Dr. Vilella to Present Results of Mississippi Waterbirds Study on March 5, 2013

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks’ Museum of Natural Science continues the “First Tuesday Lecture Series” on March 5, 2013 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the Museum’s Rotwein Theater. Dr. Francisco Vilella will present a lecture entitled “Resident and Neotropical Migrant Bird Communities of the Savanna Wetlands of the Orinoco River Basin, South America: Ecology and Conservation”.

Dr. Vilella will share the results of an extensive study on waterbirds of the Venezuelan Llanos and regions of special conservation concern. This vast expanse of wetlands, along with poor soils for agriculture and low human population density, combine to make the Llanos one of the most significant waterbird habitats in the world.

Dr. Vilella is a Professor of Conservation Biology at Mississippi State University and the Assistant Leader of the MS Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit.

There is no fee, other than regular Museum admission, to attend the lecture.

For more information about the Museum, visit our website at http://www.msnaturalscience.org or call us at 601-576-6000.

Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Parks

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP), formerly known as the Mississippi Game & Fish Commission, is an agency of the government of the U.S. state ofMississippi responsible for programs protecting Mississippi fish and wildlife resources and their habitats, as well as administering all state parks; it has its headquarters in Jackson. The agency issues hunting and fishing licenses, advises on habitat protection, and sponsors public education programs. It is also responsible for enforcement of Mississippi's fish and game laws. It is separate from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, which is the governing body for the state's natural salt-water resources and law enforcement thereof (i.e. Gulf of Mexico, ocean-going vessels, etc.).