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IN MEMORIAM
Victor Van Ballenberghe, 1943–2022 

Victor Van Ballenberghe was born in 
Bayshore, Long Island, New York and grew up 
on a dairy farm in upstate New York. He received 
a biology degree from State University of New 
York (SUNY) at Oneonta and then entered 
the University of Minnesota in 1967 where he 
earned MS and PhD degrees. Vic’s PhD (1972) 
research focused on wolves as part of a larger 
moose study in northeastern Minnesota. His 
research occurred in the early days of radio-
telemetry and was of the first to employ the 
pioneering technology.

Vic’s first job was as an extension trapper 
at South Dakota State University. Two years 
later, he was hired by the Alaska Department 
of Fish & Game to investigate the effect of the 
trans-Alaska pipeline on moose migration. In 
1980, he joined the research branch of the U.S. 
Forest Service and conducted moose and wolf 
research in Denali National Park and the Copper 
River Delta. He initiated long-term, well known 
investigations into moose biology and behavior 
that extended over 40 years. A truly unique aspect 
of this research was Vic’s documentation of the 
ecology, breeding activity, and mortality across 
the lifespan of multiple bull moose. Although Vic 
retired in 2000, he continued these studies until 
Parkinson’s disease limited his activity. 

Vic was a “boots on the ground” field 
biologist and believed that one had to spend 
time in the field and patiently observe animals in 
their natural habitat to truly understand selection 
processes affecting behavior and survival. He 
was well known for his consummate field skills 
and knowledge of natural history. Vic was a 
collaborative researcher, advising and supervising 
numerous graduate students including those 
researching moose and wolves in the Copper 
River and Denali. Vic authored and co-authored 
over one hundred technical journal articles, book 
chapters, and symposium papers. He published 
many popular articles and wrote numerous 
newspaper opinion pieces on controversial wildlife 
management issues. He worked with multiple film 
crews including the BBC, National Geographic, 
and Animal Planet, while accommodating National 
Park Service naturalists, private photographers, 
and so many others seeking his expertise and 
commentary. His exemplary professional efforts 
and leadership were recognized by his receiving 
the Distinguished Moose Biologist Award (1996) 
from the International Alces Working Group.

Vic was appointed to the Alaska Board 
of Game by Governor Bill Sheffield in 1985, 
serving one full term and two subsequent 
partial terms in 1996 and 2002. He was a strong 



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advocate of scientific, evidence-based wildlife 
management, including support for bears and 
wolves. Fittingly, his last publication in Alces 
addressed large carnivore management in 
Alaska, advocating for stronger scientific versus 
political approaches. 

Vic was an avid and extremely skilled 
photographer. His beautiful book In the Company 
of Moose (2004) contains 120 photographs from 
Denali National Park and elsewhere, set to Vic’s 

descriptive and passionate writing portraying the 
year-round ecology and behavior of moose. The 
final chapter “Death of a Warrior” won awards 
for creative nonfiction. 

Vic is survived by his wife Linda Masterson, 
daughter Andrea Bradford, son Jonathan Van 
Ballenberghe, and several nieces and nephews. 
He was truly a pioneer and stalwart of the moose 
world, with a professional legacy for future 
moosers to recognize and appreciate.  


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