Course Description
An overseas, field-based course that explores wildlife conservation and management topics and issues in the host country. Includes lectures and field projects related to sustainable use of wildlife and human conflicts with wildlife.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be required to read primary literature and compose a synthesis paper on a topic related to wildlife conservation issues in the country being visited. They will lead students in a discussion of this topic, and teach undergraduate students to collect and analyze field data. In assignments common to undergraduate and graduate students, graduate students will be graded at a higher standard.
Athena Title
INTERNATL WILDLIFE
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in FORS 5250/7250
Non-Traditional Format
This will be a field course held during Maymester or summer session. It will consist of travel to a foreign country and focus on a series of wildlife management topics that are relevent in that country. We intend to initiate this course in Uganda where we have contacts with Makerere University. During this course we will travel to the Budongo Forest among other locations and study wildlife issues relative to tropical forests and timber harvest in those forests. We will also travel to Lake Mburo National Park to study the problems of large mammals moving out of the park to private land and encroachment of adjacent cattle ranches on park wildlife.
Semester Course Offered
Offered summer semester every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students enrolled in this course will be expected to obtain a working knowledge of wildlife management issues and problems in another country and how those problems are addressed. The students will also obtain some basic understanding of cultural differences in addressing wildlife management issues.
Topical Outline
1. Introduction to the culture of the country(ies) to be visited. 2. Basic wildlife management issues of that country. 3. Introduction to local ecosystems including plants and animals. 4. Identification of several key wildlife management problems. 5. American and local perspectives on ways to address problems. 6. Short-term field research project. 7. Collection of field data. 8. Write-up. 9. Presentation and class discussion of issues.