CDRI scholarship supports Sul Ross black bear research in Trans-Pecos Kerry Laird Wed, 06/24/2026 - 20:22 Body Black bears are once again part of the wildlife story of Far West and Southwest Texas, and Sul Ross State University graduate student Jesse Ellgren is working to better understand what their return means for the region's future.

Ellgren, a graduate researcher with the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) at Sul Ross, recently received a Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute (CDRI) Scholarship Award in support of his work studying black bear recolonization and mammal community trends along the U.S.-Mexico border.

For Ellgren, the award is both a personal honor and practical support for research that requires a tremendous amount of effort.