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What is Wildlife Science? Applied Ecology ECOLOGY Population Growth Community Organization Ecosystem Organization Processes & Interactions CONSERVATION BIOLOGY Threatened & Endangered species Reserve Design Restoration Habitat WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT Increase or Decrease Populations Sustainable Harvest Monitor Population Status Information Needs for Wildlife Conservation Habitat requirements Assessment of past and current populations Major limiting factors Growth or decline? Ability to survive, reproduce and disperse How to manage the population(s)? Habitat protection Captive breeding Legal protection Era of Environmental Management: 1966-present Examples of Success in Wildlife Conservation American Bison From the surviving 150 individuals, there are now over 30,000 bison in many different herds Era of Environmental Management: 1966-present Examples of Success in Wildlife Conservation White-tailed (E. U.S.) and mule deer (W. of Cascades to Dakotas) Suffered from loss of habitat and overharvesting Habitat restoration and better protection resulted in many recovered populations and even overpopulation in places Era of Environmental Management: 1966-present Examples of Success in Wildlife Conservation Elk (wapiti) Suffered from overharvesting and loss of habitat Habitat restoration & better protection have led to many recovered populations Era of Environmental Management: 1966-present Examples of Success in Wildlife Conservation Gray wolf Persecuted for centuries, ongoing in some places Change of attitudes has made restoration efforts possible (e.g. Yellowstone NP) Still controversial species, especially with respect to ranching Today: Human Relationships with Wildlife Today: Human Relationships with Wildlife Permanent settlements, transportation dramatically change where wildlife can survive Humans move around a lot of species to areas they were never found before Technological advances – allow us to harvest more wildlife Pollution from human activities directly and indirectly (climate change) influences wildlife In other words . . . Habitat degradation, loss and fragmentation Biological invasions Overexploitation Climate change Why does it matter? Between a quarter and a third of the world's wildlife has been lost since 1970 (Zoological Society of London) Wildlife has value for humans Economic Recreational Intrinsic Human Attitudes Toward Wildlife • • • • • • • • • Scientific: curiosity, study, knowledge Ecological: ecosystem, species interdependence Naturalistic: wildlife exposure, contact with nature Humanistic: pets, love for animals Moralistic: ethical concern for animal welfare Aesthetic: artistic and display Utilitarian: practicality, usefulness Dominionistic: mastery, superiority Negativistic: avoidance, dislike, indifference, fear Different Views of Wildlife Wildlife means different things to different people: • Traditional view: Species that are hunted or trapped • In last 25 years: All species Historical perspectives: Hunting Subsistence hunting - 1.8 million years Protein Bone for implements Sinew for cordage Fur and feathers for warmth and ornament Rawhide and leather for clothing and shelter Historical perspectives: Hunting Early colonists Access to land in New World Tradition established “Birth right” Percentage of hunters declined since 1960s Hunting vs. No Hunting Controversy Hunters Non-hunters Hunt legal game species by trapping or shooting Do not hunt or trap, but do not oppose or interrupt those that do Anti-hunters Do not hunt or trap, but do oppose and try to disrupt hunting Animal Rights vs. Wildlife Conservation Philosophies Animal Rights Humans should cause no pain, suffering or death to sentient animals Animals should be treated with same ethical standards as humans Rights of individual animals of primary importance; integrity of ecology and populations, other concerns secondary Animal Rights vs. Wildlife Conservation Philosophies Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic “A thing is right if it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends to do otherwise.” (1949 A Sand County Almanac) Hunting is permissible Hunting terms Harvest Bag limit Max. number of legally taken game animals (daily, possession, season limits) Surplus Game legally shot and retrieved (“bagged”) Proportion of population in excess of the number of breeders required to maintain the population at a desired level Poaching Illegal take or possession of animals Closed season, closed area, illegal methods, threatened and endangered species, age/sex of animal Hunting areas of Washington Go Hunt: http://wdfw.wa.gov/mapping/gohunt/index.html The premise behind game harvest Without harvest Growth and recruitment of population are balanced by natural mortality Average growth rate of a population at its carrying capacity (k) = 0 Harvest Reduces number of animals in a population Increases growth rate (decreased competition) Results in “harvestable surplus” Annual surplus: without harvest Births = Deaths Compensatory mortality: with harvest Births = + Game species of WA Big game Deer, Elk, Black Bear Game species of WA Predators Cougar, Coyote Game species of WA Small Game Cottontail, Snowshoe Hare Furbearers Ex. Red Fox, Mink, Beaver, Marten, Badger, Bobcat, Lynx Game species of WA Upland game birds Ex. Blue (now Dusky), Ruffed and Spruce Grouse, Ring-necked Pheasant, Wild Turkey, California and Mountain Quail Waterfowl Ducks, Coots, Snipe, Geese Examples of hunted species White-tailed deer Population extremely high through much of its range Recent declines due to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Examples of hunted species Mule deer Primary deer species in Rocky Mountain states Populations fluctuate but most are healthy Examples of hunted species Black-tailed deer Coastal form of mule deer Hybridize with mule deer in North Cascades Populations mostly stable but may suffer from overlap with elk in part of range Factors important to successful game management Populations stable or slightly increasing Animals in population are healthy Harvest and access regulated Habitat management and conservation Educate public (Peterson 2004) What do we actually do to have successful game management? Populations stable or slightly increasing Animals in population are healthy Harvest and access regulated Habitat management and conservation Educate public (Peterson 2004) What do we actually do to have successful game management? Populations stable or slightly increasing Animals in population are healthy Harvest and access regulated Habitat management and conservation Educate public (Peterson 2004) Chronic Wasting Disease Signs: Slobbering Tremors Low appetite Reduced coordination What do we actually do to have successful game management? Populations stable or slightly increasing Animals in population are healthy Harvest and access regulated Habitat management and conservation Educate public (Peterson 2004) What do we actually do to have successful game management? Populations stable or slightly increasing Animals in population are healthy Harvest and access regulated Habitat management and conservation Educate public (Peterson 2004) Examples of hunted species American Woodcock Forest-dwelling shorebird Population stable in most of range “The woodcock is a living refutation of the theory that the utility of a game bird is to serve as a “The is agracefully living refutation of the target,woodcock or to pose on a slice of theory toast. that No the a gamehunt birdwoodcock is to serve as target, orthan to oneutility wouldofrather in aOctober pose on a slice No one would I, butgracefully since learning of of thetoast. sky dance I find rather woodcock October than I, butIsince myselfhunt calling one orintwo birds enough. must be learning ofcome the sky dancethere I findbemyself callingofone or sure that, April, no dearth two birdsinenough. I must be sure that, come April, dancers the sunset sky.” there be nop.dearth (Leopold, 34) of dancers in the sunset sky.” (Leopold, p. 34) Examples of hunted species How many waterfowl are there? Declines in the 1980s Recovery 1990s – fall flight 105 million North American goose population: 6-8 million Hunting harvests 10-20 million ducks/year 1-2 million geese/year Waterfowl annual cycle How harvest levels are obtained Benefits of hunting Deepens appreciation and understanding of land and its wildlife Hunting organizations contribute millions of dollars and volunteer time to conservation causes Hunting important tool for wildlife management to prevent negative aspects of overpopulated species Hunting recap Hunting is traditional Can take the place of natural predation in some places Hunting is regulated In recent history of N. America, no game species has become threatened or endangered because of overharvesting More Information on Hunting • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: http://www.fws.gov/hunting • Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: http://wdfw.wa.gov