Lesson Structure:   Wildlife Conservation BEB206

There are 10 lessons:

1. Introduction to Wildlife Conservation
   • Terminology
   • Biodiversity indicators
   • Threatening processes habitat fragmentation, habitat degradation and loss, soil degradation, erosion, pollution, unsustainable harvesting, invasive species, climate change, population isolation and disease.
   • Important concepts ecology, ecosystem, biome, conservation values, biological diversity, genetic drift, habitat, life span, wildlife movement and wildlife management.
   • The need for wildlife conservation
   • What is wildlife conservation
2. Recovery of Threatened Species
   • Public involvement
   • Translocation
   • Captive breeding
   • Research population growth, habitat use and conservation genetics
   • Habitat Conservation identifying critical habitat and protecting habitat
   • Recovery of species and threat management
   • Species vulnerability to endangerment
   • Loss of species a categories of risk
3. Habitat Conservation
   • The Role of Protected Areas a levels of protection, approaches to reserve selection and limitation of reserves.
   • The Role of GIS in Conservation
   • Habitat Rehabilitation a implementing a land management program, determining objectives, determining a program
   • Restoration Ecology creating habitat corridors, situating corridors, types of corridors, edge effects
   • Creating Habitats
   • Habitat Fragmentation
   • Species Richness
   • Habitat Use
   • Types of Habitat a eg. temperate and tropical forests, woodland, tundra and mangrove habitats
   • Habitat 
4. Approaches to Conservation of Threatened Wildlife
   • Species Approach modelling demography, effective population size, small populations, population viability analysis (PVA)alt
   • Landscape Approach a elements of landscape ecology, distribution of populations within a landscape, landscape modelling
   • Ecosystem Approach the need for ecosystem management, understanding dynamics, adaptive management, objectives for ecologically sustainable forest management.
5. Vegetation Surveys
   • Vegetation Mapping remote sensing data.
   • Vegetation survey techniques such as quadrat surveys, landscape assessments, line surveys.
   • Plant Identification common names, scientific names, levels of division, botanical keys.
6. Fauna Surveys
   • Species identification
   • Trapping Techniques radio tracking, call recordings, pit fall traps, Elliot traps.
   • Observation techniquesspotlighting, scat surveys, census techniques
7. Marine Surveys
   • Commercial Fish Stock Management
   • Overexploitation
   • Aerial Surveys
   • Habitat Surveys
   • Reef Surveys
8. Planning for Wildlife
   • Use of GIS 
   • Residential Planning
   • Urban Planning
   • Farm Planning
9. Management
   • Managing Threatened Wildlife Populations â?? manipulating populations, revegetation/restoration, creating corridors, pest control plans, fencing for species, fire breaks.
10. The Wildlife Conservation Project – This is the culminating assignment for this course and provides students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout their studies. Students will investigate a species of their choice and develop a comprehensive conservation plan aimed at addressing the environmental challenges facing that species.

Learning Goals:   Wildlife Conservation BEB206

• Develop a concept of the guiding principles of wildlife conservation and the threats to wildlife.
• Determine the principles and approaches used towards species recovery.
• Discuss the principles of habitat conservation with regards to fragmentation, restoration and the use of protected areas.
• Describe and discuss the various approaches used to conserve threatened species and ecosystems.
• Appreciate the range of flora survey techniques that have been developed to sample fauna for the purposes of conservation.
• Discuss and differentiate between fauna survey techniques that have been developed to sample fauna for the purposes of conservation.
• Discuss and differentiate between marine survey techniques used to conserve wildlife.
• Discuss and differentiate the range of planning tools available for farming, urban and residential planning to help conserve wildlife.
• Identify various management techniques used to conserve wildlife.
• Develop a wildlife recovery plan for a species under threat.

Practicals  (Set tasks):   Wildlife Conservation BEB206

• Select an invasive species (plant, animal or disease) that is present in your locality or country. Research information on the species such as:
  • Origin
  • Form of dispersal
  • Ecology eg. behaviour, food and shelter preferences.
  • Impact of this species eg. competition, predation, infection, habitat modification
  • Control Measures in place.
• Select an endangered species (plant or animal) within your locality or country. Research information on the species including:
  • Location
  • Habitat
  • Behaviour/Diet
  • Reproduction
  • Threats
  • Conservation

• Conduct research into the categories of threatened species within your own state or country. You could contact your local Environmental Protection Agency or search the internet. Find out what these categories are, what the category means and any species that fall into this category.

• Conduct research on an endangered species within your country. Gather information on the following:
  • What conservation efforts are being undertaken.
  • Threats
  • Ecology
  • Distribution
• Research five (5) habitat types. Find out information on the characteristics of the habitat, wildlife present and any potential or ongoing threats to this habitat.
• Research legislation for protecting species relevant to your local area. What controls are in place to conserve habitat. List any incentives available to private landholders to conserve habitat on their property.
• Conduct research on a threatened species in your region or country (either by the internet or contacting your relevant Environmental Protection Agency). Collect information on how you would attempt to conserve this species using a landscape approach.
• Visit a natural/semi-natural area in your locality that has varying vegetation types. Conduct a small-scale flora survey of the species present using one of the techniques mentioned in the lesson. Prepare a report on your findings including: Description of Area, Methodology (including materials used); Results (Species and Vegetation types present).
• Either contact an Environmental Consultant or search the internet to get information on 2 different fauna surveys carried out in your country. Gather information on the techniques used, the results and any shortcomings of the surveys that you may have noticed.
• Set up a spot in your backyard for observation (if you do not have a backyard visit a local park or semi-natural area). sit for 30 minutes and observe the species you observe (both plant and animal). Record the animal activities you observe.
• Conduct research on a survey approach taken for a threatened species of your choosing. Find out the survey approaches used, what were the results and how the data was used. Was this project successful, do you think another approach would have been more successful? Why?
• Contact (either in person, email, by telephone or internet search) an organisation involved in integrating wildlife into farm, urban or residential planning (eg. Land for Wildlife, Local Councils, Conservation Partners Program of NSW, Conservation Grade, UK). Find out information such as:
  • How do they encourage the public to be involved in conservation efforts?
  • How do they plan for wildlife?
  • What are the goals of this organisation?
• On the internet, research a project that uses exclusion fencing (or another exclusion method) to protect a threatened species. Find out information about the target species, its ecology, the area fenced, how effective the fencing has been in conserving the species and any issues with the project.
• Develop a wildlife recovery plan for a species under threat.
• Our Wildlife Conservation course will provide you with the foundation knowledge of the guiding principles fcr serving threatened wildlife.

HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE  WITH WILDLIFE ANIMALS!

Gain all important hands-on experience with wildlife animals, to add to your CV whilst you are studying your wildlife conservation or management course with ADL, or after completing it. We are very happy to be associated with GVE, which offers an unforgettable volunteer experience in South Africa with their Game Capture and Vet Experience programs.

The program fee charged for the experience also acts as the main support for GVE’s non-profit clinic.

Interested in reading more information about both the Game Capture and Vet Experience programs? Then just click on the GVE logo below:

Karin Saks – primate naturalist:

Since 1997, Karin Saks has been involved in the fostering and rehabilitation of orphan baboons, the caring of injured monkeys who have been returned to the wild and has worked towards a harmonious co-existence between these primates and humans.

She has monitored wild baboon troops who raid human homes to research ways of baboon management and has observed wild troops in her area with a view to finding out damage done to troop structures and numbers because of human intervention.

Due to legislation that allows for the persecution of vervet monkeys and baboons in South Africa, hundreds of orphaned primates currently reside in rehabilitation centres without much chance of being released back into the wild.

The primate pet trade is also on the increase due to the amount of infants orphaned when mothers are killed.  Educating the public on how to live harmoniously with these primates and appealing for new protective legislation – that is actively enforced – are crucial aspects to finding solutions.

The Darwin Primate Group – registered NPO 059-587: Like many who take on the task of rescuing these persecuted animals, Karin self funded her work until 2008 when she founded the Darwin Primate Group and registered it as a non-profit organization.

Research into endangered samango monkey (Cercopithecus mitis labiatus) populations: In 2014, Karin moved to Kwazulu Natal where she is researching the endangered samango monkey (Cercopithecus mitis labiatus) populations in the Midlands. (She is no longer working directly with rescued baboons or vervet monkeys.) As the samango monkey is restricted to forest habitat and is a seed dispersing species, it is listed as Vulnerable in the Red Data Book of the Mammals of South Africa (2004) with samango subspecies – C. m. labiatus – occurring on the IUCN (2007) Endangered list making research into populations necessary to identify if management and further protection is needed.

You are welcome to watch her online video: Co-existing Peacefully With Baboons/Monkeys and read her Blogspot on the Samango Monkey Project. If you want to support Karin in her work financially or practically, please contact us and we will happily pass your details on.

Wildlife Art
Purchase astonishing wildlife prints by one of the worlds most accomplished wildlife artist,

Chris McClelland.
His works are internationally recognised for their fine graphite and coloured pencil drawings.
Chris has a strong passion for the wildlife of Africa and Australia.

His artwork captures the movement of wildlife that is so captivating with a skill and precision that make his animals come alive.  Chris and his wife Maggie (a respected and  accomplished photographer in her own right), held an exhibition recently of their work in Canterbury. Please read the article on our Blog titled Wildlife Art to find out more about this outstanding artist and his love for all things wildlife.

To see this unique art please visit his website at: www.wildprints.co.au

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.

General

Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning?
A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.

Q. Do I need to buy text books?
A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.

Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc)
A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.

Q. Is there an age limit?
A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.

Q. Are your courses up-to date?
A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.

Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy?
A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.

Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.

Enrolment

Q. When can I enrol/start?
A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.

Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.

Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.

Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take?
A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.

Assessment

Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.

Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.

Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes –

Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.

Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.

Qualifications

Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?

A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.

Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.

Tutors

Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.

Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.

Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.