Wildlife Management

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

90 hours

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Topics that will be covered in this subject include:

• Biological and legal definitions of wildlife and the goals of management;
• Population dynamics and the measurement of abundance; the roles of competition, predation, harvesting and disease in the regulation of populations;
• Physical and chemical techniques of capture and restraint;
• Management of overabundant and pest species (native and exotic) including lethal (poisons, shooting, pathogens) and non-lethal (deterrents, fertility control, relocation) methods of control; methods of euthanasia and ethical considerations;
• Management of threatened species, including roles of habitat loss, predation and disease in population declines, management of small populations in the wild and in captivity.

The first introductory session will take place on the main campus at Parkville. Subsequent sessions will be held at different internal and external locations. At each session, the detailed instructions for the subsequent session will be given, together with any additional reading material.

A number of key topics in wildlife management will be covered on each site visit with a short discussion of key themes for each visit conducted at the start of the trip. Students will be asked to complete theme-specific task sheets based on their pre-reading for the trip before the trip and during each visit. Staff from a variety of agencies that manage wildlife in Victoria will present an outline of their management programs and will provide detailed information about specific management issues and activities. Different aspects of the same topic will be covered at different sites depending upon the species of animal or management system involved. Where feasible there will be practical activities designed to reinforce the theoretical aspects of the material being covered.

• An advanced understanding of environmental issues
• Advanced skills and techniques applicable to changing and managing the environment
• An ability to evaluate and synthesise research and professional literature in the chosen stream or focus of study
• An advanced understanding of the international context and sensitivities of environmental assessment

Attendance and participation in all field trips and seminars is a hurdle requirement for this subject.

• Two task sheets must be completed for each field trip: one task sheet is completed based on the pre-reading for each trip and must be handed in at the start of the trip; the other task sheet is completed during the trip and must be submitted within 7 days of the trip (20%)
• A short presentation on the topic to be covered in the individual assignment. The length of the presentation depends on the number of students enrolled and will be announced in the introductory lecture at the start of the subject. Presentations will be held over two days at the end of semester. Attendance at all presentations both days is a hurdle requirement (15%)
• A 4,000-word individual assignment in the form of a paper. The topic is to be arranged, in consultation with staff: a written proposal, not more than one A4 page in length, containing the title of the paper and an outline in dot points, must be submitted to one of the lecturers by a date announced at the start of the subject. Individual feedback to each proposal will be given within one week of submission. The deadline for submission of final assignments is two weeks after the end of the semester (65%)

Prescribed readings will be advised at least one week before each trip via the LMS.

A list of recommended reading based on areas of interest is distributed to students at the start of the subject.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

At the completion of this subject students should:

• Be able to apply critical and analytical skills to the identification and resolution of problems;
• Communicate effectively;
• Have good time management skills; and
• Demonstrate intellectual honesty and ethical values.