BScAg 335 Wildlife Management I

1
BSc/Ag 335 Wildlife Management I
Chapters 1 2
2
Why study wildlife management? It is for
wildlife students
- also for Ag students, biology majors, and
other non-majors - for anyone that is
interested in conserving our wildlife populations
and natural landscapes
3
What is wildlife management? Wildlife does not
have a universally accepted definition - the
term implies all things living outside direct
human control - includes all plants and
animals not cultivated or domesticated insects,
birds, plants, animals, even fungi
4
In the past, management was concerned mainly with
game species (birds and mammals) Now, current
wildlife journals publish many studies on
non-game species (such as amphibians, reptiles,
and even invertebrates) - topics such as
habitat conservation, threatened plants,
pollution, and other issues
5
Main agency dealing with wildlife management is
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- was created in 1940 by Franklin D. Roosevelt
- originally called the U.S. Wildlife
service - added Fish to the name (fishery
biologists felt they were being neglected)
6

• Wildlife management the application of
  ecological knowledge to populations of vertebrate
  animals and their plant and animal associates in
  a manner that strikes a balance between the needs
  of those populations and the needs of people.
• Three basic management approaches
• Preservation when nature is allowed to take its
  course without human involvement
• Direct manipulation when animal populations are
  trapped, shot, poisoned, and stocked
• 3. Indirect manipulation when vegetation,
  water, or some other key component of wildlife
  habitat are altered

7
These approaches must take into consideration how
to balance the needs of human populations while
also taking care of the biosphere at the same
time Biosphere the environment that supports
us and the other animals with which we share our
planet To properly manage wildlife skill,
knowledge and imagination involves zoology,
botany, and math
8
History of Wildlife Management Until 1960,
wildlife management was primarily game management
(the regulation and husbandry of populations of
birds and mammals hunted for sport) now
wildlife managers must deal with a diverse range
of species is not just hunting and fishing
and getting paid for it
9

• In the 1800s, people determined that certain
  wildlife populations were decreasing and must be
  rationed
• WM consisted of adding increasingly restrictive
  clauses to existing hunting regulations
• season lengths were shortened
• bag limits decreased
• many previously accepted methods of hunting were
  eliminated or curtailed

10
These regulations were designed to extend the
period before extinction occurred - believed
that extinction was inevitable, but they wanted
to prolong it as long as possible
Yangtze River dolphin declared extinct in 2007
11
WM emerged as a science in the 1930s largely due
to the work of Aldo Leopold - professor of
Forestry at the University of Wisconsin -
published Game Management in 1933 - the
Father of Wildlife Management
12
Leopold and others described scientific ways to
improve habitat conditions and hunting
policies They also described ways to
- census deer populations - estimate the
reproductive potential and harvest rates of the
grouse - find ways of producing more upland
game birds on farmland - improve wetland
habitats for waterfowl - restore populations
where wildlife had been exterminated
13
We abuse land because we regard it as a
commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a
community to which we belong, we may begin to use
it with love and respect." Aldo Leopold
14
Modern Wildlife Management
15
What does a wildlife manager do? Manage,
conserve, and study wildlife populations and
habitats - manage forests - conserve
wetlands - restore endangered species -
conserve wildlife on private and public lands -
resolve wildlife damage and disease problems
- enhance biological diversity
16
Example Working Groups in the Wildlife Society
- Biological Diversity - Biometrics - Ethnic
and Gender Diversity - Geographic Information
Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, and Telemetry -
Human Dimensions - Invasive Species - Native
Peoples - Public Conservation Education and
Outreach - Urban Wildlife - Wildlife Damage
- Wildlife Diseases - Wildlife Economics -
Habitat Restoration - Wildlife Toxicology
17
Neglect and Exploitation of Wildlife
18
In the early days, wilderness and wild animals
were regarded as enemies to be - conquered -
controlled Man neglected and exploited wildlife
19
Market hunting one of the darkest eras of
exploitation of wildlife in the United States -
often associated with waterfowl
20
Many used punt guns - loads equivalent to 10 or
more shotgun shells were fired in a single charge
- usually had two or more per boat
No legal restrictions
21
Using punt guns, market hunters - Louisiana
430 ducks in one day - California 218 geese in
one hour - Iowa group shot an average of 1000
ducks per week, or, 14,000 ducks and shorebirds a
season
22
The result? Slaughter
23
Many were sold for meat - ducks 6 - 15 per
dozen at the highest lowest, 10 cents per bird
24
Others were sold for plumage

• 17,500 Trumpeter swan skins sold between 1853
  1877
• - population drastically reduced, only 57 skins
  between 1888 1897

25
Plume hunting destroyed colonies of wading birds
in Florida, etc. - for feathered hats
Egrets and herons were killed during nesting
season - egret plumes 1130 per kg
26
What ended market hunting for waterfowl? -
Migratory Bird Treaty of 1916 - Migratory Bird
Treaty Act of 1918
27
President Teddy Roosevelt In 1903 created
National Wildlife Refuge System - protected
herons and egrets (Pelican Island, FLA) By 1904,
created 51 wildlife refuges
28
(No Transcript)
29
Bison A Story of Near Extinction
30
Food chain of grass-bison-human existed in North
America for thousands of years Slaughter started
in late 19th century - European settlers - US
Army - railroads provided access - repeating
rifles
"Let them kill, skin, and sell until the buffalo
is exterminated, as it is the only way to bring
lasting peace and allow civilization to advance."
- General Philip Sheridan
31
1860 60 million bison in North America 1889
only 150 remained 1894 last wild bison was
shot Small herds still existed on public lands,
such as Yellowstone Park
32
(No Transcript)
33
The Passenger Pigeon An American Tragedy
34
Most numerous bird on Earth in the middle of the
19th century, most abundant bird in North America
Enormous flocks Alexander Wilson estimated one
flock at 400 km long and contained 2 billion birds
35
As I traveled on, the air was literally filled
with pigeons. The light of noon-day was obscured
as by an eclipse, and the continued buzz of wings
had a tendency to lull my senses.
36
Before sunset I reached Louisville, Kentucky.
The pigeons passed in undiminished number, and
continued to do so for three days in succession.
The people were all in arms. The banks of the
Ohio were crowded with men and boys, incessantly
shooting at the pilgrims, which flew lower as
they passed over the river. Multitudes were thus
destroyed. For a week or more, the population fed
on no flesh other that of pigeons, and talked of
nothing but pigeons. - John James Audubon,
1844 (flock estimated to contain more than 1
billion birds)
37
Passenger pigeons nested in colonies in northern
forests - colonies could cover from 30 850
square miles of forest - different site every
year - ate acorns, chestnuts, beech nuts, and
hickory nuts

38
- usually laid 1 egg
- at the time of fledging, parents pushed chick
(squab) out onto the ground
- easy prey for predators
39
What led to extinction? - adult bird and squab
meat - forests were logged (loss of habitat) -
feathers used in pillows and mattresses - shot
for sport, in the wild and in carnival booths
40
Methods of hunting were brutal - alcohol-soaked
grain - birds clubbed to death - fire and
sulfur - trees felled to obtain birds - live
pigeons with eyes sewn shut used as decoys to
attract other pigeons (stool pigeons) -
shooting as many as 50 could be brought down
with a single shotgun blast - hogs used to clean
up remaining dead birds and live squabs
41
Two main technological developments also led to
extinction 1) railroads gave hunters access
to major nesting colonies 2) telegraph kept
hunters informed of locations of nesting colonies
42
Another factor that led to extinction
Extremely colonially-nesting birds - in order to
breed, colonies needed to be of a certain size
Therefore, as colony size declined, breeding
success also declined
43
1878 - last large breeding colony arrived near
Crooked Lake in Petosky, Michigan - flock
covered 40 square miles and yielded over 50,000
birds a day to hunters between 10 and 15 million
birds killed estimated 90 harvested
1896 - last remaining flock of Passenger
pigeons - advertised as the last wild flock of
the birds
- all 250,000 birds were exterminated in one day
1900 - 14-year-old boy in Ohio shot the last
wild Passenger pigeon
44
In 30 years, the most abundant wild bird on
Earth was completely exterminated
Captive breeding by zoos was attempted - not
successful
45
Martha, the very last Passenger Pigeon in
captivity died alone Sept. 1, 1914
Martha
George
George, the last male Passenger Pigeon in
captivity died in 1912
46
The Story of the Great Auk
Large, flightless seabird that lived in the north
Atlantic. Occupied enormous breeding colonies on
low rocky islets containing tens of thousands of
birds Easily captured, salted and eaten Could
harvest several tons of Auks in the course of a
single day
47
By mid-1500s, nesting colonies on European side
of Atlantic were nearly eliminated by the down
industry Protected in British Isles in 1553, but
no enforcement

• Last individual seen in British Isles July,
  1840 (St. Kilda, Scotland)
• captured by local resident who did not know what
  it was.
• tied it to a stake for three days then killed it
  thinking it was a witch

48
On the North American side of the Atlantic, Great
Auk populations plummeted due to down collectors,
egg collectors, and hunting for meat through the
1700s Largest colony was Funk Island off
Newfoundland Coast (100,000 pairs)
Auks were so numerous that a you could fill an
entire boat in half an hour In 1622, a sailor
described how the birds were driven up the gang
planks into ships. By 1810, the population had
severely dwindled, and Funk Island was the last
breeding colony in western Atlantic
49
By the early 1800s Great Auks were so rare that
they became extremely valuable to collectors of
skins.
The killing of the last Great Auks is well
documented On June 3rd, 1844, a group of
fishermen found a single pair on Eldey Island
near Iceland. It was a breeding pair tending a
single egg. They clubbed the two adults so they
could sell the skins. One of the fishermen
crushed the egg with his boot.
50
Other extinctions
Heath hen (Tympanuchus cupido cupido) 1932,
Marthas Vinyard, Mass (Booming Ben)
Labrador duck (Camptorhyncus labradorius) 1875,
Long Island, NY
Carolina parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis) Feb,
1918, Cincinnati, Zoo Incas (mate died previous
year Lady Jane)
Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) 1768,
Alaska
51
Other (more recent) extinctions
Dusky Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus
nigrescens) June 17th, 1987, Florida
Eskimo Curlew (Numenius borealis) Last authentic
record 1963 - Barbados
Im Extinct?
Bachmans Warbler (Vermivora bachmanii) 1988,
South Carolina
Columbia basin pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus
idahoensis) 2007, Washington
52
Near Extinctions
Wild turkey (Meleagris gallapavo)
Wood duck (Aix sponsa)
California condor (Gymnnogyps californiaus)
53
Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)
Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)
U.S. Endangered and Threatened Species - 1,960
Animals and Plants
Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes)
Kirtlands warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii)
54
Wildlife management is also concerned with
overabundance of species
55
Problems of Excess Reindeer
56
1944 - 29 reindeer introduced on St. Matthew
Island (24 cows, 5 bulls) 1963 6000
reindeer 1964 population crashed 1966 only 42
remained, all females and one sterile male The
cause? Starvation - lichen supply depleted
from overgrazing
57
Problems of Excess Mule deer
58
On the Kaibab Plateau in Arizona Mule deer
populations 1905 4000 1924 100,000
population crashed 1940 only 10,000 left
Populations increased due to predator control and
protection from shooting
Population peak, 1924 ?
60 of the herd starved in two winters time
59
Problems of Excess Blackbirds
60
Huge flocks of blackbirds in winter roosting
areas - red-winged blackbirds, starlings,
grackles, and cowbirds - noisy, dirty, damage
crops, and offer potential health hazards
Tried to reduce numbers - spraying with
detergents - noise makers - thinning trees The
result?
- bird lovers protested - reducing populations
could impact insect populations in summer months
61
Wildlife Management is concerned with predator
control
States created bounties on predators in order to
reduce predator impacts on livestock
62
Americas Most Wanted Predator
63
Coyotes opportunistically prey on sheep
Attempted to control populations - shooting,
trapping, den-digging, strychnine-treated baits,
sodium monofluoroacetate (compound 1080), and
cyanide guns
Poisons were outlawed on federal lands in 1972 1)
did not control populations 2) harmed other
species
64
The End