The Big Oaks Conservation Society will host a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Ivy Tech Community College, 590 Ivy Tech Drive, Madison.

Lane Jeakle, a field ecologist for Wildlife Ecology Institute, will present information about an ongoing study on gray foxes. They are a valuable and understudied furbearer not only in Indiana but generally across its entire range.

Recent work has indicated gray foxes could be in trouble not only in Indiana but also in other Midwest states. The factors causing these issues are unknown but might be linked to habitat loss and changing predator (e.g., coyote), community structure, disease and other factors.

From 2020 to 2024, Jeakle and his collaborators are implementing a large-scale, comprehensive study at two study sites in Indiana with objectives designed to directly assess causes of population changes of gray foxes and provide recommendations for management of this species that can be applied in Indiana and other Midwest states.

The public is invited to attend this free presentation.

The Big Oaks Conservation Society is the nonprofit support group of Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge in Madison. Meetings are held on the first Monday of selected months at 6:30 p.m.