Marcelo Haidar Jorge

Dr. Jorge’s research focuses on wildlife management, particularly the impacts of habitat management on game species populations and the effects of disease on wildlife. He employs both passive and active sampling techniques to study how diseases influence wildlife behavior and population dynamics, with the goal of informing effective management strategies. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, and raised across the Eastern United States, Dr. Jorge previously worked at several American Zoological Association-accredited institutions as an animal keeper and trainer. He earned a Master of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from Virginia Tech, where his thesis explored the effects of fire on wildlife communities in North Florida. He completed his Ph.D. in Wildlife Sciences at the University of Georgia, with a dissertation that examined the impact of chronic wasting disease on white-tailed deer populations in northwest Arkansas. Dr. Jorge’s research interests include wildlife habitat management, wildlife disease, and predator-prey interactions, which he investigates through an applied science framework to support land managers and stakeholders.