To Feed or not to Feed? Evidence of the Intended and Unintended Effects of Feeding Wild Ungulates
Ungulate populations are important natural resources, associated with both costs and benefits. Conflicts have arisen between stakeholders who benefit from high ungulate numbers and those faced with the costs. Supplementary or diversionary feeding may potentially mitigate conflicts while maintaining...
Published in: | The Journal of Wildlife Management |
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Main Authors: | , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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2014
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Online Access: | https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/e2b20582-13fd-4634-9494-f340cd88efbb https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.798 https://pure.au.dk/ws/files/84424877/Milner_et_al_2014_JWM_To_feed_or_not_to_feed.pdf |
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ftuniaarhuspubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/e2b20582-13fd-4634-9494-f340cd88efbb 2024-02-04T09:52:31+01:00 To Feed or not to Feed? Evidence of the Intended and Unintended Effects of Feeding Wild Ungulates Milner, Jos M. van Beest, Floris Schmidt, Karoline T. Brook, Ryan K. Storaas, Torstein 2014 application/pdf https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/e2b20582-13fd-4634-9494-f340cd88efbb https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.798 https://pure.au.dk/ws/files/84424877/Milner_et_al_2014_JWM_To_feed_or_not_to_feed.pdf eng eng https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/e2b20582-13fd-4634-9494-f340cd88efbb info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Milner , J M , van Beest , F , Schmidt , K T , Brook , R K & Storaas , T 2014 , ' To Feed or not to Feed? Evidence of the Intended and Unintended Effects of Feeding Wild Ungulates ' , Journal of Wildlife Management , vol. 78 , no. 8 , pp. 1322-1334 . https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.798 artificial feeding deer forest damage habitat impact herbivore hunting supplemental feed sustainable management vehicle collision wildlife disease WHITE-TAILED DEER MOOSE ALCES-ALCES BOAR SUS-SCROFA EMERGING INFECTIOUS-DISEASES CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE JACKSON ELK HERD RED DEER CERVUS-ELAPHUS ODOCOILEUS-VIRGINIANUS article 2014 ftuniaarhuspubl https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.798 2024-01-10T23:59:39Z Ungulate populations are important natural resources, associated with both costs and benefits. Conflicts have arisen between stakeholders who benefit from high ungulate numbers and those faced with the costs. Supplementary or diversionary feeding may potentially mitigate conflicts while maintaining harvest yields but can have conservation implications. We quantified the empirical evidence for whether the intended effects, and hence management goals, of feeding are met. We also examined whether any potential unintended consequences of feeding occur and under what conditions. We found clear evidence that supplementary feeding enhanced reproduction and population growth under certain conditions. By contrast, we found limited evidence of the effectiveness of diversionary feeding to protect crops, forestry, and natural habitats, with positive effects often undermined by increases in ungulate density. However, the use of diversionary feeding to reduce traffic collisions seems promising but requires further investigation. The unintended effects of feeding are typically complex, involving changes to demography, behavior, and vegetation with consequent cascading effects on other trophic levels, as well as exacerbated risks of disease transmission. Increased ungulate density is the primary driver behind these unintended effects, the consequences of which tend to increase with longevity of feeding and affect a range of stakeholders. We urge managers to take seriously the risks as well as the economic and ethical issues before deciding to feed ungulates. (c) 2014 The Wildlife Society. Article in Journal/Newspaper Alces alces Aarhus University: Research The Journal of Wildlife Management 78 8 1322 1334 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Aarhus University: Research |
op_collection_id |
ftuniaarhuspubl |
language |
English |
topic |
artificial feeding deer forest damage habitat impact herbivore hunting supplemental feed sustainable management vehicle collision wildlife disease WHITE-TAILED DEER MOOSE ALCES-ALCES BOAR SUS-SCROFA EMERGING INFECTIOUS-DISEASES CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE JACKSON ELK HERD RED DEER CERVUS-ELAPHUS ODOCOILEUS-VIRGINIANUS |
spellingShingle |
artificial feeding deer forest damage habitat impact herbivore hunting supplemental feed sustainable management vehicle collision wildlife disease WHITE-TAILED DEER MOOSE ALCES-ALCES BOAR SUS-SCROFA EMERGING INFECTIOUS-DISEASES CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE JACKSON ELK HERD RED DEER CERVUS-ELAPHUS ODOCOILEUS-VIRGINIANUS Milner, Jos M. van Beest, Floris Schmidt, Karoline T. Brook, Ryan K. Storaas, Torstein To Feed or not to Feed? Evidence of the Intended and Unintended Effects of Feeding Wild Ungulates |
topic_facet |
artificial feeding deer forest damage habitat impact herbivore hunting supplemental feed sustainable management vehicle collision wildlife disease WHITE-TAILED DEER MOOSE ALCES-ALCES BOAR SUS-SCROFA EMERGING INFECTIOUS-DISEASES CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE JACKSON ELK HERD RED DEER CERVUS-ELAPHUS ODOCOILEUS-VIRGINIANUS |
description |
Ungulate populations are important natural resources, associated with both costs and benefits. Conflicts have arisen between stakeholders who benefit from high ungulate numbers and those faced with the costs. Supplementary or diversionary feeding may potentially mitigate conflicts while maintaining harvest yields but can have conservation implications. We quantified the empirical evidence for whether the intended effects, and hence management goals, of feeding are met. We also examined whether any potential unintended consequences of feeding occur and under what conditions. We found clear evidence that supplementary feeding enhanced reproduction and population growth under certain conditions. By contrast, we found limited evidence of the effectiveness of diversionary feeding to protect crops, forestry, and natural habitats, with positive effects often undermined by increases in ungulate density. However, the use of diversionary feeding to reduce traffic collisions seems promising but requires further investigation. The unintended effects of feeding are typically complex, involving changes to demography, behavior, and vegetation with consequent cascading effects on other trophic levels, as well as exacerbated risks of disease transmission. Increased ungulate density is the primary driver behind these unintended effects, the consequences of which tend to increase with longevity of feeding and affect a range of stakeholders. We urge managers to take seriously the risks as well as the economic and ethical issues before deciding to feed ungulates. (c) 2014 The Wildlife Society. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Milner, Jos M. van Beest, Floris Schmidt, Karoline T. Brook, Ryan K. Storaas, Torstein |
author_facet |
Milner, Jos M. van Beest, Floris Schmidt, Karoline T. Brook, Ryan K. Storaas, Torstein |
author_sort |
Milner, Jos M. |
title |
To Feed or not to Feed? Evidence of the Intended and Unintended Effects of Feeding Wild Ungulates |
title_short |
To Feed or not to Feed? Evidence of the Intended and Unintended Effects of Feeding Wild Ungulates |
title_full |
To Feed or not to Feed? Evidence of the Intended and Unintended Effects of Feeding Wild Ungulates |
title_fullStr |
To Feed or not to Feed? Evidence of the Intended and Unintended Effects of Feeding Wild Ungulates |
title_full_unstemmed |
To Feed or not to Feed? Evidence of the Intended and Unintended Effects of Feeding Wild Ungulates |
title_sort |
to feed or not to feed? evidence of the intended and unintended effects of feeding wild ungulates |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/e2b20582-13fd-4634-9494-f340cd88efbb https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.798 https://pure.au.dk/ws/files/84424877/Milner_et_al_2014_JWM_To_feed_or_not_to_feed.pdf |
genre |
Alces alces |
genre_facet |
Alces alces |
op_source |
Milner , J M , van Beest , F , Schmidt , K T , Brook , R K & Storaas , T 2014 , ' To Feed or not to Feed? Evidence of the Intended and Unintended Effects of Feeding Wild Ungulates ' , Journal of Wildlife Management , vol. 78 , no. 8 , pp. 1322-1334 . https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.798 |
op_relation |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/e2b20582-13fd-4634-9494-f340cd88efbb |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.798 |
container_title |
The Journal of Wildlife Management |
container_volume |
78 |
container_issue |
8 |
container_start_page |
1322 |
op_container_end_page |
1334 |
_version_ |
1789958973438296064 |