Week 5 - Applied Behaviour: Conservation

Question 1

What is conservation psychology?

Answer 1

Understanding human idea and attitudes, promote sustainable practices, and to understand why we help and harm nature

Question 2

What are conservation interventions?

Answer 2

The product of human decision-making processes and require changes in human behaviour to success

Ensures that the genetic traits for adaptations are conserved for the future

Question 3

Compare in situ vs ex situ conservation?

Answer 3

In: performed in the NATIVE RANGE STATES OF A SPECIES (in their habitat)
- marine conservation zones, wildlife reserves

Ex: using a managed population as a conservation ‘back-up’ - a zoo

Question 4

What is the one plan approach? (New - IUCN)

Answer 4

New management strategy for conservation - includes all individuals of a population (metapopulation management)

Question 5

What is the sliding management scale (with examples)?

Answer 5

The scale between how humans manage the a population

WILD: a self-sustaining population (eg. Peregrine falcon)

SEMI-WILD: a population reliant on conservation interventions (eg. African Elephant)

INTENSIVELY MANAGED: A population dependent on human care at the individual and population level (eg. Spray Toad)

Question 6

What is animal welfare? **

Answer 6

The state of an individual as it attempts to cope with its environment

Question 7

How is animal welfare measured (3 categories)

Answer 7

SUBJECTIVE

1. State of the Individual
   - Physiological measurements via behaviour
2. Attempts at coping
   - stereotyped behaviours (pacing/swaying etc.)
   - self-directed behaviours
   - dysfunctional behaviours/abnormal behaviours
3. The effect of the environment
   - stressors
   - inadequate environment
   - fight or flight response

Question 8

How can the 4 Questions be applied to conservation using the example of Pigs biting their cage bars **

Answer 8

Pigs when caged bite the bars of their cage - poor welfare when behaviour is restricted

Causation: no stimulation for foraging
Function: provides a sense of relief
Development: coping/learnt
Evolution: increased breeding by animals that cope (increasing the stereotyped behaviour)

It is VITAL to be ethically minded in conservation efforts