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Byrne AQ. Reimagining the future of natural history museums with compassionate collection. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002101. [PMID: 37141192 PMCID: PMC10159148 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Compassionate collection involves minimizing harm while collecting museum data in the field. By adopting this practice, natural history museums could better maintain existing collections, accommodate more nonlethal specimens and data, and foster an inclusive community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Q Byrne
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, California, Unites States of America
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2
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Evans LC, Greenwell MP, Boult VL, Johnson TF. Characterizing the trophy hunting debate on Twitter. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023:e14070. [PMID: 36890651 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Social media is an arena of debate for contentious political and social topics. One conservation topic debated online is the acceptability of trophy hunting, a debate that has implications for national and international policy. We used a mixed-methods approach (grounded theory and quantitative clustering) to identify themes in the trophy hunting debate on Twitter. We examined commonly co-occurring categories that describe people's stances on trophy hunting. We identified 12 categories and 4 preliminary archetypes opposing trophy hunting-activism, scientific, condemning, and objecting-whose opposition derived from different moral reasoning. Few tweets (22) in our sample of 500 supported trophy hunting, whereas 350 opposed it. The debate was hostile; 7% of tweets in our sample were categorized as abusive. Online debates can be unproductive, and our findings may be important for stakeholders wishing to effectively engage in the trophy hunting debate on Twitter. More generally, we contend that because social media is increasingly influential, it is important to formally contextualize public responses to contentious conservation topics in order to aid communication of conservation evidence and to integrate diverse public perspectives in conservation practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Victoria L Boult
- National Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, Reading, UK
- Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Reading, UK
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3
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Crates R, McDonald PG, Melton CB, Maron M, Ingwersen D, Mowat E, Breckenridge M, Murphy L, Heinsohn R. Towards effective management of an overabundant native bird: The noisy miner. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ross Crates
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra Australia
| | - Paul G. McDonald
- School of Environmental and Rural Science University of New England Armidale Australia
| | - Courtney B. Melton
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
| | - Martine Maron
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
| | | | - Emily Mowat
- BirdLife Australia Carlton Victoria Australia
| | - Max Breckenridge
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra Australia
- BirdLife Australia Carlton Victoria Australia
| | - Liam Murphy
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra Australia
| | - Robert Heinsohn
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra Australia
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4
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Sentience, Harmony and the Value of Nature. Animals (Basel) 2022; 13:ani13010038. [PMID: 36611648 PMCID: PMC9817494 DOI: 10.3390/ani13010038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Concern for nature and for animal sentience are important public and political moral concerns. Using frameworks such as Harmony for Nature and One Health and the recent IPBES report on the Diverse Values of Nature, this paper considers how the two issues interrelate, in terms of our concepts of sentience and nature, and sentience-based values' importance in relation to nature-based values. Animals' sentience is part of nature, and part of its diversity, harmony, health and value. Sentient animals' feelings represent animals' evaluations of nature that go beyond valuing nature for solely for market-based and anthropocentric interests. Sentience is therefore relevant for measurement, leveraging and embedding sentience-based values in environmental concerns, including in environmental impact assessments, science-based UN policy-making, interdisciplinary and interagency collaboration, and to strengthen transformative and system-based action for nature.
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Racciatti DS, Feld A, Rial LA, Blanco C, Tallo-Parra O. Ackonc-AWA: A multi-species animal welfare assessment protocol for wild animals under human care to overcome the use of generic welfare checklists. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:1033821. [PMID: 36570507 PMCID: PMC9773254 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1033821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Maintaining a high level of animal welfare is essential in zoos, sanctuaries and aquaria for ethical, legislative and functional reasons. Therefore, it is necessary to have welfare assessment protocols that can be incorporated into daily management programs. Currently, there are different approaches to assessing animal welfare in zoos. Those that can be applied to multiple species consist of checklists or qualitative assessments, with limitations, especially regarding the lack of guidance in the selection and interpretation of indicators. Validated protocols also exist, but they are for very few wild species. This study aimed to develop, test in the field, and describe an animal welfare assessment protocol for wild animals under human care, that can be applied to multiple species, intended to overcome the use of generic welfare checklists and offer an alternative to challenging and time consuming species-specific tools. Methods The development process consisted of the elaboration of a protocol, substantiated by published literature on zoo animal welfare and multidisciplinary focus group work, and its on-field feasibility test. This was performed on 14 species of different taxa housed in an Argentinian zoo. The protocol was structured in two forms: an initial form to serve as scan using various animal-based (ABM), resource-based (RBM), and management-based measurements (MBM), and a follow-up form using exclusively ABM. The protocol also included a user's manual with information about preliminary preparation, equipment required, steps from arrival until completion, and details on how to assess each indicator. The scoring method consisted in rating each indicator on a 3-point scale. Results 23 ABM, 19 RBM, and three MBM were tested and selected to integrate Ackonc-AWA, a multidimensional protocol covering the five animal welfare domains and applicable to multiple species. Discussion This protocol was entirely developed in Spanish and can be applied noninvasively and at a low cost, which constitute features of high relevance for Latin America. Further applications of the described welfare assessment tool in other species and different institutional contexts will reinforce the validation of the proposed measurements and allow the systematic and routine evaluation of animal welfare in zoos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Silvia Racciatti
- Cátedra de Bienestar Animal y Etología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina,*Correspondence: Débora Silvia Racciatti
| | - Alejandra Feld
- Cátedra de Bienestar Animal y Etología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura Analía Rial
- Cátedra de Bienestar Animal y Etología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carlos Blanco
- Cátedra de Sociología Rural, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Oriol Tallo-Parra
- Zoo Animal Welfare Education Center (ZAWEC), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain,Departamento de Ciencia Animal y Alimentaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
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Re-Thinking Felid–Human Entanglements through the Lenses of Compassionate Conservation and Multispecies Studies. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12212996. [PMID: 36359119 PMCID: PMC9655180 DOI: 10.3390/ani12212996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Felids have long and complex historical associations with humans, ranging from fear and persecution to worship and care. With many felid species in widespread decline, re-thinking the messy entanglements of feline predators and human societies is a necessary step for fostering coexistence as current conservation frameworks that rely on the separation of people from nature are failing felids. Here, we explore two distinct but related interdisciplinary fields that, when put into dialogue with one another, offer novel perspectives and insights on felid–human relationships and conservation initiatives more broadly. We identified numerous similarities and emergent properties within compassionate conservation and multispecies studies, despite these fields arising from the sciences and social sciences and humanities respectively. Combined, reorientation of conservation values and practices to be morally inclusive of individual animals and their subjective experiences has the potential to support cohabitation and tolerance for felids, promoting multispecies flourishing. Abstract With many felid species in widespread decline, re-thinking the messy felid–human entanglements is a necessary step for fostering coexistence as current conservation frameworks centered on human exceptionalism and widespread violence toward wild animals are conspicuously failing felids. This paper argues for fostering a critical awareness of how we understand our relationships with nonhuman animals, particularly in the context of conservation. We bring two distinct but related interdisciplinary fields into a dialogue to critically question the values and conceptual assumptions that frame the practices of felid conservation today. Compassionate conservation and multispecies studies share many synergies and conceptual overlaps despite emerging from different academic domains. We identified four key areas for further exploration: (1) A shift in emphasis from practices of killing to the underlying assumptions that make forms of killing permissible and ethically unproblematic. (2) Re-engagement with individuals, not just species, in conservation settings. (3) Unsettling human exceptionalism through an emphasis on the agency of animals and an ethic involving compassion. (4) Acknowledging the ways in which humans co-become with other animals and cultivating relationships of multispecies cohabitation and flourishing.
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Bobier CA, Allen BL. Compassionate Conservation is indistinguishable from traditional forms of conservation in practice. Front Psychol 2022; 13:750313. [PMID: 36262450 PMCID: PMC9574382 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.750313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal welfare and ethics are important factors influencing wildlife conservation practice, and critics are increasingly challenging the underlying ethics and motivations supporting common conservation practices. “Compassionate Conservationists” argue that all conservationists should respect the rights of individual sentient animals and approach conservation problems from a position of compassion, and that doing so requires implementing practices that avoid direct harm to individual animals. In this way Compassionate Conservationists seek to contrast themselves with “Traditional Conservationists” who often express consequentialist decision-making processes that ostensibly aim to dispassionately minimize net animal harms, resulting in the common use of practices that directly harm or kill some animals. Conservationists and other observers might therefore conclude that the two sides of this debate are distinct and/or that their policy proscriptions produce different welfare outcomes for animals. To explore the validity of this conclusion we review the ethical philosophies underpinning two types of Compassionate Conservation—deontology and virtue ethics. Deontology focusses on animal rights or the moral duties or obligations of conservationists, whereas virtue ethics focusses on acting in ways that are virtuous or compassionate. We demonstrate that both types permit the intentional harm and killing of animals when faced with common conservation problems where animals will be harmed no matter what the conservationist does or does not do. We then describe the applied decision-making processes exhibited by Compassionate Conservationists (of both types) and Traditional Conservationists to show that they may each lead to the implementation of similar conservation practices (including lethal control) and produce similar outcomes for animals, despite the perceived differences in their ethical motivations. The widespread presence of wildlife conservation problems that cannot be resolved without causing at least some harm to some animals means that conservationists of all persuasions must routinely make trade-offs between the welfare of some animals over others. Compassionate Conservationists do this from an explicit position of animal rights and/or compassion, whereas Traditional Conservationists respect animal rights and exhibit this same compassion implicitly. These observations lead to the conclusion that Compassionate Conservation is indistinguishable from traditional forms of conservation in practice, and that the apparent disagreement among conservationists primarily concerns the effectiveness of various wildlife management practices at minimizing animal harm, and not the underlying ethics, motivations or morality of those practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A. Bobier
- Department of Theology and Philosophy, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Winona, MN, United States
- *Correspondence: Christopher A. Bobier,
| | - Benjamin L. Allen
- Institute for Life Sciences and the Environment, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Kennedy BPA, Boyle N, Fleming PJS, Harvey AM, Jones B, Ramp D, Dixon R, McGreevy PD. Ethical Treatment of Invasive and Native Fauna in Australia: Perspectives through the One Welfare Lens. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12111405. [PMID: 35681870 PMCID: PMC9179540 DOI: 10.3390/ani12111405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary A public forum can reveal a wide range of perspectives on the ethical treatment of animals. This article describes how a panel of experts navigated through a discussion on the many and varied challenges of attempting to manage invasive and native fauna in Australia. The panel acknowledged the variety of these fauna, their effects on others and the consequences of control measures for three parties: animals, humans and the environment. The One Welfare concept has been developed to guide humans in the ethical treatment of non-human animals, each other and the environment. The forum accepted the need to consider this triple line, and exemplifies the merits of a One Welfare approach to discussions such as this. We used a series of questions about past, present and anticipated practices in wildlife control as the core of the panel discussion. We revealed five different but intersecting perspectives: conservation action, wildlife research, invasive animal ecology, mainstream animal protection and compassionate conservation. This article shows how understanding of lines of contention on various core topics can provide a framework for further discourse that may bear fruit in the form of One Welfare solutions. Abstract The One Welfare concept is proposed to guide humans in the ethical treatment of non-human animals, each other and the environment. One Welfare was conceptualized for veterinarians but could be a foundational concept through which to promote the ethical treatment of animals that are outside of direct human care and responsibility. However, wild-living animals raise additional ethical conundrums because of their multifarious values and roles, and relationships that humans have with them. At an open facilitated forum, the 2018 Robert Dixon Memorial Animal Welfare Symposium, a panel of five experts from different fields shared their perspectives on “loving and hating animals in the wild” and responded to unscripted questions from the audience. The Symposium’s objectives were to elucidate views on the ethical treatment of the native and invasive animals of Australia and to identify some of the resultant dilemmas facing conservationists, educators, veterinarians and society. Here, we document the presented views and case studies and synthesize common themes in a One Welfare framework. Additionally, we identified points of contention that can guide further discourse. With this guide in place, the identification and discussion of those disparate views was a first step toward practical resolutions on how to manage wild-living Australian fauna ethically. We concluded that there was great utility in the One Welfare approach for any discourse about wild animal welfare. It requires attention to each element of the triple bottom line and ensures that advocacy for one party does not vanquish the voices from other sectors. We argue that, by facilitating a focus on the ecology in the context of wild animal issues, One Welfare is more useful in this context than the veterinary context for which it was originally developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke P. A. Kennedy
- School of Environment and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia;
- Correspondence:
| | - Nick Boyle
- Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman, NSW 2088, Australia;
| | - Peter J. S. Fleming
- Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange Agricultural Institute, 1447 Forest Road, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia;
- Ecosystem Management, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
| | - Andrea M. Harvey
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, TD School, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; (A.M.H.); (D.R.)
| | - Bidda Jones
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia;
| | - Daniel Ramp
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, TD School, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; (A.M.H.); (D.R.)
| | - Roselyn Dixon
- School of Education, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia;
| | - Paul D. McGreevy
- School of Environment and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia;
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The Relative Role of Knowledge and Empathy in Predicting Pro-Environmental Attitudes and Behavior. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14084622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Planet Earth is undergoing unprecedented levels of environmental degradation and destruction at a global scale. Incentivizing people to adopt behaviors that are compatible with a sustainable future will help address the current ecological crisis. However, it is first necessary to understand the psychological drivers of pro-environmental behavior. Here, we examined whether greater levels of environmental knowledge and empathy predicted higher levels of pro-environmental behavior in an Australian population sample. We aimed to advance our understanding of the psychological variables that motivate people to act in pro-environmental ways, while also advancing the ongoing debate amongst conservation scientists regarding the relative importance of fostering empathy. Correlational analyses revealed that objective, verifiable knowledge was a strong predictor of pro-environmental attitudes and behavior. Empathy also correlated positively with pro-environmental attitudes and behavior, but with a dissociation with respect to its cognitive and affective components. Multivariate analyses revealed that knowledge was a stronger predictor of both pro-environmental attitudes and behavior after controlling for individual variation in cognitive and affective empathy. This finding casts doubt on the claim by compassionate conservationists that fostering empathy is the key to solving the current environmental conservation crisis. Future research should aim to extend the present findings by testing whether a more exhaustive test of participants’ environmental knowledge and other measures of empathy, including empathic competencies and the recently developed Emotional and Cognitive Scale of the Human–Nature Relationship (ECS-HNR), yield the same dominance of knowledge over empathy.
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Latombe G, Lenzner B, Schertler A, Dullinger S, Glaser M, Jarić I, Pauchard A, Wilson JRU, Essl F. What is valued in conservation? A framework to compare ethical perspectives. NEOBIOTA 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.72.79070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Perspectives in conservation are based on a variety of value systems. Such differences in how people value nature and its components lead to different evaluations of the morality of conservation goals and approaches, and often underlie disagreements in the formulation and implementation of environmental management policies. Specifically, whether a conservation action (e.g. killing feral cats to reduce predation on bird species threatened with extinction) is viewed as appropriate or not can vary among people with different value systems. Here, we present a conceptual, mathematical framework intended as a tool to systematically explore and clarify core value statements in conservation approaches. Its purpose is to highlight how fundamental differences between these value systems can lead to different prioritizations of available management options and offer a common ground for discourse. The proposed equations decompose the question underlying many controversies around management decisions in conservation: what or who is valued, how, and to what extent? We compare how management decisions would likely be viewed under three idealised value systems: ecocentric conservation, which aims to preserve biodiversity; new conservation, which considers that biodiversity can only be preserved if it benefits humans; and sentientist conservation, which aims at minimising suffering for sentient beings. We illustrate the utility of the framework by applying it to case studies involving invasive alien species, rewilding, and trophy hunting. By making value systems and their consequences in practice explicit, the framework facilitates debates on contested conservation issues, and complements philosophical discursive approaches about moral reasoning. We believe dissecting the core value statements on which conservation decisions are based will provide an additional tool to understand and address conservation conflicts.
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11
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Bobier C, Allen B. The virtue of compassion in compassionate conservation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13776. [PMID: 34057247 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The role of ethics is becoming an increasingly important feature of biodiversity conservation dialogue and practice. Compassionate conservationists argue for a prohibition of, or at least a strong presumption against, the adoption of conservation policies that intentionally harm animals. They assert that to be compassionate is to care about animals and that it is antithetical to caring for animals to intentionally harm them. Compassionate conservationists thus criticize many existing conservation practices and policies. Two things together challenge the philosophical foundation of compassionate conservation. First, compassionate conservationists ground their theory in virtue ethics, yet virtue ethics permits exceptions to moral rules, so there cannot be an in-principle prohibition on adopting intentional harm-inducing policies and practices. But not all compassionate conservationists advocate for a prohibition on intentionally harming animals, only a strong presumption against it. This leads to the second point: compassion can motivate a person to adopt a harm-inducing conservation policy or practice when doing so is the best available option in a situation in which animals will be harmed no matter what policy or practice is adopted. Combining these insights with the empirical observation that conservationists regularly find themselves in tragic situations, we arrive at the conclusion that conservationists may regularly advocate for harm-inducing policies and practices from a position of compassion. Article Impact Statement: Compassionate conservationists should accept that the virtuously compassionate person may adopt harm-causing conservation policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Bobier
- Department of Theology and Philosophy, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Winona, Minnesota, USA
| | - Benjamin Allen
- Institute for Life Sciences and the Environment, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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12
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Coghlan S, Cardilini APA. A critical review of the compassionate conservation debate. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13760. [PMID: 34057240 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Compassionate conservation holds that compassion should transform conservation. It has prompted heated debate and has been criticized strongly. We reviewed the debate to characterize compassionate conservation and to philosophically analyze critiques that are recurring and that warrant further critical attention. The necessary elements of compassionate conservation relate to the moral value of sentient animals and conservation and to science and conservation practice. Although compassionate conservation has several nontraditional necessary conditions, it also importantly allows a degree of pluralism in values and scientific judgment regarding animals and conservation practice. We identified 52 specific criticisms from 11 articles that directly critique compassionate conservation. We closely examined 33 of these because they recurred regularly or included substantial questions that required further response. Critics criticized compassionate conservation's ethical foundations, scientific credentials, clarity of application, understanding of compassion, its alleged threat to conservation and biodiversity. Some criticisms, we found, are question begging, confused, or overlook conceptual complexity. These criticisms raise questions for critics and proponents, regarding, for example, equal versus differential intrinsic moral value of different sentient animals (including humans), problems of natural and human-caused suffering of wild animals and predation, and the acceptability of specific conservation practices within compassionate conservation. By addressing recurring and faulty critiques of compassionate conservation and identifying issues for compassionate conservation to address, this review provides a clearer basis for crucial ongoing interdisciplinary dialogue about ethics, values, and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Coghlan
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Adam P A Cardilini
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
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13
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Kaltenborn BP, Linnell JDC. The Coexistence Potential of Different Wildlife Conservation Frameworks in a Historical Perspective. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2021.711480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildlife management in contemporary society means balancing multiple demands in shared landscapes. Perhaps the greatest question facing today's policy makers and wildlife professionals is how to develop frameworks for coexistence between wildlife and the plethora of other land use interests. As a profession, the roots of wildlife management and conservation can be traced back to the 1600's, but most of the relevant frameworks that have shaped the management of wildlife over time have emerged after the mid-1800's and particularly since the 1960's. Here we examine the historical development of the main traits and concepts of a number of management and conservation frameworks that have all contributed to the multifaceted field of contemporary wildlife management and conservation in Europe and North America. We outline a chronology of concepts and ideologies with their underlying key ideas, values, and operational indicators, and make an assessment of the potential of each paradigm as a coexistence framework for dealing with wildlife. We tie this to a discussion of ethics and argue that the lack of unity in approaches is deeply embedded in the differences between rule-based (deontological) vs. results-based (consequentialist) or context dependent (particularist) ethics. We suggest that some of the conflicts between ideologies, value sets and frameworks can be resolved as an issue of scale and possibly zonation in shared landscapes. We also argue that approaches built on anthropocentrism, value pluralism and environmental pragmatism are most likely to succeed in complex socio-political landscapes. However, we caution against moral relativism and the belief that all types of cultural values are equally valid as a basis for contemporary wildlife management.
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Melton CB, Reside AE, Simmonds JS, Mcdonald PG, Major RE, Crates R, Catterall CP, Clarke MF, Grey MJ, Davitt G, Ingwersen D, Robinson D, Maron M. Evaluating the evidence of culling a native species for conservation benefits. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Courtney B. Melton
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - April E. Reside
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Jeremy S. Simmonds
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Paul G. Mcdonald
- School of Environmental and Rural Science University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
| | - Richard E. Major
- Australian Museum Research Institute Australian Museum Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Ross Crates
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Canberra Acton Australia
| | - Carla P. Catterall
- School of Environment and Science Griffith University Nathan Queensland Australia
| | - Michael F. Clarke
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes, Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution La Trobe University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Merilyn J. Grey
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes, Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution La Trobe University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | | | | | - Doug Robinson
- Trust for Nature Melbourne Victoria Australia
- School of Life Sciences La Trobe University Bundoora Victoria Australia
| | - Martine Maron
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
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15
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Batavia C, Nelson MP, Bruskotter JT, Jones MS, Yanco E, Ramp D, Bekoff M, Wallach AD. Emotion as a source of moral understanding in conservation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1380-1387. [PMID: 33410227 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Recent debates around the meaning and implications of compassionate conservation suggest that some conservationists consider emotion a false and misleading basis for moral judgment and decision making. We trace these beliefs to a long-standing, gendered sociocultural convention and argue that the disparagement of emotion as a source of moral understanding is both empirically and morally problematic. According to the current scientific and philosophical understanding, reason and emotion are better understood as partners, rather than opposites. Nonetheless, the two have historically been seen as separate, with reason elevated in association with masculinity and emotion (especially nurturing emotion) dismissed or delegitimated in association with femininity. These associations can be situated in a broader, dualistic, and hierarchical logic used to maintain power for a dominant male (White, able-bodied, upper class, heterosexual) human class. We argue that emotion should be affirmed by conservationists for the novel and essential insights it contributes to conservation ethics. We consider the specific example of compassion and characterize it as an emotional experience of interdependence and shared vulnerability. This experience highlights conservationists' responsibilities to individual beings, enhancing established and widely accepted beliefs that conservationists have a duty to protect populations, species, and ecosystems (or biodiversity). We argue compassion, thus understood, should be embraced as a core virtue of conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea Batavia
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Michael Paul Nelson
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Jeremy T Bruskotter
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 210 Kottman Hall, Columbus, OH, 43210, U.S.A
| | - Megan S Jones
- Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, U.S.A
| | - Esty Yanco
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Daniel Ramp
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Marc Bekoff
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, U.S.A
| | - Arian D Wallach
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
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Palmer A, Greenhough B. Out of the laboratory, into the field: perspectives on social, ethical and regulatory challenges in UK wildlife research. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200226. [PMID: 34176324 PMCID: PMC8237164 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Drawing on insights from qualitative social science research, this paper aims to prompt reflection on social, ethical and regulatory challenges faced by scientists undertaking invasive animal research in the field and propose ways of addressing these challenges to promote good care for animals and environments. In particular, we explore challenges relating to the management of (i) relationships with publics and stakeholders, who may be present at field sites or crucial to research success; (ii) ethical considerations not present in the laboratory, such as the impacts of research on populations and ecosystems; (iii) working under an array of regulations, which may operate in accordance with competing ethical principles or objectives; and (iv) relationships with regulators (especially vets), which may involve disagreements over ethics and expertise, especially because regulators may be more accustomed to overseeing research in the laboratory than the field. We argue that flexibility-at a personal and policy level-and respect for others' expertise emerged as two key ways of negotiating ethical challenges, fostering positive working relationships and promoting good care for individual animals and broader ecosystems. While our analysis focuses on the UK, we propose that many of these lessons are broadly applicable to international contexts. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part II)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Palmer
- School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
| | - Beth Greenhough
- School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
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Freire R, Massaro M, McDonald S, Trathan P, Nicol CJ. A Citizen Science Trial to Assess Perception of Wild Penguin Welfare. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:698685. [PMID: 34386538 PMCID: PMC8353176 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.698685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Wild penguins are facing increased threats to their populations and their welfare as a consequence of human activities. Understanding the perception of animal welfare is essential to identify ethical concerns related to the negative impact of anthropogenic factors on wild species and to guide conservation efforts that reflect societal values. Since penguin conservation is of general interest, we examined the human dimension of welfare assessment across a range of interest groups concerned with penguins, seabird biology and wildlife conservation. We provided participants with a Penguin Welfare Assessment Tool (PWAT) based on the five domains model. The PWAT supports consideration of the impact of four physical aspects on welfare-relevant mental states. Bibliometric analysis of keywords from 347 scientific articles indicated that penguins around the world face five main types (themes) of anthropogenic factors and we then developed five hypothetical scenarios, each related to one theme. Seventy-five participants scored the overall impact of the events described in the scenarios on penguin welfare as negative using the PWAT. Participants rated short-duration, high-intensity events (i.e., being trapped in a ghost fishing net) as having a significantly more severe impact on penguin welfare than low-intensity, long-duration events (P < 0.0001). Scores provided by participants for each domain for each scenario were largely as expected and we found good correlation (all P < 0.0001) between the physical domains and “mental state” for all scenarios, indicating that the tool was facilitating the participants' assessment of welfare. No evidence was found that experience of working or studying penguins, or indeed any other demographic factor investigated, influenced the assessments of welfare. We found little agreement between participants in the scores provided (unalike scores mostly between 0.7 and 0.8), and agreement between participants with experience of working with penguins was no better than between participants without such experience. We discuss the possibility that low agreement within different interest groups may be improved by providing more scientific information to support the evaluation of penguin welfare. We conclude that scientific knowledge of penguin biological responses to anthropogenic factors is vital to support the evaluation of wild penguin welfare by the public and other stakeholders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Freire
- Institute for Land, Water and Society, School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia
| | - Melanie Massaro
- Institute for Land, Water and Society, School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia
| | - Simon McDonald
- Spatial Data Analysis Unit, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Christine J Nicol
- Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, United Kingdom
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18
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Franks B, Ewell C, Jacquet J. Animal welfare risks of global aquaculture. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabg0677. [PMID: 33811081 PMCID: PMC11057778 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg0677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The unprecedented growth of aquaculture involves well-documented environmental and public-health costs, but less is understood about global animal welfare risks. Integrating data from multiple sources, we estimated the taxonomic diversity of farmed aquatic animals, the number of individuals killed annually, and the species-specific welfare knowledge (absence of which indicates extreme risk). In 2018, FAO reported 82.12 million metric tons of farmed aquatic animals from six phyla and at least 408 species-20 times the number of species of farmed terrestrial animals. The farmed aquatic animal tonnage represents 250 to 408 billion individuals, of which 59 to 129 billion are vertebrates (e.g., carps, salmonids). Specialized welfare information was available for 84 species, only 30% of individuals; the remaining 70% either had no welfare publications or were of an unknown species. With aquaculture growth outpacing welfare knowledge, immediate efforts are needed to safeguard the welfare of high-production, understudied species and to create policies that minimize welfare risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Becca Franks
- Department of Environmental Studies, New York University, 285 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10003, USA.
| | - Christopher Ewell
- Department of Environmental Studies, New York University, 285 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10003, USA
- Yale Law School, Yale University, 127 Wall Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Jennifer Jacquet
- Department of Environmental Studies, New York University, 285 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10003, USA
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Vucetich JA, Macdonald EA, Burnham D, Bruskotter JT, Johnson DDP, Macdonald DW. Finding Purpose in the Conservation of Biodiversity by the Commingling of Science and Ethics. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:837. [PMID: 33809534 PMCID: PMC7998897 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Averting the biodiversity crisis requires closing a gap between how humans tend to behave, individually and collectively, and how we ought to behave-"ought to" in the sense of behaviors required to avert the biodiversity crisis. Closing that gap requires synthesizing insight from ethics with insights from social and behavioral sciences. This article contributes to that synthesis, which presents in several provocative hypotheses: (i) Lessening the biodiversity crisis requires promoting pro-conservation behavior among humans. Doing so requires better scientific understanding of how one's sense of purpose in life affects conservation-relevant behaviors. Psychology and virtue-focused ethics indicate that behavior is importantly influenced by one's purpose. However, conservation psychology has neglected inquiries on (a) the influence of one's purpose (both the content and strength of one's purpose) on conservation-related behaviors and (b) how to foster pro-conservation purposes; (ii) lessening the biodiversity crisis requires governance-the regulation of behavior by governments, markets or other organization through various means, including laws, norms, and power-to explicitly take conservation as one of its fundamental purposes and to do so across scales of human behaviors, from local communities to nations and corporations; (iii) lessening the biodiversity crisis requires intervention via governance to nudge human behavior in line with the purpose of conservation without undue infringement on other basic values. Aligning human behavior with conservation is inhibited by the underlying purpose of conservation being underspecified. Adequate specification of conservation's purpose will require additional interdisciplinary research involving insights from ethics, social and behavioral sciences, and conservation biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A. Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - Ewan A. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire OX13 5QL, UK; (E.A.M.); (D.B.); (D.W.M.)
- Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 1HP, UK
| | - Dawn Burnham
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire OX13 5QL, UK; (E.A.M.); (D.B.); (D.W.M.)
| | - Jeremy T. Bruskotter
- Terrestrial Wildlife Ecology Lab, School Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Dominic D. P. Johnson
- Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3UQ, UK;
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire OX13 5QL, UK; (E.A.M.); (D.B.); (D.W.M.)
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20
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Palmer A, Reynolds SJ, Lane J, Dickey R, Greenhough B. Getting to grips with wildlife research by citizen scientists: What role for regulation? PEOPLE AND NATURE 2021; 3:4-16. [PMID: 33542999 PMCID: PMC7116685 DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildlife research by citizen scientists, involving the capture and handling of animals, provides clear scientific benefits, but also potential risks to animal welfare. We explore debates about how best to regulate such work to ensure that it is undertaken in an ethical manner.We focus on the UK as a case study, drawing on qualitative research and stakeholder engagement events. We show that because trapping and marking of certain species requires minimal licensing, training and justification, some argue for increased formal regulation to minimise risks to animal welfare. However, others have reflected on the already complex regulatory landscape affecting wildlife research, and have expressed concern that introducing additional formal regulations could potentially make citizen science working with wildlife more difficult. Informal regulation could therefore offer a preferable alternative.We set out three steps that could be taken to open up conversations about ethics and regulation of wildlife-focussed citizen science, in the UK and elsewhere: (a) take stock of wildlife-focussed citizen science in terms of numbers and harms to animal welfare; (b) assess the state of formal regulations and consider reforms; and (c) consider informal regulations as alternatives or additions to formal regulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Palmer
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - S. James Reynolds
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK,Animal Welfare Ethical Review Board (AWERB), University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK,Army Ornithological Society (AOS), Aldershot, UK
| | - Julie Lane
- National Wildlife Management Centre, Animal and Plant Health Agency, York, UK
| | - Roger Dickey
- Army Ornithological Society (AOS), Aldershot, UK
| | - Beth Greenhough
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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21
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Ford AT, Ali AH, Colla SR, Cooke SJ, Lamb CT, Pittman J, Shiffman DS, Singh NJ. Understanding and avoiding misplaced efforts in conservation. Facets (Ott) 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2020-0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Conservation relies on cooperation among different interest groups and appropriate use of evidence to make decisions that benefit people and biodiversity. However, misplaced conservation occurs when cooperation and evidence are impeded by polarization and misinformation. This impedance influences actions that directly harm biodiversity, alienate partners and disrupt partnerships, waste resources, misinform the public, and (or) delegitimize evidence. As a result of these actions, misplaced conservation outcomes emerge, making it more difficult to have positive outcomes for biodiversity. Here we describe cases where a failed appreciation for cooperation, evidence, or both have eroded efforts to conserve biodiversity. Generally, these case studies illustrate that averting misplaced conservation requires greater adherence to processes that elevate the role of evidence in decision-making and that place collective, long-term benefits for biodiversity over the short-term gains of individuals or groups. Efforts to integrate human dimensions, cooperation, and evidence into conservation will increase the efficacy and success of efforts to conserve global biodiversity while benefiting humanity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam T. Ford
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Abdullahi H. Ali
- Hirola Conservation Programme, PO Box 1774, Garissa 70100, Kenya
| | - Sheila R. Colla
- Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Clayton T. Lamb
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Jeremy Pittman
- School of Planning, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - David S. Shiffman
- New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University, Glendale, AZ 85051, USA
| | - Navinder J. Singh
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
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Boronyak L, Jacobs B, Wallach A. Transitioning towards human-large carnivore coexistence in extensive grazing systems. AMBIO 2020; 49:1982-1991. [PMID: 32385811 PMCID: PMC7568737 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-020-01340-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In light of escalating threats to biodiversity, conflicts between humans and large carnivores in production landscapes must be resolved. We explore how interactions between humans, large carnivores, and livestock can be modified to promote coexistence. We identify four rationales for building coexistence capacities in extensive rangeland livestock production systems: (1) livestock production is a dominant terrestrial land use; (2) large carnivores provide critical contributions to ecological functions; (3) the persecution of large carnivores has high ethical, welfare, reputational and social costs; and (4) a growing body of evidence shows that lethal control can be counterproductive to reducing predation risk. Two key leverage points to foster human-carnivore coexistence are the adoption of preventive non-lethal innovations, and the creation of an enabling environment. Leverage points must be appropriate at the local landscape scale and contribute towards global efforts to conserve large carnivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Boronyak
- Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, PO BOX 123, Ultimo, NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Brent Jacobs
- Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, PO BOX 123, Ultimo, NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Arian Wallach
- School of Life Sciences and the Centre for Compassionate Conservation, University of Technology Sydney, PO BOX 123, Ultimo, NSW 2007 Australia
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23
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Learmonth MJ. Human-Animal Interactions in Zoos: What Can Compassionate Conservation, Conservation Welfare and Duty of Care Tell Us about the Ethics of Interacting, and Avoiding Unintended Consequences? Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E2037. [PMID: 33158270 PMCID: PMC7694286 DOI: 10.3390/ani10112037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-animal interactions (HAIs) in zoos can be rewarding for both humans and animals, but can also be fraught with ethical and welfare perils. Contact with animals can be beneficial for all parties involved, and can indeed lead to pro-conservation and respect for nature behaviours being adopted by humans after so-called "profound experiences" of connecting or interacting with animals. Yet, human-animal interactions may also increase certain individuals' desires for inappropriate wild-animal 'pet' ownership, and can convey a false sense of acceptability of exploiting animals for "cheap titillation". Indeed, this has been reflected in a recent research review conducted on animal-visitor interactions in zoos from a number of different countries and global regions. These are unintended consequences that "modern, ethical zoos" would try to minimise, or avoid completely where possible, though most zoos still offer close-contact experiences with their animals. Three ethical frameworks that may be beneficial for ethically run zoos to incorporate when considering human-animal interactions are: Compassionate Conservation, Conservation Welfare and Duty of Care. These three ethical frameworks are concerned with the welfare state and outcomes for individual animals, not just the population or species. Human-animal interactions in zoos may be acceptable in many circumstances and may be beneficial to both animal and human participants; however, they must be closely monitored through welfare tracking tools. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) has published guidelines for human-animal interactions that are mandatory for member institutions to adhere to, although whether these guidelines are taken as mandatory or suggestions at individual institutions is unknown. Some suggestions for relevant extensions to the guidelines are suggested herein. Melding Duty of Care and the two Conservation ethical frameworks would be ideal for assessing the ethical acceptability of such interactions as they currently occur, and for considering how they should be modified to occur (or not) into the future in zoological settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark James Learmonth
- Animal Welfare Science Centre, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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24
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitin Sekar
- Wildlife and Habitats Division, WWF-India, New Delhi, India.
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25
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26
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Wallach AD, Batavia C, Bekoff M, Alexander S, Baker L, Ben‐Ami D, Boronyak L, Cardilin APA, Carmel Y, Celermajer D, Coghlan S, Dahdal Y, Gomez JJ, Kaplan G, Keynan O, Khalilieh A, Kopnina H, Lynn WS, Narayanan Y, Riley S, Santiago‐Ávila FJ, Yanco E, Zemanova MA, Ramp D. Recognizing animal personhood in compassionate conservation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2020; 34:1097-1106. [PMID: 32144823 PMCID: PMC7540678 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Compassionate conservation is based on the ethical position that actions taken to protect biodiversity should be guided by compassion for all sentient beings. Critics argue that there are 3 core reasons harming animals is acceptable in conservation programs: the primary purpose of conservation is biodiversity protection; conservation is already compassionate to animals; and conservation should prioritize compassion to humans. We used argument analysis to clarify the values and logics underlying the debate around compassionate conservation. We found that objections to compassionate conservation are expressions of human exceptionalism, the view that humans are of a categorically separate and higher moral status than all other species. In contrast, compassionate conservationists believe that conservation should expand its moral community by recognizing all sentient beings as persons. Personhood, in an ethical sense, implies the individual is owed respect and should not be treated merely as a means to other ends. On scientific and ethical grounds, there are good reasons to extend personhood to sentient animals, particularly in conservation. The moral exclusion or subordination of members of other species legitimates the ongoing manipulation and exploitation of the living worlds, the very reason conservation was needed in the first place. Embracing compassion can help dismantle human exceptionalism, recognize nonhuman personhood, and navigate a more expansive moral space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arian D. Wallach
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyNSW2007Australia
| | - Chelsea Batavia
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and SocietyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOR97331U.S.A.
| | - Marc Bekoff
- Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ColoradoBoulderCO80309U.S.A.
| | | | - Liv Baker
- Animal Behavior and Conservation ProgramHunter College CUNYNew YorkNYU.S.A.
| | - Dror Ben‐Ami
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyNSW2007Australia
- Compassionate Conservation Middle East, Steinhardt Museum of Natural HistoryTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Louise Boronyak
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyNSW2007Australia
- Institute for Sustainable FuturesUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyNSW2007Australia
| | - Adam P. A. Cardilin
- Faculty of Science Engineering and Built EnvironmentDeakin UniversityWaurn PondsVIC3216Australia
| | - Yohay Carmel
- Division of Environmental, Water and Agricultural EngineeringTechnion Israel Institute of TechnologyHaifa32000Israel
| | - Danielle Celermajer
- Department of Sociology and Social Policy, Faculty of Arts and Social SciencesThe University of SydneySydneyNSW2006Australia
| | - Simon Coghlan
- School of Computing and Information Systems, Melbourne School of EngineeringThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVIC3010Australia
| | | | - Jonatan J. Gomez
- Departamento de Ciencias BásicasUniversidad Nacional de LujánRutas 5 y 7Luján6700Argentina
| | - Gisela Kaplan
- School of Science & TechnologyUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNSW2351Australia
| | - Oded Keynan
- Compassionate Conservation Middle East, Steinhardt Museum of Natural HistoryTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Dead Sea & Arava Science CentreCentral Arava BranchHatzevaIsrael
| | | | - Helen Kopnina
- The Hague University of Applied Sciences, International BusinessJohanna Westerdijkplein 75EN Den Haag2521the Netherlands
| | - William S. Lynn
- George Perkins Marsh InstituteClark UniversityWorcesterMA01710U.S.A.
| | - Yamini Narayanan
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts and EducationDeakin UniversityMelbourneVIC3125Australia
| | - Sophie Riley
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyNSW2007Australia
- Faculty of LawUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyNSW2007Australia
| | - Francisco J. Santiago‐Ávila
- Carnivore Coexistence Lab, Nelson Institute for Environmental StudiesUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWI53706U.S.A.
| | - Esty Yanco
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyNSW2007Australia
| | - Miriam A. Zemanova
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyNSW2007Australia
| | - Daniel Ramp
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyNSW2007Australia
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Griffin AS, Callen A, Klop-Toker K, Scanlon RJ, Hayward MW. Compassionate Conservation Clashes With Conservation Biology: Should Empathy, Compassion, and Deontological Moral Principles Drive Conservation Practice? Front Psychol 2020; 11:1139. [PMID: 32536896 PMCID: PMC7269110 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
“Compassionate Conservation” is an emerging movement within conservation science that is gaining attention through its promotion of “ethical” conservation practices that place empathy and compassion and the moral principles of “first, do no harm” and “individuals matter” at the forefront of conservation practice. We have articulated elsewhere how Compassionate Conservation, if adopted, could be more harmful for native biodiversity than any other conservation action implemented thus far, while also causing more net harm to individuals than it aims to stop. Here, we examine whether empathy, compassion and inflexible adherence to moral principles form a solid basis upon which to meet the goals of conservation biology as specified by pioneers in the discipline. Specifically, we examine a large empirical literature demonstrating that empathy is subject to significant biases and that inflexible adherence to moral rules can result in a “do nothing” approach. In light of this literature, we argue that our emotional systems have not evolved to provide a reliable basis for making decisions as to how best to ensure the long-term persistence of our planet. Consequently, in its most radical form, the Compassionate Conservation philosophy should not be enshrined as a legalized guiding principle for conservation action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea S Griffin
- Animal Behaviour and Cognition Lab, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.,Conservation Biology Research Group, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Alex Callen
- Conservation Biology Research Group, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Kaya Klop-Toker
- Conservation Biology Research Group, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Robert J Scanlon
- Conservation Biology Research Group, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Matt W Hayward
- Conservation Biology Research Group, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
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28
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Capozzelli JF, Hecht L, Halsey SJ. What is the value of wild animal welfare for restoration ecology? Restor Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Luke Hecht
- Wild Animal Initiative PO Box 43568 Washington DC 20010 U.S.A
- Department of BiosciencesDurham University Stockton Road Durham DH1 3LE U.K
| | - Samniqueka J. Halsey
- School of Natural ResourcesUniversity of Missouri 1111 Rollins Street Columbia MO 65211 U.S.A
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I Am a Compassionate Conservation Welfare Scientist: Considering the Theoretical and Practical Differences Between Compassionate Conservation and Conservation Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10020257. [PMID: 32041150 PMCID: PMC7070475 DOI: 10.3390/ani10020257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Compassionate Conservation and Conservation Welfare are two disciplines whose practitioners advocate consideration of individual wild animals within conservation practice and policy. However, they are not, as is sometimes suggested, the same. Compassionate Conservation and Conservation Welfare are based on different underpinning ethics, which sometimes leads to conflicting views about the kinds of conservation activities and decisions that are acceptable. Key differences between the disciplines appear to relate to their views about which wild animals can experience harms, the kinds of harms they can experience and how we can know about and confidently evidence those harms. Conservation Welfare scientists seek to engage with conservation scientists with the aim of facilitating ongoing incremental improvements in all aspects of conservation, i.e., minimizing harms to animals. In contrast, it is currently unclear how the tenets of Compassionate Conservation can be used to guide decision-making in complex or novel situations. Thus, Conservation Welfare may offer modern conservationists a more palatable approach to integrating evidence-based consideration of individual sentient animals into conservation practice and policy.
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A Ten-Stage Protocol for Assessing the Welfare of Individual Non-Captive Wild Animals: Free-Roaming Horses ( Equus Ferus Caballus) as an Example. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10010148. [PMID: 31963232 PMCID: PMC7022444 DOI: 10.3390/ani10010148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of the welfare status of wild animals is vital for informing debates about the ways in which we interact with wild animals and their habitats. Currently, there is no published information about how to scientifically assess the welfare of free-roaming wild animals during their normal day-to-day lives. Using free-roaming horses as an example, we describe a ten-stage protocol for systematically and scientifically assessing the welfare of individual non-captive wild animals. The protocol starts by emphasising the importance of readers having an understanding of animal welfare in a conservation context and also of the Five Domains Model for assessing welfare. It goes on to detail what species-specific information is required to assess welfare, how to identify measurable and observable indicators of animals' physical states and how to identify which individuals are being assessed. Further, it addresses how to select appropriate methods for measuring/observing physical indicators of welfare, the scientific validation of these indicators and then the grading of animals' welfare states, along with assigning a confidence score. Finally, grading future welfare risks and how these can guide management decisions is discussed. Applying this ten-stage protocol will enable biologists to scientifically assess the welfare of wild animals and should lead to significant advances in the field of wild animal welfare.
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Consequences Matter: Compassion in Conservation Means Caring for Individuals, Populations and Species. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9121115. [PMID: 31835670 PMCID: PMC6941047 DOI: 10.3390/ani9121115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Acting to preserve biodiversity can involve harming individual animals. It has recently been argued that conventional practice has placed too much emphasis on the preservation of collective entities, such as populations and species, at the expense of suffering for individuals. At least some advocates of the ‘Compassionate Conservation’ movement find any deployment of lethal measures in the interests of conservation to be unacceptable. This shifts the balance of priorities too far. While conservationists have a duty to minimise harm, and to use non-lethal measures where feasible, there will be serious implications for conservation if this movement were to be widely influential. Furthermore, the ‘do-no-harm’ maxim the compassionate conservationists advocate does not always promote the welfare of individual animals. Abstract Human activity affecting the welfare of wild vertebrates, widely accepted to be sentient, and therefore deserving of moral concern, is widespread. A variety of motives lead to the killing of individual wild animals. These include to provide food, to protect stock and other human interests, and also for sport. The acceptability of such killing is widely believed to vary with the motive and method. Individual vertebrates are also killed by conservationists. Whether securing conservation goals is an adequate reason for such killing has recently been challenged. Conventional conservation practice has tended to prioritise ecological collectives, such as populations and species, when their interests conflict with those of individuals. Supporters of the ‘Compassionate Conservation’ movement argue both that conservationists have neglected animal welfare when such conflicts arise and that no killing for conservation is justified. We counter that conservationists increasingly seek to adhere to high standards of welfare, and that the extreme position advocated by some supporters of ‘Compassionate Conservation’, rooted in virtue ethics, would, if widely accepted, lead to considerable negative effects for conservation. Conservation practice cannot afford to neglect consequences. Moreover, the do-no-harm maxim does not always lead to better outcomes for animal welfare.
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Brown AA, Dean AJ, Possingham H, Biggs D. The role of animal welfare values in the rhino horn trade debate. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Abigail A. Brown
- Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- Environmental Futures Research Institute Griffith University Nathan Queensland Australia
| | - Angela J. Dean
- Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- The School of Communications & Arts The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Hugh Possingham
- Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- The Nature Conservancy South Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Duan Biggs
- Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- Environmental Futures Research Institute Griffith University Nathan Queensland Australia
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology Stellenbosch University Matieland South Africa
- Centre for Complex Systems in Transition, School of Public Leadership Stellenbosch University Stellenbosch South Africa
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Webb CE, Woodford P, Huchard E. Animal Ethics and Behavioral Science: An Overdue Discussion. Bioscience 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biz082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Animal ethics—the field of philosophy concerned with the moral status of animals—is experiencing a momentum unprecedented in its history. Surprisingly, animal behavior science remains on the sidelines, despite producing critical evidence on which many arguments in animal ethics rest. In the present article, we explore the origins of the divide between animal behavior science and animal ethics before considering whether behavioral scientists should concern themselves with it. We finally envision tangible steps that could be taken to bridge the gap, encouraging scientists to be aware of, and to more actively engage with, an ethical revolution that is partly fueled by the evidence they generate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine E Webb
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | - Elise Huchard
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de Montpellier, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Montpellier, France
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Hayward MW, Callen A, Allen BL, Ballard G, Broekhuis F, Bugir C, Clarke RH, Clulow J, Clulow S, Daltry JC, Davies-Mostert HT, Fleming PJS, Griffin AS, Howell LG, Kerley GIH, Klop-Toker K, Legge S, Major T, Meyer N, Montgomery RA, Moseby K, Parker DM, Périquet S, Read J, Scanlon RJ, Seeto R, Shuttleworth C, Somers MJ, Tamessar CT, Tuft K, Upton R, Valenzuela-Molina M, Wayne A, Witt RR, Wüster W. Deconstructing compassionate conservation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2019; 33:760-768. [PMID: 31206825 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Compassionate conservation focuses on 4 tenets: first, do no harm; individuals matter; inclusivity of individual animals; and peaceful coexistence between humans and animals. Recently, compassionate conservation has been promoted as an alternative to conventional conservation philosophy. We believe examples presented by compassionate conservationists are deliberately or arbitrarily chosen to focus on mammals; inherently not compassionate; and offer ineffective conservation solutions. Compassionate conservation arbitrarily focuses on charismatic species, notably large predators and megaherbivores. The philosophy is not compassionate when it leaves invasive predators in the environment to cause harm to vastly more individuals of native species or uses the fear of harm by apex predators to terrorize mesopredators. Hindering the control of exotic species (megafauna, predators) in situ will not improve the conservation condition of the majority of biodiversity. The positions taken by so-called compassionate conservationists on particular species and on conservation actions could be extended to hinder other forms of conservation, including translocations, conservation fencing, and fertility control. Animal welfare is incredibly important to conservation, but ironically compassionate conservation does not offer the best welfare outcomes to animals and is often ineffective in achieving conservation goals. Consequently, compassionate conservation may threaten public and governmental support for conservation because of the limited understanding of conservation problems by the general public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt W Hayward
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, University Way, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth, 6019, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Lynwood Road, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Alex Callen
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Benjamin L Allen
- Institute for Life Sciences and the Environment, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350, Australia
| | - Guy Ballard
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Northern Ring Road, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
- Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, Department of Primary Industries, New South Wales Government, Orange, NSW, 2800, Australia
| | - Femke Broekhuis
- WildCRU, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Abington Road, Oxford, OX135QL, U.K
| | - Cassandra Bugir
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Rohan H Clarke
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - John Clulow
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Simon Clulow
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Balclava Road, Sydney, NSWs, 2019, Australia
| | - Jennifer C Daltry
- Fauna & Flora International, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB23QZ, U.K
| | - Harriet T Davies-Mostert
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Lynwood Road, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa
- Endangered Wildlife Trust, Pinelands Office Park, Building K2, Ardeer Road, Modderfontein 1609, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Peter J S Fleming
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Northern Ring Road, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
- Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, Department of Primary Industries, New South Wales Government, Orange, NSW, 2800, Australia
| | - Andrea S Griffin
- School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Lachlan G Howell
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Graham I H Kerley
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, University Way, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth, 6019, South Africa
| | - Kaya Klop-Toker
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- Centre for Biodiversity Conservation Science, University of Queensland, University Drive, Saint Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Linnaeus Way, Acton, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Tom Major
- College of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, College Road, Gwynedd, LL572DG, U.K
| | - Ninon Meyer
- Fondation Yaguara Panama, Ciudad del Saber, calle Luis Bonilla, Panama City, 0843-03081, Panama
| | - Robert A Montgomery
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 220 Trowbridge Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, U.S.A
| | - Katherine Moseby
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, ANZAC Parade, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Arid Recovery, Roxby Downs, SA, 5725, Australia
| | - Daniel M Parker
- Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Drosty Road, Grahamstown, 6139, South Africa
- School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Mpumalanga, D725 Roads, Mbombela, 1200, South Africa
| | | | - John Read
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, Kintore Avenue, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Robert J Scanlon
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Rebecca Seeto
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Craig Shuttleworth
- College of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, College Road, Gwynedd, LL572DG, U.K
| | - Michael J Somers
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Lynwood Road, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa
- Centre for Invasion Biology, University of Pretoria, Lynwood Road, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Cottrell T Tamessar
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | | | - Rose Upton
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Marcia Valenzuela-Molina
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional s/n Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, C.P. 23096, La Paz, B.C.S., México
| | - Adrian Wayne
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Brain Street, Manjimup, WA, 6258, Australia
| | - Ryan R Witt
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Wolfgang Wüster
- College of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, College Road, Gwynedd, LL572DG, U.K
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Rohwer Y, Marris E. Clarifying compassionate conservation with hypotheticals: response to Wallach et al. 2018. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2019; 33:781-783. [PMID: 30653251 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yasha Rohwer
- Oregon Institute of Technology, 3201 Campus Drive, Klamath Falls, OR, 97601, U.S.A
| | - Emma Marris
- University of California Los Angeles, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, LaKretz Hall, 619 Charles E Young Drive E #300, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, U.S.A
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Lynn WS, Santiago‐Ávila F, Lindenmayer J, Hadidian J, Wallach A, King BJ. A moral panic over cats. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2019; 33:769-776. [PMID: 31087701 PMCID: PMC6852131 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Some conservationists believe that free-ranging cats pose an enormous risk to biodiversity and public health and therefore should be eliminated from the landscape by any means necessary. They further claim that those who question the science or ethics behind their arguments are science deniers (merchants of doubt) seeking to mislead the public. As much as we share a commitment to conservation of biodiversity and wild nature, we believe these ideas are wrong and fuel an unwarranted moral panic over cats. Those who question the ecological or epidemiological status of cats are not science deniers, and it is a false analogy to compare them with corporate and right-wing special interests that perpetrate disinformation campaigns over issues, such as smoking and climate change. There are good conservation and public-health reasons and evidence to be skeptical that free-ranging cats constitute a disaster for biodiversity and human health in all circumstances. Further, there are significant and largely unaddressed ethical and policy issues (e.g., the ethics and efficacy of lethal management) relative to how people ought to value and coexist with cats and native wildlife. Society is better served by a collaborative approach to produce better scientific and ethical knowledge about free-ranging cats.
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Affiliation(s)
- William S. Lynn
- George Perkins Marsh InstituteClark University950 Main StreetWorcesterMA01610U.S.A.
| | - Francisco Santiago‐Ávila
- Francisco Santiago‐Ávila, Carnivore Coexistence Lab, Nelson Institute for Environmental StudiesUniversity of Wisconsin‐Madison70 Science Hall, 550 North Park StreetMadisonWI53706U.S.A.
| | - Joann Lindenmayer
- Joann Lindenmayer, Department of Public Health and Community MedicineTufts University School of Medicine145 Harrison AvenueBostonMA02111U.S.A.
| | - John Hadidian
- John Hadidian, Center for Leadership in Global SustainabilityVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University900 N. Glebe RoadArlingtonVA22208U.S.A.
| | - Arian Wallach
- Arian Wallach, Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of Technology SydneyUltimoNSW2007Australia
| | - Barbara J. King
- Barbara J. King, Anthropology (emeritus)College of William and MaryP.O. Box 8795WilliamsburgVA23187U.S.A.
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Fraser-Celin VL, Hovorka AJ. Compassionate Conservation: Exploring the Lives of African Wild Dogs ( Lycaon pictus) in Botswana. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9010016. [PMID: 30621013 PMCID: PMC6356948 DOI: 10.3390/ani9010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary This paper argues that animals should be positioned as subjects in research and scholarship to further develop compassionate conservation, a new field that aims to bridge conservation biology and animal welfare science. Animals can be treated as subjects by attending to their lived experiences and by recognizing their capacity to act. This paper merges interviews, blog posts, biological research, and observations to position African wild dogs as subjects in conservation research and scholarship using responsible anthropomorphism. It presents wild dogs as thinking, feeling, and sentient animals who have agency (capacity to act), and whose welfare is negatively affected by habitat loss and conflict with farmers. By positioning wild dogs as subjects, we can develop an ethical starting point for a more compassionate conservation. This ‘enriched’ scholarship allows us to more fully appreciate the complex lives of wildlife, their circumstances, and their experiences. Abstract This paper argues for a more compassionate conservation by positioning animals as subjects in research and scholarship. Compassionate conservation is a multidisciplinary field of study that broadly attends to the ethical dimensions of conservation by merging conservation biology and animal welfare science. However, animal geography is rarely discussed in the compassionate conservation scholarship despite sharing similar tenets. This paper argues that responsible anthropomorphism and animal geography concepts of animal subjectivity (lived experiences) and agency (capacity to act) positions African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) as subjects in conservation research and scholarship. It merges biological research, public communication, and interview and participant observation data to present wild dogs as thinking, feeling, self-conscious animals with agency, and whose welfare is negatively affected in human-dominated landscapes in Botswana. This paper argues for more attention to be paid to animal subjectivity and agency to foster more compassionate relations with wildlife. It argues that positioning animals as subjects in research and scholarship is an ethical starting point for moving compassionate conservation forward. This ‘enriched’ scholarly approach moves us closer to appreciating the lives of wildlife and the complexity of their circumstances and experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alice J Hovorka
- Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.
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Palmer A, Malone N. Extending Ethnoprimatology: Human-Alloprimate Relationships in Managed Settings. INT J PRIMATOL 2018; 39:831-851. [PMID: 30573939 PMCID: PMC6267655 DOI: 10.1007/s10764-017-0006-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The majority of studies in ethnoprimatology focus on areas of sympatry where humans and nonhuman primates (hereafter, primates) naturally coexist. We argue that much can be gained by extending the field’s scope to incorporate settings where humans manage most aspects of primates’ lives, such as zoos, laboratories, sanctuaries, and rehabilitation centers (hereafter, managed settings). We suggest that the mixed-methods approach of ethnoprimatology, which facilitates examination of both humans’ and primates’ responses to one another, can reveal not only how humans’ ideas about primates shape management strategies, but also how those management strategies affect primates’ lives. Furthermore, we note that a greater focus on managed settings will strengthen links between ethnoprimatology and primate rights/welfare approaches, and will introduce new questions into discussions of ethics in primatology. For example, managed settings raise questions about when it might be justifiable to restrict primates’ freedom for a “greater good,” and the desirability of making primates’ lives more “natural” even if this would decrease their well-being. Finally, we propose that because ethnoprimatology is premised on challenging false dichotomies between categories of field site—specifically, between “natural” and “unnatural” free-ranging populations—it makes sense for ethnoprimatologists to examine settings in which humans exert considerable control over primates’ lives, given that the distinction between “wild” and “captive” is similarly unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Palmer
- UCL Anthropology, University College London, WC1H 0BW, London, UK
| | - Nicholas Malone
- Anthropology, School of Social Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010 New Zealand
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Wallach AD, Bekoff M, Batavia C, Nelson MP, Ramp D. Summoning compassion to address the challenges of conservation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2018; 32:1255-1265. [PMID: 29700860 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 04/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Conservation practice is informed by science, but it also reflects ethical beliefs about how humanity ought to value and interact with Earth's biota. As human activities continue to drive extinctions and diminish critical life-sustaining ecosystem processes, achieving conservation goals becomes increasingly urgent. However, the determination to react decisively can drive conservationists to handle complex challenges without due deliberation, particularly when wildlife individuals are sacrificed for the so-called greater good of wildlife collectives (populations, species, ecosystems). With growing recognition of the widespread sentience and sapience of many nonhuman animals, standard conservation practices that categorically prioritize collectives without due consideration for the well-being of individuals are ethically untenable. Here we highlight 3 overarching ethical orientations characterizing current and historical practices in conservation that suppress compassion: instrumentalism, collectivism, and nativism. We examine how establishing a commitment to compassion could reorient conservation in more ethically expansive directions that incorporate recognition of the intrinsic value of wildlife, the sentience of nonhuman animals, and the values of novel ecosystems, introduced species, and their members. A compassionate conservation approach allays practices that intentionally and unnecessarily harm wildlife individuals, while aligning with critical conservation goals. Although the urgency of achieving effective outcomes for solving major conservation problems may enhance the appeal of quick and harsh measures, the costs are too high. Continuing to justify moral indifference when causing the suffering of wildlife individuals, particularly those who possess sophisticated capacities for emotion, consciousness, and sociality, risks estranging conservation practice from prevailing, and appropriate, social values. As conservationists and compassionate beings, we must demonstrate concern for both the long-term persistence of collectives and the well-being of individuals by prioritizing strategies that do both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arian D Wallach
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Marc Bekoff
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, U.S.A
| | - Chelsea Batavia
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Michael Paul Nelson
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Daniel Ramp
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
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Dolman SJ, Brakes P. Sustainable Fisheries Management and the Welfare of Bycaught and Entangled Cetaceans. Front Vet Sci 2018; 5:287. [PMID: 30525047 PMCID: PMC6262414 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidental capture of cetaceans and other protected marine wildlife in fishing gear has significant welfare implications. Many thousands of cetaceans are bycaught in fishing gear in European waters and hundreds of thousands die globally. We can expect many more to survive, but suffer from such interactions. As marine policy focuses on "population level" impact assessments and "sustainability" of fishing to preserve fish populations, the impacts to the bycaught individual, and their wider social group, are often largely underestimated, despite the large numbers affected. The wide range of recorded injuries, including abrasions, cuts, bruising, and broken bones, along with the potential for panic associated with forced submersion, indicate that the welfare of bycaught cetaceans is, individually and collectively, very poor. Commercial fishing is the last human activity targeting wildlife (fish) on a grand scale where slaughter includes incidental killing of other large sapient wildlife on such a regular basis. Here, we review the compelling evidence of the short and long term welfare impacts of bycatch, and the progress made toward implementation of measures to understand and solve this significant welfare issue. We argue that policy decisions surrounding fishing do not adequately consider cetacean bycatch, including welfare impacts. Ultimately, there are welfare issues in all bycatch situations and suffering cannot plausibly be reduced without preventing bycatch. The well-documented welfare implications provide a strong argument for zero tolerance of cetacean bycatch and provide a compelling case for immediate action in fisheries where bycatch is taking place. The only way to reduce the suffering of bycaught cetaceans is to decrease, or ideally eliminate, the number of animals caught in fishing gear. Uncertainties around the scale of bycatch should not delay management, even where individual bycatch estimates are considered "sustainable." Lack of monitoring of sub-lethal impacts on populations may result in flawed impact assessments. We urge that animal welfare considerations should become an integral part of management decision-making in relation to bycatch globally. Enhanced, robust and transparent management systems are urgently required for the range of fisheries within which cetacean bycatch occurs, with the aim to better document and most importantly, work toward eliminating cetacean bycatch altogether.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J. Dolman
- Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), Chippenham, United Kingdom
| | - Philippa Brakes
- Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), Chippenham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom
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Tuneu Corral C, Szteren D, Cassini MH. Short- and long-term changes in the intensity of responses of pinnipeds to tourist approaches in Cabo Polonio, Uruguay. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2017.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Blaustein L, Segev O, Rovelli V, Bar-David S, Blank L, Polevikov A, Pezaro N, Krugman T, Showstack S, Koplovich A, Ozeri L, Templeton AR. Compassionate approaches for the conservation and protection of fire salamanders. Isr J Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/22244662-06303001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leon Blaustein
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
| | - Ori Segev
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
| | - Valentina Rovelli
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
| | - Shirli Bar-David
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Sede Boker 84990 Israel
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
| | - Lior Blank
- Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, ARO, Volcani Center, Bet-Dagan 50250, Israel
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
| | - Antonina Polevikov
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
| | - Nadav Pezaro
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
| | - Tamar Krugman
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
| | - Simona Showstack
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
| | - Avi Koplovich
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
| | - Lital Ozeri
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
| | - Alan R. Templeton
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
- Department of Biology and Division of Statistical Genomics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899 USA
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Ben-Ami D, Mjadwesch R. Integrating animal protection criteria into conservation management: a case study of the management of Eastern Grey Kangaroos in the ACT. Isr J Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/22244662-20181018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dror Ben-Ami
- Department of Zoology, University of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Centre for Compassionate Conservation, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Ray Mjadwesch
- Department of Zoology, University of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Centre for Compassionate Conservation, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo NSW 2007, Australia
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Wallach AD, Lundgren E, Yanco E, Ramp D. Is the prickly pear a ‘Tzabar’? Diversity and conservation of Israel’s migrant species. Isr J Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/22244662-06303003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Arian D. Wallach
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales, 2007, Australia
| | - Erick Lundgren
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales, 2007, Australia
| | - Esty Yanco
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales, 2007, Australia
| | - Daniel Ramp
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales, 2007, Australia
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45
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Affiliation(s)
- Dror Ben-Ami
- The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, University of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Bowman DMJS, Garnett ST, Barlow S, Bekessy SA, Bellairs SM, Bishop MJ, Bradstock RA, Jones DN, Maxwell SL, Pittock J, Toral-Granda MV, Watson JEM, Wilson T, Zander KK, Hughes L. Renewal ecology: conservation for the Anthropocene. Restor Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- David M. J. S. Bowman
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Tasmania; Private Bag 55 Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia
| | - Stephen T. Garnett
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods; Charles Darwin University; Casuarina Northern Territory 0909 Australia
| | - Snow Barlow
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences; University of Melbourne; Parkville Victoria 3011 Australia
| | - Sarah A. Bekessy
- Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Research Group, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies; RMIT University; GPO Box 2476 Melbourne Victoria 3001 Australia
| | - Sean M. Bellairs
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods; Charles Darwin University; Casuarina Northern Territory 0909 Australia
| | - Melanie J. Bishop
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; North Ryde New South Wales 2109 Australia
| | - Ross A. Bradstock
- Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires; University of Wollongong; Wollongong New South Wales 2522 Australia
| | - Darryl N. Jones
- Environmental Futures Research Institute; Griffith University; Nathan Queensland 4111 Australia
| | - Sean L. Maxwell
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences; The University of Queensland; St. Lucia Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Jamie Pittock
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; The Australian National University; 48 Linnaeus Way Acton Australian Capital Territory 2600 Australia
| | - Maria V. Toral-Granda
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods; Charles Darwin University; Casuarina Northern Territory 0909 Australia
| | - James E. M. Watson
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences; The University of Queensland; St. Lucia Queensland 4072 Australia
- Wildlife Conservation Society; Global Conservation Program; Bronx NY 10460 U.S.A
| | - Tom Wilson
- Northern Institute; Charles Darwin University; Casuarina Northern Territory 0909 Australia
| | - Kerstin K. Zander
- Northern Institute; Charles Darwin University; Casuarina Northern Territory 0909 Australia
| | - Lesley Hughes
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; North Ryde New South Wales 2109 Australia
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Dubois S, Fenwick N, Ryan EA, Baker L, Baker SE, Beausoleil NJ, Carter S, Cartwright B, Costa F, Draper C, Griffin J, Grogan A, Howald G, Jones B, Littin KE, Lombard AT, Mellor DJ, Ramp D, Schuppli CA, Fraser D. International consensus principles for ethical wildlife control. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2017; 31:753-760. [PMID: 28092422 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Human-wildlife conflicts are commonly addressed by excluding, relocating, or lethally controlling animals with the goal of preserving public health and safety, protecting property, or conserving other valued wildlife. However, declining wildlife populations, a lack of efficacy of control methods in achieving desired outcomes, and changes in how people value animals have triggered widespread acknowledgment of the need for ethical and evidence-based approaches to managing such conflicts. We explored international perspectives on and experiences with human-wildlife conflicts to develop principles for ethical wildlife control. A diverse panel of 20 experts convened at a 2-day workshop and developed the principles through a facilitated engagement process and discussion. They determined that efforts to control wildlife should begin wherever possible by altering the human practices that cause human-wildlife conflict and by developing a culture of coexistence; be justified by evidence that significant harms are being caused to people, property, livelihoods, ecosystems, and/or other animals; have measurable outcome-based objectives that are clear, achievable, monitored, and adaptive; predictably minimize animal welfare harms to the fewest number of animals; be informed by community values as well as scientific, technical, and practical information; be integrated into plans for systematic long-term management; and be based on the specifics of the situation rather than negative labels (pest, overabundant) applied to the target species. We recommend that these principles guide development of international, national, and local standards and control decisions and implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Dubois
- British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 1245 East 7th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5T 1R1, Canada
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Nicole Fenwick
- British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 1245 East 7th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5T 1R1, Canada
| | - Erin A Ryan
- British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 1245 East 7th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5T 1R1, Canada
| | - Liv Baker
- College of the Environment, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, 06457, U.S.A
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Sandra E Baker
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Oxfordshire, OX13 5QL, U.K
| | - Ngaio J Beausoleil
- Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Scott Carter
- Detroit Zoological Society, 8450 W 10 Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI, 48067, U.S.A
| | - Barbara Cartwright
- Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, 30 Concourse Gate, Nepean, ON, K2E 7V7, Canada
| | | | - Chris Draper
- Born Free Foundation, Broadlands Business Campus, Langhurstwood Road, Horsham, RH12 4QP, U.K
- University of Bristol, Bristol, City of Bristol, BS8 1TH, U.K
| | - John Griffin
- Wildlife Protection Department, Humane Society of the United States, 1255 23rd St NW, Washington, D.C., 20037, U.S.A
| | - Adam Grogan
- RSPCA UK Wildlife Department, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, West Sussex, RH13 9RS, U.K
| | - Gregg Howald
- Island Conservation, 2161 Delaware Avenue Suite A, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, U.S.A
| | - Bidda Jones
- RSPCA Australia, P.O. Box 265, Deakin West, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Kate E Littin
- Regulation & Assurance Branch, Ministry for Primary Industries, P.O. Box 2526, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Amanda T Lombard
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - David J Mellor
- Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Daniel Ramp
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Catherine A Schuppli
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - David Fraser
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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48
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Ethics and Responsibility in Wildlife Tourism: Lessons from Compassionate Conservation in the Anthropocene. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-55574-4_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
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Swan GJF, Redpath SM, Bearhop S, McDonald RA. Ecology of Problem Individuals and the Efficacy of Selective Wildlife Management. Trends Ecol Evol 2017; 32:518-530. [PMID: 28529028 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2017.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
As a result of ecological and social drivers, the management of problems caused by wildlife is becoming more selective, often targeting specific animals. Narrowing the sights of management relies upon the ecology of certain 'problem individuals' and their disproportionate contribution to impacts upon human interests. We assess the ecological evidence for problem individuals and confirm that some individuals or classes can be both disproportionately responsible and more likely to reoffend. The benefits of management can sometimes be short-lived, and selective management can affect tolerance of wildlife for better or worse, but, when effectively targeted, selective management can bring benefits by mitigating impact and conflict, often in a more socially acceptable way.
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Affiliation(s)
- George J F Swan
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK; Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Steve M Redpath
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK; Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Grimso Wildlife Research Station, 730 91 Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Stuart Bearhop
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Robbie A McDonald
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK.
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Contradiction and Complacency Shape Attitudes towards the Toll of Roads on Wildlife. Animals (Basel) 2016; 6:ani6060040. [PMID: 27322335 PMCID: PMC4929420 DOI: 10.3390/ani6060040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Mitigating the toll of roads on wildlife can become difficult when awareness and exposure does not result in willingness to change driving behaviour. Using a self-reporting questionnaire, we found that while most drivers view wildlife vehicle collisions as a serious issue, increasing exposure to collisions decreased this attitude and it did not translate into willingness to adopt additional mitigation strategies. In addition, despite most respondents stating they routinely drive slower when collision risk is high (at dusk and dawn), our assessment of driving trends via traffic speeds suggested this sentiment was not generally adhered to. We suggest that competing priorities and complacency when risk to people is low may adversely affect willingness to prevent collisions. Abstract Most people in the world now live in cities. Urbanisation simultaneously isolates people from nature and contributes to biodiversity decline. As cities expand, suburban development and the road infrastructure to support them widens their impact on wildlife. Even so, urban communities, especially those on the peri-urban fringe, endeavour to support biodiversity through wildlife friendly gardens, green spaces and corridors, and conservation estates. On one hand, many who live on city fringes do so because they enjoy proximity to nature, however, the ever increasing intrusion of roads leads to conflict with wildlife. Trauma (usually fatal) to wildlife and (usually emotional and financial) to people ensues. Exposure to this trauma, therefore, should inform attitudes towards wildlife vehicle collisions (WVC) and be linked to willingness to reduce risk of further WVC. While there is good anecdotal evidence for this response, competing priorities and better understanding of the likelihood of human injury or fatalities, as opposed to wildlife fatalities, may confound this trend. In this paper we sought to explore this relationship with a quantitative study of driver behaviour and attitudes to WVC from a cohort of residents and visitors who drive through a peri-urban reserve (Royal National Park) on the outskirts of Sydney, Australia. We distributed a self-reporting questionnaire and received responses from 105 local residents and 51 visitors to small townships accessed by roads through the national park. We sought the respondents’ exposure to WVC, their evasive actions in an impending WVC, their attitudes to wildlife fatalities, their strategies to reduce the risk of WVC, and their willingness to adopt new ameliorative measures. The results were partitioned by driver demographics and residency. Residents were generally well informed about mitigation strategies but exposure led to a decrease in viewing WVC as very serious. In addition, despite most respondents stating they routinely drive slower when collision risk is high (at dusk and dawn), our assessment of driving trends via traffic speeds suggested this sentiment was not generally adhered to. Thus we unveil some of the complexities in tackling driver’s willingness to act on reducing risk of WVC, particularly when risk of human trauma is low.
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