News Release

Meet our Park Staff: Clayton Merrill

News Release Date: January 25, 2024

Lake Mead National Recreation Area employs impressive professionals with diverse backgrounds and skills that support the park and the local community. One such employee is Clayton Merrill, our local Biological Science Technician. Clayton joined the National Park Service in 2018 and has been at Lake Mead since 2019. Not only does his work support Lake Mead, but he also protects the community and is an all-around interesting person.

A crucial role Clayton performs at the park is to advise law enforcement staff on wildlife-related issues. Clayton has expertise with a wide range of species, including bighorn sheep, desert tortoise, bats, reptiles, razorback suckers, sportfish, relict leopard frogs, and even goldfish. He explains that the rewards of this job come in the form of "Incredible experiences, close encounters with wildlife, and the satisfaction of saving injured animals."

While he plans his day around wildlife projects, the daily routine is often interrupted to respond to wildlife concerns, including rescuing trapped coyotes or relocating rattlesnakes from campgrounds and visitor restrooms. Despite the often-reactive nature of the job, Clayton finds fulfillment in "the adventure and opportunities the work brings." He also believes that "The National Park Service is entrusted with preserving resources for the American people. These resources include wildlife." When time permits, he also uses the skills he gained as a recreational scuba diver to assist the park dive team with maintenance, cleanups, and recoveries.

Another of Clayton's more high-profile responsibilities is to organize and conduct wildlife surveys, working closely with state and federal partners on wildlife research and initiatives. He shared that in this position, he "Has gotten to work with some of the best and brightest people in their fields, from around the country." Most recently, he coordinated the midwinter raptor survey, which is crucial to monitoring and understanding the population trends of various raptor species in Southern Nevada, including the bald eagle.

Clayton also supports the community in ways that many of us don't think about. He is called to remove and relocate unwanted human-adapted wildlife like raccoons, coyotes, and skunks. Furthermore, if a concern is brought up regarding an animal disease that can impact humans, he is the person who takes care of the issue.

In his off-time, Clayton has several hobbies that he makes time for. He spends time in California with a Wounded Warrior scuba diving group, and he also enjoys hiking, cycling, canoeing with his wife, birdwatching, and nature. He occasionally takes his motorcycle for a camping trip when the weather is nice. While indoors, Clayton enjoys reading science fiction and fantasy or playing games with friends.

Like the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, the staff working for the park have diverse backgrounds. What we have in common is a love of the outdoors and a call to serve the communities in which we live.