wildlife biology lecture 1

introduction to wildlife biology

wildlife - broad

all organisms that are not cultivated or domesticated

wildlife - specific

birds, mammal, reptile, fish, and amphibians

class focus

terrestrial vertebrats

animal interactions with plants and surroundings

who are wildlife biologists?

1. industry based environmental consultants and scientists

2. personnel in government department

3. university researchers

4. independent biologists and conservation organizations

what do they do?

wildlife research, conservation, and management (conservation and management are intermingled)

stewardship

looking after a population, species, environment

what happens when stewardship fails

remedial restoration may be needed

wildlife management

application of ecological knowledge to populations of vertebrate and their plant/animals associates in a way that strikes balance between those populations and people

what research do they do

1. detection of species - species presence/ abundance

2. counting of individuals - abundance estimation

3. investigate species biology or ecosystems

why do they research

• statutory or policy compliance

• environmental impact assessments

empirical research

investigate conservation status or biology/ecology of a species

applied research

improve scientific bases for conservation

adaptive management

achieve management whilst also resolving key uncertanties

active management

management is designed as an experiment to accelerate learning

passive management 

learn from past outcomes to change management going foward

why are malleefowl decling

• habitat clearing/fragmentation

• introduced/feral predators and competitors

• changed fire regimes

• drying climate

what experiment are they running for malleefowl

active adaptive management to determine role of fox baiting using mound activity and cameras