards an engineering degree. After a few years of that, I realized I didn’t want to be an engineer. I stumbled on a job fair at the college I was attending and had a brief discussion with a representative from a university regarding marine science. I made one phone call to that university and the post doc that answered the phone convinced me to change majors and move south. After that, I never looked back.

What is a typical day like for you at work?

I start off by answering any emails or phone calls. During the survey season, I’ll start to schedule field outings to survey special status species. I’ll coordinate with other agencies and participate in planning meetings, write field reports and discuss and plan future projects all geared towards special status species recovery. I review and draft documents that deal with recovery aspects of the species I’m responsible for. In all honesty, no two days are ever the same and I really enjoy the variety of topics, challenges and duties.

What is your favorite species to interact with or study?

I love dealing with both marine and freshwater species and I don’t see that ever changing. I’ve always been a fish guy, with a constant interest in aquatic vertebrates and their amazing species diversity. Early on, I became very interested in why several different species of fish could occupy the same area. After that, I focused on reproductive behavior and habitat preference. I now deal mostly with native fish restoration and recovery, focusing on listed species like the unarmored threespine stickleback and the Santa Ana sucker. If it has anything to do with fish, I’m interested in it.

What is it about the work you do that you find most interesting?

I really enjoy the species-level information gathering and getting to spend a lot of time outside. To be honest, at times, I find it difficult to believe they pay me to do what I do. I am also amazed at the diverse topics and subjects I get to deal with. Since I am responsible for fish, amphibians and reptiles, I have to be familiar with many different types of survey protocols and species life histories. Since many of these species have special status, I need to be very familiar with required permitting if applicable and any regulatory issues that may arise from specific projects.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

My job takes a great deal of inter-agency coordination, especially with larger projects. While the agencies themselves are mostly on the same page, it can be a challenge dealing with the different agencies’ chains of command and overall differing protocols for project approval. However, in the end, I’m grateful for the diverse group of scientists from other agencies that I get to coordinate with.

What is the most rewarding project that you’ve worked on for CDFW?

I’ve worked on several projects that stand out.

I assisted in the removal of non-native pike from Lake Davis in 2007. Back in the early 2000s, northern pike were somehow introduced into the lake. They began to quickly impact the trophy trout fishery of the lake. Biologists became even more concerned that the non-native exotic predator would escape the lake and move downstream into the Sacramento River system, potentially impacting the steelhead and salmon population. I was part of a boat team that systematically treated the entire lake with rotenone, a naturally occurring toxin that kills fish. The repeated treatments worked and northern pike were eventually eliminated from the lake.

In 2005, I was the project lead for removing non-native trout from a section of Little Rock Creek here in Southern California. Upstream of the trout and isolated due to trout predation, endangered mountain yellow-legged frogs were in limited number and unable to migrate downstream. After removing the trout in a 900-meter section of creek below the frogs, an effort that took a decade, we documented the frogs recolonizing the now fishless area and increasing in number.

I’m also currently involved in the rescue and relocation of the endangered, unarmored threespine stickleback in Southern California. This is the most endangered fish in the state and losing quality habitat quickly. We are involved in a multi-agency effort to identify potential release sites in Southern California where we can introduce unarmored threespine stickleback to hopefully expand their range and population numbers.

If you had free reign and unlimited funding, what scientific project would you most like to do?

That’s a tough one. As of now, I would probably look at developing a program to enhance and restore unarmored threespine stickleback populations. Since they are considered the most endangered fish species in California, and number only in the hundreds, I think I would investigate captive rearing and breeding of this species to enhance the native populations.

Do you have any advice for people considering careers in science or natural resources?

If individuals are planning to get into a career in resource management, I would recommend that they pick a discipline. CDFW, as with most resource agencies, employ individuals with specialized training in a number of fields. Botany, mammalogy, ornithology, ichthyology and herpetology are all important specialized disciplines that are in high demand in most resource agencies. I would also recommend that interested individuals tag along with a scientist that is currently in the field of their particular interest. This will give you an idea of what is actually involved in the position you may be seeking. Finally, I would suggest they let their passion guide them. If they have a specific interest, follow it. I absolutely never gave up on finding a position where I get to study fisheries for a living. I passed up several other positions to land the one I have now. I have written a book about my experiences, called Out in the Field: Discovering a Career in Field Biology.

Few biologists are also authors. How did that come about?

I do a great deal of writing for the State and I started to notice quickly after I was hired in 1999, that I seriously enjoyed the task. Of course I would so much rather write about topics that are of a personal nature. My first book was finished in 2014 and took over a decade to complete. My second book, Raised Behind the Trigger: One father’s journey to preserve our outdoor heritage by teaching his daughters how to hunt, was published in 2016. Of all my writing projects I have taken on, this book about my daughters is my proudest writing accomplishment.

I also write monthly outdoor articles for several outdoor magazines and am currently the lead writer for the periodic California Sportsman. I write two articles a month for them detailing hunting, fishing and outdoor adventures. The column is called “Tales of a Fish Biologist.”

Any other interesting hobbies related to your career?

I operate an online website that provides dermestid beetles to hobbyists, museums and taxidermists all over the world. These flesh-eating bugs are useful to anyone interested in cleaning animal skulls for education, taxidermy or display. I know, weird huh? But I stumbled into it and thoroughly enjoy it.