In this episode, Matt, Grant, and Randy explore the importance of precision, variability, and detection probability in wildlife surveys. They emphasize the need for SMART objectives—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—in designing effective monitoring programs. Real-world examples, including bighorn sheep and Rio Yaqui fishes, illustrate how survey design, observation error, and risk management influence conservation outcomes.

Episode Quotes

“When you have observation error, site-specific variability, and temporal changes over time—that’s a lot of variance to consider when designing a survey.” 

“Before you start doing a survey, ask: how is this answer going to affect what you do?” 

Cite this episode: https://doi.org/10.7944/usfws.wbtn.s01ep012

DOI Citation Formatter: https://citation.doi.org/

Episode music: Shapeshifter by Mr Smith is licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International License. 

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

https://freemusicarchive.org/music/mr-smith/studio-city/shapeshifter/