Jacky Normandeau is looking at endoparasites of the Ya Ha Tinda (YHT) elk herd and the effects that different migratory strategies may have on parasite species composition and abundance. She hypothesizes a reduced parasite load in migrant elk that are absent from the YHT during peak infectious periods and that move away from lands contaminated with intermediate hosts. She is analyzing diet quality of the three segments via fecal nitrogen and use local elk density based on selection patterns of GPS-collared elk to determine if parasite loads, diet quality, and elk concentration differ among herd segments. She will also compare the species composition of fecal parasites between the elk, domestic cattle, wild horses, mule and white-tailed deer, and bighorn sheep with emphasis on understanding current cross-species patterns and to set a baseline for monitoring long-term changes.