Program Feature: WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

Wildlife Management Information Troop Meetings Main Event

Wildlife Management

Balancing the Needs of Wildlife and People

Have you ever wondered what tracking elephant herds in Kenya, protecting manatees in Florida, and installing birdhouses in your own backyard have in common? These are all examples of wildlife management, which is the applied science and art of managing wildlife and its habitat to benefit the environment, animals, and humans. Wildlife management is an engaging field that finds solutions to problems involving the furs, fins, and feathers with which we share the world.

If you think wildlife management just involves biology, think again. To tackle the major issues between wild animals and people, wildlife professionals use skills from statistics, chemistry, biology, ecology, climatology, and geography to achieve the best results. Plus, wildlife management involves more than just a small network of people. More than 10 federal agencies, numerous state agencies, and various nonprofit groups work to protect and manage wildlife in some way. Although many people and resources are already involved, every individual (especially Scouts) can play an important role in protecting wildlife.

Through Scouting’s outdoor adventures, Scouts often get a closer appreciation for the wildlife they may encounter. Furthermore, Scouts promise to be kind (in the Scout Law), to be conservation-minded (in the Outdoor Code), and to respect wildlife (in the principles of Leave No Trace). This month, you can put those promises into action as you learn what wildlife is, how we manage animals and their habitats, and ultimately what role we play in the future of wildlife.

Wildlife Management Information Troop Meetings Main Event