College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

Major Advisor:

Brett DeGregorio

Background:

Azana received her bachelor's in science in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University in 2024. While doing her undergrad she worked as a Pathways Intern with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) at the Michigan Field Office working on federally endangered and threatened species. Her work with USFWS led her to join the Michigan Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, being advised by Dr. Brett DeGregorio, to work on her master's. Her research revolves around using a non-invasive camera trapping method called AHDriFt (adapted hunt drift fence technique) to better understand occupancy of the federally threaten Eastern massasauga rattlesnake. Azana also hopes to be able to individually identify the snakes captured on the cameras. The research is being conducted in Grayling, MI at Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center. With her research, Azana hopes to better understand this secretive snake species and help improve conservation habitat management