Human-Wildlife Conflict Redefined

Five years ago, if you heard the words “human-wildlife conflict” (or HWC) the first thing that probably came to mind was the challenges agriculturalists in range countries face coexisting with native fauna.  Maybe you thought about the struggle between Namibian goat herders and cheetahs or East African farmers protecting their crops from raiding elephants.  In short, humans had what animals wanted.  No doubt those types of incidences still exist, but the overall dynamic of human-wildlife conflicts have changed, and therefore need redefined. Perhaps the first thing we should change is our way of thinking; how we view conflict between man …

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Vultures: Ecosystem Guardians

1 September marks International Vulture Awareness Day.  Although sometimes regarded as ugly and gross, vultures play a most important role in keeping ecosystems healthy.  They serve both a biological and cultural significance.  Unfortunately, several species are under threat of extinction due to humans.  And please believe me when I say, this is not a species that we can live without. Collectively, there are 23 species of vultures that are classified into two groups: Old World Vultures and New World Vultures.  Although all species are similar, these two groups actually belong to different families.   There are 16 species of Old World …

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Wildlife Management: To Cull or Not to Cull?

I have always thought that “Wildlife Management” was a loose term.  Regardless of geographical location, wildlife lives in fragmented habitats, held inside imaginary borders meant to protect and conserve.  It is a daily struggle for humans and wild animals to co-exist.  As the human population continues to increase, wildlife is pushed to the edge of extinction.  Animals are culled to keep numbers in check according to management plans, as well as illegally poached for their parts or killed out of ignorance and fear.   So what does it mean to manage wildlife? In the early 1900s, the United States government initiated …

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The Year of the Dragon

The dragon is both revered and feared in many cultures around the world.  This year the Chinese will celebrate the upcoming new year as the Year of the Dragon.  A symbol of strength and royalty, you can find interpretations of these mythical beasts adorning clothing, wall tapestries, statues, and even etched into flesh.  But what do we know about our last remaining dragon, the Komodo dragon, which still walks the earth?  What is being done to conserve this magnificent creature and its habitat to ensure that it too remains immortalized? Weighing in at up to 100 kg (220 lbs) and …

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Sharing Space With Wildlife

One of the first things we are taught as children is to be mindful of traffic.  We know all too well the consequences of running across a busy street; doing so with blatant disregard would be considered suicide.  Therefore, it is well established that roadways are the automobiles area, and we respect that.  So why don’t we give the same caution in regards to wildlife?  Why would we dare swim in crocodile territory in North Queensland, Australia?  Why would we hike through Grizzly bear habitat without taking extreme precaution?  Or why would we walk within meters of a wild elephant …

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