Units of Study

WILD5006 Ex situ Wildlife Management

Core/Option
Optional

Credit Points
6

Offered
July Semester 2008

Wildlife populations are under a variety of threats, most of which result from human activities. Modern conservation biology seeks practical solutions to these problems, using a wide variety of options. These options may include captive breeding and re-introduction programs, provided that a range of biological, ethical and politico-economic issues are addressed.

This unit of study will provide students with the ability to evaluate the likely cost-effectiveness of such programs. It will also develop knowledge of the technologies available to capture and translocate wildlife, and of the planning required to ensure the best possible chance of success. It will also consider the tools that are available to manage captive populations, including molecular genetics and enhanced reproduction technologies.

The unit integrates lectures, tutorials, practical work and supervised study, and offers students the opportunity to examine real-world problems in the conservation and management of threatened wildlife populations using case studies relevant to their individual backgrounds. It is carried out at Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo.