Who We Are
We are a conservation and scientific research nonprofit organization.
Our Mission: To study and protect carnivores at risk of extinction and the mountain ecosystems they call home through innovative science, strong partnerships and local community action.
Dale–A Mount Rainier wolverine from our study area. Photo Credit: Kayla Shively, Cascades Carnivore Project Field Alumnus
See our 2023 Annual Report!
CASCADE RED FOX KITS AT MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK. Photo Credit: Kelly VanDellen
Our Vision
Ensure thriving carnivore populations and healthy mountain ecosystems for generations to come by developing innovative solutions for carnivore recovery and coexistence posed by human encroachment, habitat fragmentation and climate change.
TREKKING THROUGH RARE CARNIVORE HABITAT ON PAHTO | MOUNT ADAMS, WA. Photo Credit: Michael Hanson
Our Goals
Collaborate with Native American Tribes, First Nations, government agencies, and other conservation groups to understand the drivers of carnivore declines and develop management priorities for their recovery that will inform conservation strategies and plans.
Make long-standing change through local community action that raises public awareness and support for the conservation of carnivores and their mountain homes.
Inspire the next generation of scientists and conservationists.
Cascade red fox (known as Ginger) in Mount Rainier. Photo by: Gretchen Kay Stuart
Our Science Program and Projects
Monitoring the Return of Wolverines to Washington’s South Cascades Ecosystem.
Cascade Red Fox Ecology and Conservation.
Canada Lynx Abundance, Genetic Status and Connectivity in Washington’s North Cascades and British Columbia.
Niche Partitioning of North Cascades Montane Carnivores in Face of a Changing Climate.
Cross-phase Cascade Red Fox of Mount Rainier National Park (known as Whitefoot). Photo Credit: Gretchen Kay Stuart
Our Values
Scientific integrity - We employ innovative and rigorous scientific practices to advance our collective understanding of carnivore populations and mountain ecosystems
Collaboration - Our work is made possible through collaborations with State Parks, Fish & Wildlife, research universities, tribes, and community scientists
Interdependence - We believe that everything is connected. By understanding and protecting the mountain home of high alpine carnivores, we protect and preserve our own home as well
Dogged determination - We work in wild and rugged environments and solve problems as they arise. We are driven by passion and tenacity. We keep at it until No’s become YES.
Watch our film collaboration with Mount Rainier National Park. Join the movement to protect the Cascade red fox and other rare carnivores. Learn about our community science program.
Cascades Carnivore Project, in collaboration with the National Park Service, discovered the first reproductive female wolverine and her kits in Mount Rainier National Park in over a century. Read more about the news.
The two kits of female wolverine nicknamed in July 2020 at Mount Rainier National Park.
Carnivore Conservation in Our Changing World
During the last century, many carnivore species have suffered significant declines in their distribution and abundance including several local extinctions (also known as extirpations) in the Cascade Range - of wolverines, fishers, gray wolves and grizzly bears. The good news is that some of these species are starting to recover as the historical threats of overharvest and predator control programs have been significantly reduced and these species are returning on their own and with human’s help. We have the opportunity to coexist and understand that our iconic Northwest landscape once again includes wolverine kits playing in the snow, gray wolves howling in wild, alpine meadows, and fishers finding protection in mature forests. However, climate change, significant human development and increased outdoor recreation pose novel challenges for wildlife today. Our aim is to meet these challenges by studying rare carnivores across landscapes and providing clear solutions to promote thriving carnivore populations in the West.
Camera trap photo of a wolverine captured at one of Cascades Carnivore Project’s noninvasive bait stations.
Our Approach
We conduct long-term scientific research studies to identify conservation actions and promote conservation efforts to protect rare carnivores with an emphasis on wolverines, Cascade red foxes, and Canada lynx.
We provide critical data and analysis on the status and threats to species of conservation concern, and inform and promote effective management strategies.
We are committed to collaborative efforts that activate local communities and engage valuable partners including wildlife and land managers, Tribes, STEAM students, community scientists, and nongovernmental organizations.
Black-phase Cascade Red Fox of Mount Rainier National Park (known as Snag). Photo Credit: Gretchen Kay Stuart
How does DNA help with carnivore conservation?
We are experts in leveraging the wonders of what DNA tells us about carnivore populations and individuals across the large landscape of the Cascade Range. We work with genetic laboratories in the US that extract both mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA) from the carnivore scat, hair, and urine samples we collect in the mountains. The mtDNA confirms which carnivore species the scat belongs to, as well as, every prey species within the scat. This allows us to identify what wolverines, Cascade red foxes, and Canada lynx eat and which prey species are particularly important for these carnivores. If their key prey sources are not doing well, for example a hoary marmot or a pika population that is negatively impacted by warming in the mountains due to climate change, we can share these data with land managers to work to protect and restore prey habitat such as subalpine parklands that are important for those prey.
We use the nDNA to determine individual wolverines, Cascade red foxes, and Canada lynx. We put all these individual (partial) genomes together to look at population-level conservation metrics. For example, we can determine if the population is small and inbred. Do we need to identify places where we can restore the forest and connect the southern populations to populations elsewhere to increase genetic diversity. We also use the nDNA to see how genes flow across the landscapes ie how individuals move and reproduce throughout the Cascade Range. We can use a landscape genetic resistance analysis to see which landscape features (for example, a large river, or a low-elevation valley with a large highway) restrict gene flow ie how much of a barrier these features are for the carnivores. This is critical if you want to identify where to put a wildlife crossing, reduce highway speeds, or restore the forest in the area.
What do our partnerships and strong alliances look like?
We believe we accomplish more together through public participation, local community action and strong partnerships. We are committed to growing together and nurturing these vital relationships. We love working with stakeholders who share common goals and are willing to jointly share the responsibilities, resources, and rewards of our conservation efforts to ensure we are all better protecting our planet in the face of climate change.
