USDA Announces New Director for Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center

USDA Announces New Director for Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center

Posted by Gail Keirn, APHIS Legislative and Public Affairs, 970-266-6007

Jason Suckow of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has been named director of the National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC), headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado. NWRC is the research unit of APHIS’ Wildlife Services (WS) program, which provides Federal leadership and expertise to resolve wildlife conflicts to allow people and wildlife to coexist.            

"Suckow’s career is marked by substantial accomplishments and his ability to think and lead strategically," said WS Deputy Administrator Janet Bucknall. "His leadership skills and communication style suit him perfectly for the director position, and will help strengthen ties between WS’ operations and research functions.”

Suckow began his WS career in his home state of Wisconsin in 1989, as a seasonal beaver trapper. He worked his way up the ladder becoming a wildlife biologist and then a district supervisor, resolving conflicts caused by various wildlife species including bears, wolves, deer, and Canada geese. He became the State Director of Pennsylvania and then later the State Director of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Suckow most recently served as Director of WS’ Western Region overseeing WS work in 19 states and Guam. He has been a member of the WS Management Team since 2014, and has been serving as Acting Director of the NWRC since January.

Suckow has represented USDA on several interagency committees, including the Executive Committee for the Black-footed Ferret Recovery, Executive Mexican Gray Wolf Committee, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) Federal and Tribal Relations Committee, and the AFWA Threatened and Endangered Species Committee.

In 1990, Suckow received his Bachelor of Science in wildlife management from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. 

As WS’ research unit, NWRC’s scientists and support staff are dedicated to finding biologically sound, practical, and effective solutions to challenging wildlife damage management problems related to agriculture, human health and safety, property, invasive species, and threatened and endangered species. For more information on NWRC, visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlifedamage/nwrc/ on the Web.

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