In conjunction with, Animals in Nature/Art & Artifacts exhibit:

Skyler Gerrity, Assistant District Wildlife Biologist, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Skyler is the Assistant District Wildlife Biologist for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in Newport. He covers the Newport district which extends from Cascade Head in the north to the Smith River in the south. Some of his duties include managing terrestrial mammal and bird populations, mitigating wildlife conflicts, restoring and protecting wildlife habitat, and providing wildlife education to members of the public.

Skyler has worked with a variety of wildlife species across the western United States. Now in Newport, black bears are one of the primary species he manages. A large component of this management includes resolving human-black bear conflicts across his district. Through the scope of this work, Skyler spends time discussing with the public how to coexist with these large and charismatic mammals.