Wildlife Damage Management Class and Curriculum at the University of Georgia

• Main Authors: Mengak, Michael T., Hall, Douglas I.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: DigitalCommons@USU 2003
• Subjects: Life Sciences; Canada; Canada Goose
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/wdmconference/2003/session3/6; https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1131&context=wdmconference

The Warnell School of Forest Resources at the University of Georgia offers a course in wildlife damage management. The 3-credit hour course is taught at the undergraduate/graduate level. Enrollment is restricted to 10 students. The course is offered in spring semester every year and co-taught by a wildlife faculty member and the State Director of USDA - Wildlife Services (WS), who holds adjunct faculty status. The course consists of 2 hours of classroom lecture and a minimum of 3 hours laboratory time each week. Lectures cover basic principles of wildlife damage control. Lab time is devoted to field exercises related to wildlife damage management activities conducted by Wildlife Services. During spring semesters in 2002 and 2003 students participated in Canada goose and feral duck removal utilizing alph-chloralose, use of explosives for beaver damage control, deer collections at three residential communities, predator trapping and management, pigeon removal with rocket nets, double-crested cormorant collection and food habits analysis, interactive media training, an on-line discussion group with high school students regarding urban deer management, a visit to an aquaculture facility, and the presentation of three 30-minute lessons to a local elementary school science club. In this paper, we will discuss the course philosophy and course outline, review the wildlife curriculum at the University of Georgia, present some results of lab exercises and discuss the course evaluation.