Memories of a Wildlife Biologist – Ron Joseph

May 8th – Memories of a Wildlife Biologist
Speaker: Ronald Joseph
Zoom: Available for people not able to attend in person. Link to appear here the day of the talk.

Ron’s talk will mainly focus on wildlife and his role in protecting and conserving species as described in detail in his recent book: Bald Eagles, Bear Cubs, and Hermit Bill: Memories of a Wildlife Biologist, published by ISLANDPORT PRESS, 2023.
He will focus in particular on the most current threat facing Maine’s fish and wildlife: a warming Pine Tree State that will result in winners and losers.

Ron Joseph was born in Waterville in 1952 and grew up in neighboring Oakland. He developed a love for the outdoors and wildlife on his grandparents’ dairy farm in Mercer, where he spent many weekends, summers, and vacations working and exploring. He especially loved birds, a passion nurtured by his mother, and spent hours perched on stacks of hay bales watching swallows dart in and out of the barn to feed their nestlings. That fascination led him to study ornithology at the University of New Hampshire where he earned a degree in wildlife conservation. He later earned a master’s degree in zoology from Brigham Young University.
In 1978, he began a career as a state and federal wildlife biologist, often with a focus on the restoration of endangered species. In 1990, Ron began working as a private lands wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, helping landowners restore hayfields and wetlands for migratory birds. He played a pivotal role in restoring Maine’s bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and Canada lynx populations. He is now retired, but continues to speak, volunteer, and lead birding trips. In this Q&A we spoke to Ron about his love for birds, his accomplishments as a conservationist, and his thoughts on the current state of wildlife preservation in Maine.

Ron with baby Lynx. Photo Credit – Paul Cyr