The management of wildlife

1. The management of wildlife Obj- Describe habitat requirements and game management practices of wildlife.

2. What is a habitat? • Food • Cover • Water • Territory • Home range

3. Food • Wildlife are classified as to the type and amount of food they consume • Herbivores- plant eaters • Carnivores- meat eaters • Insectivores- insect eaters • Frugivores- fruit eaters • Omnivores- eat many food types • Spermivores- seed eaters • Classification by food quantity • Euryphagous- consumes great varieties of food • Stenophagous- eats a specialized diet

4. Cover • A place for protection from weather • A place for protection from predators

5. Water • One of the important requirements of wildlife • Most animals bodies are 60-80% water • Importance- blood composition, temperature regulation, and nutrient transport

6. Home Range & Territory • Home range- the area over which game travels • Territory- the area an animal will defend, often to death

7. General Classes of Habitat • Aquatic • Amphibious • Terrestrial

8. Get into 3 groups to learn more about the Aquatic, Amphibious, and Terrestrial habitat Classes of Habitat

9. Habitat Jigsaw In your group answer the following questions about your habitat: • What kind of animal lives there? • Give 2 examples of specific species that live in this habitat • What are distinct characteristics of this habitat?

10. Game Management Procedures

11. Game Management Procedures • Game refuges are lands set aside for the protection of wildlife species • Habitat development and improvement occurs when the habitat is developed and managed for maximum benefit to wildlife • Fencerow plantings • Woodland management: Not using woodland for grazing will increase game population

12. Game Management Procedures • Coordination with other resources • Managing the wildlife in coordination or harmony with other resources • Example) A farmer managing the soil properly to grow crops, leaving some for the wildlife to eat • Hunting Regulations • Hunting must be managed to control wildlife population • Some procedures are bag limits, hunting seasons & closed seasons • Overpopulation can cause too much competition for habitat • Too much harvesting can cause under-population

13. Game Management Procedures • Predator Control • Controlling the predators of the game, rather than the game itself • Predators can keep the game healthier • Predators also maintain an improved game population by removing weak or handicapped animals • Artificial Stocking • Involves bringing animals into an area • Can involve bringing animals natural to the area or introducing a new species to an area (aka “introduction of exotics”) • Need to consider… • Population density- # of game animals in a defined area • Carrying capacity- amount of game for which a given area will provide the essentials for life

14. Game Management Procedures • Legislation & Game Management • Game management is done by the states • Major legislation governing wildlife: a) Lacey Act of 1990: First major law affecting wildlife; made it a federal offense to transport illegally taken wildlife across state boundaries b) Migratory Bird Act of 1929: provided refuges for migratory birds c) Endangered Species Act of 1966: gave the authority of protecting rare and endangered species to the Fish and Wildlife Service

15. Extinction & Endangerment • What has led to wildlife population problems? • Taking animals faster than they can reproduce • Killing animals because they appeared hostile • Killing animals because they threatened domestic animals

16. Extinct, Rare, Threatened & Endangered • Extinct: a species that no longer exists outside of museums or photos • Endangered: a species that is no longer common and is in danger of becoming extinct • Threatened: a species that faces serious dangers and is likely to become endangered • Rare: a species that exists in small numbers

17. Why Species are Lost • Natural Extinction: the gradual changes in a species or its environment that lead to extinction • Speciation: the natural change of an organism into another species • Natural selection: occurs when some species or members of a species survive and others do not • Human caused endangerment • Direct wildlife endangerment: any action against wildlife that endangers it • Predator controlled: Ex) Killing wolves that attack livestock • Wildlife over exploitation: taking of excessive amounts of wildlife for food, sport, etc. Ex) over hunting or over fishing • Indirect endangerment: unintentional destruction of wildlife habitat or environmental hazards • Urbanization • Manufacturing • Mining and cutting • Crops and livestock-land use • Recreation

18. Related Legislation • Endangered Species Conservation Act • Passed in 1966, amended in 1969 to protect fish and wildlife worldwide • Act called for the protection and conservation of species of native fish known to be threatened with extinction • Amendment dealt with the importation of endangerment species in the U.S. from anywhere in the world • Threatened and Endangered Species System • Provided by US Fisheries and Wildlife Service • Summary of the status of all threatened and endangered species worldwide

19. Government Initiatives • State Wildlife Grants • NC received $1,845,774 from state wildlife grants in 2002 to improve wildlife in NC • Reptile & Amphibian Research and Conservation (salamanders, turtles) • Western Region Bird and Mammal monitoring program • NC partners in flight trains citizens to appreciate, identify, and monitor birds • Beach Nesting Bird Reproductive Success • Agencies & Organizations • National Audubon Society • NC Museum of Natural Sciences • NC Division of Parks and Recreation • NC Wildlife Resource Commission • Federal Laws & Policies Protecting Wildlife • Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918)-migratory birds are protected by federal government • Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (1934)-research to study needs of wildlife • Endangered Species Act (1973)-classification of endangered and threatened wildlife • Conservation Research Program (1985)-provided for areas of wildlife habitat on farms near cropland

20. Where do these Wildlife live? Create a brochure to educate people on common wildlife habitats. • Look up the following species • Describe the habitat of each species • Describe how each species affects agriculture • Provide a picture of each species