Local News
Shiloh Schulte worked with shorebirds with the Manomet Conservation Sciences center, a nonprofit based in Plymouth.
A scientist who worked with shorebirds in Plymouth was killed when a helicopter crashed in a remote part of Alaska last week while conducting conservation work, the nonprofit that employed him announced.
Shiloh Schulte, PhD, worked as a senior shorebird scientist with the Manomet Conservation Sciences center, a nonprofit based in Plymouth. Schulte lived in Kennebunk, Maine, where he previously served as select board chair.
“Shiloh gave his life in the service of something greater than himself, dedicating himself to preserving the natural world for future generations,” Manomet Center said on social media.
The Robinson R-66 helicopter went down near Kaparuk, Alaska on Wednesday, June 4, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
Local officials of the North Slope Borough, Alaska’s northernmost borough, said that the crash was about 25 to 30 miles southwest of Deadhorse, Alaska. North Slope Borough Search and Rescue responded “promptly” Wednesday and confirmed the crash resulted in multiple fatalities.
A pilot and one passenger, presumably Schulte, died in the crash, Alaska Public Media reported.
The NTSB investigators were on scene, which is only accessible by helicopter, on Friday, June 6, the agency said. A preliminary report will be available within the month, and the probable cause of the crash will be in the final report, which will released within the next two years, NTSB said in a statement.
Manomet Conservation Sciences shared a GoFundMe for the biologist, who is survived by his wife and two daughters.
“Shiloh was doing what he loved most—working in nature to protect the birds and wild places he cherished so deeply,” the GoFundMe said, which was organized by family members on behalf of his wife. The funds will support conservation efforts and his daughters’ education.
Schulte worked with programs to aid the recovery of American oystercatchers and other beach-nesting birds, according to his online bio on Manomet’s website. He received his doctorate at North Carolina State University, where he studied shorebirds on the Outer Banks. He was an avid birder, a competitive distance runner, and had a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
The center also organized a memorial page for people to share their memories of the scientists. Pictures showed him accepting awards, holding shorebirds near the water, and sprawled out on the beach taking photos.
“Shiloh was a deeply respected member of the Manomet Conservation Sciences team, whose passion for shorebird conservation and unwavering commitment to protecting our planet inspired everyone fortunate enough to work alongside him,” the nonprofit said said.
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