Levi Heffelfinger

Dr. Levi Heffelfinger serves as an Assistant Professor and Director of the North Texas Research Program at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute (CKWRI), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, within the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Department of Rangeland and Wildlife Sciences.

His educational background includes:

• Bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona
• Master's degree from the University of Nevada, Reno
• Ph.D. from Texas A&M University-Kingsville (Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute)

Dr. Heffelfinger's research integrates nutritional ecology, spatial dynamics, and population modeling to address conservation challenges of large mammals in arid ecosystems. His work examines how landscape variability influences movement patterns, demographic performance, and reproductive outcomes in deer species, with significant applications for wildlife management in the southwestern United States and southern Great Plains.

His professional recognition includes:

• Boone & Crockett Fellow in Ungulate Research

As Director of the North Texas Research Program, he leads field and analytical initiatives focused on science-based solutions for ungulate conservation, emphasizing the connections between forage availability, environmental constraints, and population sustainability.