Below are examples of some of the non-lethal methods used by WS to resolve conflicts between people and wildlife, habitat modification, fences and other barriers, repellents and fear devices, vaccines, wildlife contraceptives, and translocation. Many wildlife species are long-lived, and there are very few examples where the long-term use of fertility control agents has actually reduced wildlife abundance and associated harm. You should know all related state and local laws and regulations before photographing to eliminate problem wildlife. To properly manage wildlife, it is important to know not only how many of the managed species exist, but also whether the population is increasing or decreasing, the habitat needs of the species, and the health or status of the habitat.
Others, such as federal and state wildlife agencies in the U.S. The US and its international counterparts say that management is necessary to ostensibly conserve wildlife and, at the same time, allow its use. Adopting an integrated pest management approach means using non-lethal control techniques whenever possible and considering what is the least harmful to the environment. Despite the doctrine of public trust, most state agencies responsible for the protection of wildlife make their decisions about wildlife management based on the needs and desires of hunters, trappers and fishermen, often (if not always) ignoring the interests of the vast majority of citizens who do not participate in these activities.
In some states, such as New York, it is illegal to transport live, annoying animals off your property without a permit or license. Wildlife management responsibilities are assumed, with limited exceptions, by individual state wildlife agencies and a handful of federal agencies. Of the controlled experiments that Treves and his team examined, stricter evidentiary standards tended to apply to non-lethal tests than to lethal tests. As for ultrasonic devices, there is no evidence available to support the claim that they are effective in repelling wildlife.
In wildlife damage management (WDM), a variety of methods and tools are used to reduce conflicts against wildlife to tolerable levels. A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, which is sure to fuel the debate even more, reveals that there is very little evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of these lethal methods in controlling carnivores that feed on livestock. The researchers also recommend continuing education for wildlife managers to keep them up to date with the latest scientific advances, as well as the suspension of predator control programs that do not have strong evidence to support their effectiveness, especially when there are legal, ethical or ecological risks involved. Traps are one of the most used tools to control damage caused to wildlife, so it's important to understand how they work and how to use them.
In the United States, by law, wildlife is considered a resource of public trust, meaning that all wildlife found in the wild is “public property” and that, therefore, the agencies responsible for managing wildlife must make management decisions consistent with the needs and interests of all citizens. Exclusion includes the use of barriers, such as nets, cylinders and fences, to prevent wildlife from accessing areas and causing harm.
