WILDLIFE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

UNIT 11Introduction to Environmental and

Agricultural Sciences

Characteristics of WildlifeCharacteristics of Wildlife• Wildlife — animals that are adapted to live in

a natural environment without the help of humans.

• Vertebrates– Vertebrate — animal with a backbone.

• Wildness• Allows the animal to survive without interference

or help from humans. • Contributes to human interest for hunting, fishing,

bird watching and wildlife photography.

Characteristics of WildlifeCharacteristics of Wildlife• Must be able to adapt to whatever they have in

terms of food and the environment or they will perish

• Must possess natural senses that allow them to avoid predators and other dangers– Predators — animals that feed on small or

weaker animals.– Prey — animal eaten by another animal

• Ability to avoid over-population– Wildlife can naturally avoid over-population by establishing

and defending territories.– The stress of over-population can cause some animals to slow

or stop reproducing altogether.

Types of Wildlife Types of Wildlife RelationshipsRelationships

• Parasitism• Parasitism — one type of wildlife living and feeding on another

without killing it.• Wood ticks, which can live on almost any warm-blooded animal

– Warm-blooded animals — animals with the ability to regulate their body temperature.

• Mutualism• Mutualism — two types of wildlife living together for the mutual

benefit of both. • Tick picker birds that pick ticks off wildlife for nourishment.

• Plant seeds that will germinate only after having passed through

the digestive tract of a specific bird or animal.

Types of Wildlife Types of Wildlife RelationshipsRelationships

• Predation• Predation — a way of life where one type of wildlife

eats another type.• Foxes keep down populations of rodents & other

small animals.

• Commensalism• Commensalism — one type of wildlife living in, on, or

with another without either harming or helping it.• Vultures waiting to feed on the leftovers from another

animal’s kill.

Types of Wildlife Types of Wildlife RelationshipsRelationships

• Competition• Competition — two types of wildlife eating the same

source of food.• Foxes and owls compete for rodents & other small

animals.

Relationships Between Relationships Between Predators and PreyPredators and Prey

• When predators are in abundance, prey becomes scarce because of overfeeding.

Predators Prey

• When prey becomes scarce, predators may starve or move to other areas.

Prey Predators

• This allows the population of prey to increase again.

Types of Relationships Types of Relationships Between Humans & WildlifeBetween Humans & Wildlife

• Biological • Humans are animals very similar to wildlife

• Ecological • Humans are but one species among nearly 1 million

species of animals that inhabit the planet earth

• Economic • Originally humans were dependent on wildlife for

food, clothing and shelter. Today there are six positive values.

Positive Values of Wildlife Positive Values of Wildlife Relationships with HumansRelationships with Humans

• Commercial

• Recreational

• Biological

• Aesthetic

• Scientific

• Social

CommercialCommercial• Commercial

– harvesting and sale of wildlife and/or wildlife products, raising wild animals for use in hunting, fishing or other purposes

RecreationalRecreational• Recreational

– hunting and fishing, watching and photographing wildlife.

BiologicalBiological• Biological

– pollination of crops, soil improvement, water conservation and control of harmful diseases and parasites.

AestheticAesthetic• Aesthetic

- inspiration for artwork

ScientificScientific• Scientific

- observation of wildlife by early humans to determine what was safe to eat

SocialSocial• Social

- ability of the wildlife species to increase the value of their surroundings simply by their presence

How has Man Abused How has Man Abused Wildlife?Wildlife?

• OverhuntingSenseless killingReduced habitatPollution of air and waterRemoval of a beneficial animal

(example: wolf)• Introduction of a foreign animal

Classifications of Wildlife Classifications of Wildlife ManagementManagement

• Farm wildlifeForest wildlifeWetland wildlifeStream wildlifeLakes and ponds

Farm WildlifeFarm Wildlife• Approved Practices

• Leaving unharvested areas in corners of fields• Planting fence rows with shrubs and grasses to proved winter feed &

cover• Leaving brush piles when harvesting wood lots• Leaving crop residues standing over the winter to provide food &

cover• Planting crops attractive to wildlife• Providing water supplies for wildlife during dry periods

• Harvesting• Hunting has little impact on spring breeding populations• Excess population not harvested, usually die during winter• Heavy hunting seldom causes severe damage to populations• Sale of hunting rights increases income for farms and ranches

Forest WildlifeForest Wildlife• Survive best in forests that are of mixed-age trees• Factors Influencing Wildlife

• Type and age of trees in the forest• Density of the trees• Natural forest openings• Types of vegetation on forest floor• Presence of natural predators

• Approved Practices• Making clearings in the forest so that new growth will make twigs

available for deer to feed on• Selective harvesting so that trees of various ages exist in the forest to

make a more suitable habitat for squirrels & other species of wildlife• Leaving piles of brush for food & cover• Managing harvests of forest products so that existing supplies of water

are not contaminated.

Wetland WildlifeWetland Wildlife• Wetlands include any land that is poorly drained

• swamps, bogs, marshes, shallow areas of standing water• Wetlands — a lowland area often associated with ponds or

creeks that is saturated with fresh water.

• Specifics of Wetlands for Optimum Use• Open water areas = 1/3 of the wetlands• Depth of standing water should not be more than about 18 inches

• Approved Practices• Impounding water• Establishing open, grassy areas around wetlands• Planting millet, wild rice and other aquatic plants in wetlands• Providing artificial nesting sites (wood duck boxes, old tires and

islands surrounded by open water)• Preventing pollution of water from agriculture, industry and domestic

waste.

Stream WildlifeStream Wildlife• Two general categories – Warm Water & Cold Water

• Based on temperatures at which wildlife (fish) can best grow & thrive

• Approved Practices• Preventing stream banks from being overgrazed by livestock• Fencing the stream to limit access by livestock to reduce pollution and the

destruction of stream banks• Good erosion control practices on lands surrounding streams to help

maintain clear, clean water• Maintaining stream-side forestation to regulate stream temperatures

during summer months• Artificial rearing & stocking of desired species of stream wildlife• Regulating sport fishing

• Stream Restoration of desired mix of fish species• Remove unwanted species by netting, poisoning or electric shocking

• Regulating Sport Fishing• Closed Seasons, minimum size limits, creel limits, restricted methods of

catching fish.

Lake and Pond WildlifeLake and Pond Wildlife• Approved Practices

• Very similar to stream wildlife management

• Using artificial means of incorporating oxygen into the water to prevent fish kills

• Other Notes• Easier to remove unwanted fish from lakes & ponds

because the water is contained.