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Wildlife Management AGSC 381 “ Wildlife Habitat Requirements”. Original Power Point Created by Travis Kersten Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office June 2002. What is Wildlife Habitat?. The kind of place where an… Animal Bird Fish or plant live in a natural state.
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Wildlife ManagementAGSC 381“Wildlife Habitat Requirements” Original Power Point Created by Travis Kersten Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office June 2002
What is Wildlife Habitat? The kind of place where an… • Animal • Bird • Fish • or plant live in a natural state.
Elements of Habitat • COVER • FOOD • WATER • SPACE • ARRANGEMENT These elements must be kept in a favorable balance for Wildlife to survive.
Cover • Nesting area • Breeding area • Hiding place • Resting place • Safe place to sleep • Feeding area; and • Travel route
Food • Animals must eat • Three types: Carnivores-meat eaters Herbivores-plant eaters Omnivores-consume both meat and plants
Water • Essential to all life • Some Wildlife require no free water (can get water from diet) • Some Require lots of free water • These must have permanent source in habitat
Space • Space or Territory requirements vary greatly among animals • Mountain lion=up to 150 square miles • House Wren=few as 150 square feet • Effected by migration, immigration (in), emigration (out)
Arrangement • Elements must be properly arranged for animal to use habitat • Proximity is the limiting factor • Each species has it’s own measure for distances between elements
Carrying Capacity • Number of animals a habitat can support over a given period of time • Not a constant number • Changes as the condition of the habitat changes
How can we help?? • Growing vegetation • Provide structures • Learn cover needs • Plant trees and shrubs of various sizes and species • Nest boxes for wood ducks • Conifer plantings for ruffed grouse
Can our help be harmful? • Problems arise when we do not help properly • Animals (deer) may become too dependant • May encourage overpopulations
Alternative to feeding… • Encourage growth of natural sources of food • Plant trees • Wild apple trees • Crops • Wild rice • Plant crops that provide both food and shelter for animals and birds.
Summary • Five elements of a quality wildlife habitat are: cover, food, water, space and arrangement • Any one can be a limiting factor • Each species requires different types and amounts of each element
References • Instructional Materials Service book for AGSC 381 • Pictures taken from: dgl.microsoft.com