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

THE MANAGEMENT OF WILDLIFE

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

Food• Wildlife are classified as to

the type and amount of food they consume

1. Herbivores- plant eaters

2. Carnivores- meat eaters

3. Insectivores- insect eaters

4. Frugivores- fruit eaters

5. Omnivores- eat many food types

6. Spermivores- seed eaters • Classification by food

quantity

1. Euryphagous- consumes great varieties of food

2. Stenophagous- eats a specialized diet

Cover• A place for protection from

weather• A place for protection from

predators

Water• One of the important

requirements of wildlife • Most animals bodies are 60-

80% water• Importance- blood

composition, temperature regulation, and nutrient transport

Home Range & Territory• Home range- the area over

which game travels• Territory- the area an animal

will defend, often to death

General Classes of Habitat 1. Aquatic

2. Amphibious

3. Terrestrial

Get into 3 groups to learn more about the Aquatic, Amphibious, and Terrestrial habitat

CLASSES OF HABITAT

Habitat Jigsaw In your group answer the following questions about your habitat:

1. What kind of animal lives there?

2. Give 2 examples of specific species that live in this habitat

3. What are distinct characteristics of this habitat?

GAME MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES

Game Management Procedures 1. Game refuges are lands

set aside for the protection of wildlife species

2. 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

Game Management Procedures 3. 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

4. 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

Game Management Procedures 5. 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

6. 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

Game Management Procedures 7. 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

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

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

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

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

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

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