Award-winning scientist Nick Sharp has joined TTL as our new senior wildlife biologist.
With 22 years of experience in wildlife science, conservation, and management and a decade dedicated to bat research, Nick is a pivotal figure in bat conservation, earning notable recognition as the 2023 Alabama Chapter of The Wildlife Society’s Biologist of the Year.
He also led for nine years the Alabama Bat Working Group, a collection of Alabama wildlife biologists and volunteers working to protect the state’s bat population. This organization was named the 2023 Wildlife Conservationist of the Year through the Alabama Governor's Conservation Achievement Awards.
Nick’s path to a career in wildlife biology was a natural one, beginning as a child exploring creeks and catching frogs and crayfish. This sparked a lifelong love for nature that he pursued professionally after a chance encounter with spotted owl researchers inspired him to study wildlife after leaving the U.S. Coast Guard.
Since then, he has undertaken challenging roles in fieldwork, such as studying moose migration in Idaho and discovering rare bat populations in Alabama, including the endangered northern long-eared bat. Nick’s expertise in tracking endangered bat species, especially in the face of white-nose syndrome — a disease devastating to North American bats — makes him invaluable to TTL’s environmental consulting team.
“I have considered it my job to speak for wildlife that can’t speak for itself, especially when I have an opportunity to try and do something positive for an imperiled species,” Nick said. “These bats are a social species – they’re highly intelligent, have a social dynamic, and they communicate with each other – and they’re just fun to work with.”
Nick joins TTL to expand our bat team and bat-focused services in supporting
conservation while facilitating project compliance with endangered species regulations. With ever-evolving regulations that recognize the critical role of bats in our ecosystems, Nick’s expertise provides our clients with the guidance needed to confidently address regulatory challenges.
Additionally, his extensive skills and passion for wildlife advocacy will allow TTL to continue supporting clients in ways that uphold the highest standards of environmental stewardship.
“We’re thrilled to have Nick on our team,” said Lillian Furlow, PG, TTL’s corporate bat team sponsor. “Nick brings expertise in threatened and endangered species, particularly bats, and we look forward to his expansion of our bat consulting services while advocating for wildlife on construction projects.”