Focus on Fellows: John Benson
Published
2025-09-25We spoke with former Weston Fellow John Benson, now a Professor of Wildlife Ecology at the University of Nebraska, about his career journey, his research on eastern wolves, and how the fellowship helped shape his path.
In this conversation, John reflects on his PhD work, his ongoing collaborations in Canada, and the importance of science in guiding conservation action.
Could you tell us about the research you did as part of your Weston Fellowship with WCS Canada?
John Benson: The Weston Fellowship was part of my PhD at Trent University. My research focused on hybridization dynamics between eastern wolves, eastern coyotes, and gray wolves in and around Algonquin Park.
Eastern wolves are a rare, threatened species found mainly in Algonquin and adjacent areas of Ontario and a bit into Quebec. They readily hybridize with coyotes and gray wolves, creating a unique three-species hybrid zone. That hybridization, combined with human-caused mortality, limits their population growth.
For nearly four years, I caught wolves, coyotes, and hybrids, fitted them with GPS collars, and collected DNA samples to study their ancestry, movements, and survival. Much of that work involved daily tracking, sometimes from small planes and sometimes on the ground. Each spring I led teams into the field to visit dens and catch pups, fitting them with transmitters so we could follow their first year of survival. It was an intense and unforgettable experience, and I often describe those four years as some of the best of my life.
What we found was that eastern wolves thrive inside Algonquin Park, but when they disperse outside, many are quickly killed or end up breeding with coyotes or hybrids. This keeps them largely confined to Algonquin and its immediate surroundings. Since my dissertation, they’ve been listed as threatened both federally and provincially, and governments are still working on how to best conserve them.
What are you working on these days?
JB: I’m now a professor of wildlife ecology at the University of Nebraska. My work focuses on spatial ecology, population dynamics, and predator-prey interactions of large carnivores and ungulates.
I still collaborate on eastern wolf research in Ontario, but I also study mountain lions in California and mule deer, elk, and bighorn sheep in Nebraska. Much of my research aims to understand the ecology of these species and apply that knowledge to conservation or management—whether it’s endangered species like eastern wolves or harvested species like elk.
I also work with students and teach undergraduates. Recently, I’ve even started advising a PhD student in my lab in Nebraska whose field research is in India studying tigers, which has been exciting.
From your perspective, how has the conservation landscape in Canada changed since your Fellowship?
JB: During my time in Canada from 2008 to 2013, I became deeply involved in eastern wolf conservation. Although I’ve been back in the U.S. since then, I’ve stayed engaged through research collaborations and providing advice to recovery planning. Since my PhD, eastern wolves have been listed as threatened provincially and federally, but one positive change is that much of the research my colleagues and I did has been incorporated into provincial and federal management plans. Progress has been fairly slow, but it’s good to know that the information is out there and being used to guide recovery.
In your experience, how can organizations like WCS Canada have the most impact?
JB: From my perspective as a researcher, one of the most important things organizations like WCS Canada does is conduct and support wildlife science. That research on species of conservation concern and their environments provides the best available information for managers and practitioners to use in decision-making. Doing the science and making sure it’s supported and shared is, in my view, where WCS Canada make the biggest tangible impact.
I also know that WCS Canada is involved in policy initiatives and direct on-the-ground conservation actions. I’ll admit I’m less familiar with those aspects, but they are very important as well. Overall, the biggest challenge for all of us is finding ways to secure more funding so that even more research and conservation can be accomplished.
How did the Weston Fellowship support your career journey?
JB: My graduate work was very expensive and required a lot of funding. I was fortunate to have strong support from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, but the more funding we had, the more we could learn. The Weston Fellowship from WCS Canada came at a really important time, as I was finishing up and needed to complete certain parts of the research. That funding was very timely and made a real difference.
It wasn’t just about the money, though. Interacting with the people at WCS Canada, who were supportive of both the work and its conservation implications, was also valuable. On top of that, being able to apply for and secure independent funding was an important professional experience. Much of the funding for my PhD came through my advisor or the ministry, but having the chance to bring in a grant myself helped me show that I could find resources on my own. Later, when I applied for academic positions, that experience mattered a lot. It demonstrated that I could not only do the science but also fund a research program - something essential in academia.
How do you personally stay motivated in your work?
JB: One of the big things that motivates me is seeing research lead to real conservation outcomes. For example, during my postdoc in Los Angeles, we studied an isolated population of mountain lions. Our modeling showed they were vulnerable, with a higher-than-desirable risk of extinction if more gene flow couldn’t be achieved. Partly based on that work, a major wildlife crossing is now being built over a huge freeway to help mountain lions move more freely and improve their chances of survival.
That kind of impact, where science directly informs solutions, is what keeps me inspired. And on a personal level, I just love the work. There’s nothing more fun than getting paid to study animals, spend time in the woods, and learn how they live. To me, it really does beat working.
What advice would you give to people starting their careers in conservation?
JB: My advice is simple, go for it! I’ve always believed there’s nothing more important, more fun, or more rewarding than conservation science. Doing research that directly contributes to on-the-ground action for wildlife and their habitats is incredibly meaningful.
At the same time, conservation challenges today can feel daunting. The scale of what needs to be done can be overwhelming. What I often tell my students and colleagues is to remember that small steps matter. If we can each make differences in local areas, studying a species, asking applied questions, and finding practical answers, those efforts add up across broader regions.
I’ve seen this play out in my own career. My PhD research informed the process of eastern wolves being listed as threatened, and my master’s work helped reintroduce a population of endangered black bears in the U.S., which later contributed to them coming off the endangered species list. Those were small-scale projects in the grand scheme of things, focused on single-species, but they had lasting impacts.
No one can do this work alone. But if everyone contributes in manageable ways, together we can take on the bigger challenges.
