WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

Dr. LALLIANPUII KAWLNI & Dr. C. LALCHHANDAMA

Introduction

Attempts to balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of people using the best available science. Can include game keeping, wildlife conservation and pest control. Wildlife management is interdisciplinary. Nearly all wildlife management actions are controversial because humans have different opinions about how wildlife should be managed.

Definitions / Terminology

Wildlife: The whole native and uncultivated fauna and flora of a particular country. (IBWL, 1970) Wildlife management: The science and art of changing the characteristics and interactions of habitats, wild populations, and such in order to achieve specific human goals by means of wildlife resource. (Robert H. Giles, 1984) The application of ecological knowledge to populations of vertebrate animals and their plant and animal associates, in a manner that strikes a balance between the needs of populations and the needs of people. (Bolen & Robinson, 2003)

Definitions / Terminology

Carrying capacity: The amount of wildlife each habitat can support throughout the year. Habitat: An arrangement of food, water, shelter or cover, and space suitable to animals needs. Breeding Potential: Capacity of the organism to produce offspring irrespective of the number of their survival to maturity.

Ecosystem: A natural unit that includes living and nonliving parts interacting to produce a stable system in which the exchange of materials between the living and nonliving parts follow close paths; all living things and their environment in an area of any size.

History of Wildlife Management

Ancient: example Egypt

round up animals to be counted & census Kill poachers Train and raise hunting cheetahs

History of Wildlife Management

Middle Ages: Gamekeepers Kill poachers Census Train hunting dogs Arrange hunting parties

History of Wildlife Management

Modern: European land owner own species, much variation in protection US government now owns wildlife - private land 1800s hunting regulations developed, management = stricter regulations

History of Wildlife Management

1930s Aldo Leopold Father of Wildlife Management Game Management

We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.

History of Wildlife Management

1937 Pittman Robertson Act

10% tax on firearms and ammo Game species only managed First money directed towards management

History of Wildlife Management

1960s & 1970s Attitude shift Protect nature Recognize value of all animals Spiritual, emotional Maximum vs optimum yield

Wildlife Management and Conservation

Wildlife management: Conservation and management of wildlife to meet the specific objectives of humanbeings. Wildlife resource is managed along with conservation so that specific benefits may be obtained from them. Wildlife conservation: Wildlife remain in the nature in peak status. Main objective maintain natural-balance. is to

Objectives of Wildlife Management

a) b) c) d) e) f) g)

Preservation of Species Maintenance of Population of Useful Species Stabilizing of Decreasing Population of Certain Species Limiting Utilization of Annual Productive Capacity Conservation of Biodiversity Maintenance of Habitat Strengthening Human-life

Need of Wildlife Management

Types of Wildlife Management

1. Manipulative management Altering an animals living environment. Adding food supplies to the animals habitat, removing predators, vaccinating the animals to prevent diseases are all part of this.

Great Indian Bustard

Recent Habitat Management in Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary (Solapur, Maharastra) Bustards prefer wide open short grass plains and open scrubland with scattered trees.

Bustards need open habitat for the following purposes: Nesting Display Foraging

Recent Habitat Management in Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary (Solapur, Maharastra) In some of the areas, trees were planted by the forest department which have become extremely thick in the past years & grassland has been converted to woodland. Extensive study done by Dr. Asad Rahmani & others clearly recommended need for active habitat management. (Rahmani, A. R. 2002. BNHS).

Recent Habitat Management in Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary (Solapur, Maharastra)

Recommendations? No tree planting Maintenance of grassland

These observations suggest the acceptance of newly opened habitat by Great Indian Bustard and also by various other bird species.

Types of Wildlife Management

2. Custodial management Taking animals into custody to places such as ecological parks or sanctuaries and provide them with essential needs (food, water, etc.) to prevent their population from dwindling. E.g. One Horned Rhinoceros, Pigmy Hog

Pigmy Hog (Porcula salvania)

Reintroduction of Pigmy Hog

World's smallest and rarest pig.
In 1961, pygmy hogs were thought to be extinct, but they were accidentally rediscovered in 1971 in Assam in a local tea market.

The only viable population of the species exists in the Manas Tiger Reserve and nowhere else in the world.

Conservation Action Plan for Pigmy Hog

Conservation breeding with aims to reintroduce them to selected sites from where they have disappeared, and as an insurance against the possible early extinction of the species in the wild. Upgrading the (legal as well as actual) protection status of the above sites; field research to plan ideal management practices for maintenance of optimal diversity of these habitats and mechanism to implement the recommendations; Reintroduction of viable number of pygmy hogs. Monitoring and modifying management practices to promote survival of all original inhabitants of such habitats.

Captive Breeding of Pigmy Hog

In 1996, six wild hogs (2 males, 4 females) were caught from Manas National Park and transferred to a custom built research and breeding centre built at Basistha near Guwahati. Sixteen captive bred pygmy hogs (7 males, 9 females) were released in Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam in May 2008.

A 10 days old pygmy hog baby

Pigmy hog sow with newborn babies

A released hog caught in camera trap

Wildlife Management Techniques

Reforestation Nitrification and denitrification Pest control Irrigation Coppicing, and Hedge laying.

Components of Wildlife Management

Wildlife Population Habitat People

Fig. Showing interrelationship & interactions among different components of wildlife management (diagrammatic)

Planning of Wildlife Management

Wildlife Census: present status in a habitat. Measurement of Productivity: productivity of animal is compared with standard to find out the present situation. Diagnosis of Control Measures: To access the factor which is hampering in the growth of population of the same species Treatment: Application of ` controlling-measure to overcome the problem of limiting factor after its diagnosis.

Conclusion

Wildlife management requires knowledge of species ecology, biology, behaviour, and physiology. Additional knowledge of plant species, population ecology, habitat restoration, and ecosystem management is required as well. Wildlife management involves working with animals and people.