Simply stated, Americans
have a love affair with wildlife. This is evident from the popularity
of wildlife-related entertainment such as zoos, parks, and electronic-based
entertainment venues; the economic impacts of wildlife hunting and wildlife
viewing; the importance of various wildlife philosophies in local,
state, and national politics;and the volumes of literature dealing with
wildlife appreciation, use, and abuse. This course is meant to acquaint
students with the history and development of wildlife management programs
in the United States, to explore and discuss the diversity of attitudes
toward wildlife that affect the development and evolution of wildlife,
management programs, and to develop and analyze case histories of contemporary
and controversial wildlife management decisions. Wildlife management happens
within the framework of evolution and ecology, and these threads will
appear frequently in lectures and discussions, especially in regards to
our discussions about biodiversity and the impacts of human activities
on the biosphere. Fundamentally, this course is designed to prepare citizens
for making informed decisions about wildlife.
