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WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

Determining the needs of wildlife

Creating strategies to meet these needs

WHY COUNT POPULATION SIZE ACCURATELY?

Census vs. Random sampling.

Tag and Recapture is a type of random sampling.

CAMERA TRAPS

wwf camera trap

more pics

HABITAT STRATEGIESHabitat management and improvement Setting aside reserves, coordinating with private landowners

STRATEGIES TO MEET WILDLIFE NEEDS

Removal of invasive species, replanting native species, using prescribed burns – hey, that’s YOU!!!

HABITAT STRATEGIESHabitat management and improvement Connecting reserves through wildlife corridors

HABITAT STRATEGIESHabitat management and improvement Creating artificial nesting sites (Red cockaded woodpecker in Eastern

Texas)

HABITAT STRATEGIES

Debt for nature swapsPioneered by World Wildlife FundUS forgives part of developing nation’s debt in exchange for commitment to set aside habitat.

CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM

Federal program

Pays land owners to put marginal lands back into native vegetation to provide wildlife habitat

31.4 million acres currently

STRATEGIES TO MEET WILDLIFE NEEDS

Removal of invasive species, replanting native species, using prescribed burns – hey, that’s YOU!!!

TRANSLOCATION/TRANSPLANT PROGRAMSIndividuals are captured in well-populated areas and moved to less-populaed areas

Increases genetic biodiversity

1996 wolves reintroduced in Yellowstone

CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAMS

Usually with egg-layers – birds/amphibians

Young are raised until they can survive on their own in the wild and then released

ZOOS – SPECIES PROTECTION PLAN

Genetic index of CITES species

Cross breeding of distantly-related individuals

frozen zoo

WHAT IF THERE ARE TOO MANY OF A SPECIES?

HUNTING AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

Replacing the niche of the predator – controlling herbivore populations

Fees for licenses provide millions of dollars for the states

Funds used for wildlife management and habitat improvement

In Texas, 2.7 million hunters and anglers contribute twice the money raised by cotton, our biggest agricultural product.

TROPHY HUNTING – HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE GENE POOL DIFFERENTLY THAN PREDATION?

LEGAL PROTECTION -

The Endangered Species Act is powerful legislation.

ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

1973

Creates a list of threatened and endangered species

Organisms on the list cannot be harmed and their habitat cannot be disrupted

All species on the list must have a recovery plan

Government development plans must take endangered species into consideration and may not disrupt critical habitat.

ESA administered by US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Marine National Fisheries Service

HOW MANY SPECIES ARE ON THE LIST TODAY?Check out the “boxscore” by the Fish and Wildlife Service

USFWS box score

Get ON the list? Nomination by anyone Priority Review by Fish

and Wildlife Service (they study organism to see if it is declining and what it’s threats are)

Public Comment (other people can bring forward evidence about the species)

Final listing by Fish and Wildlife Director

Get OFF the list?Wildlife managers work to increase populations through the recovery plans

Proposed delisting

Three independent specialists assess population size and threats

Species removed

Species monitored for five years

the list?

HOW DOES A SPECIES .. .

INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION

CITES – Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

Species on the Red List cannot be transported across international borders to reduce poaching.

Meets every 3 yrs to create global policies affecting wildlife

First US law protecting wildlife

Cannot take parts of animals or plants across state lines

Inspired by overharvesting of birds for ladies’ hats

LACEY ACT 1900

DELISTED SPECIES – SUCCESS!

TEXAS SUCCESS STORIES!

BIG HORN SHEEP

BIG HORN REINTRODUCTION IN BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK

Translocation projectNow 7 herds, about the same size

population as the late 1800’s

KEMP’S RIDLEY SEA TURTLE

CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAM

BROWN PELICAN

DDT biomagnified through the population

DDT use banned in 1970’s

Taken off the Endangered Species list a few years ago!

What is wildlife management?Name three ways wildlife managers might improve habitat.Name two other strategies managers might use to increase population size

How are the ESA and CITES different?How are CITES and the Lacey act similar?

CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING