1. A History of Conservation & Wildlife Management in the United States

2. History of Wildlife Management l Ancient: example Egypt round up animals to be counted & census Kill poachers Train and raise hunting cheetahs

3. History of Wildlife Management l Middle Ages: Gamekeepers Kill poachers Census Train hunting dogs Arrange hunting parties

4. Exploitation - Wasting l A. When people were few there was little need for conservation 1. Wise management is beginning to replace short sighted exploitation. 2. World population is doubling every decade. 3. Accelerate progress is natural resource management.

5. Regulations l 1. 1639 regulations on deer hunting were imposed by Newport, RI. l 2. 1698 Connecticut and Massachusetts imposed limits on deer hunting, by then deer herds were almost gone in those areas.

6. Regulations l 3. 1844 New York Sporting Club formed. A. became the New York State Game Protective Society. B. promoted restrictions against market hunters

7. Regulations l 4. 1865 first fish and game commission formed in Massachusetts.

8. Market hunters l 1. Hunting and trapping for fur and meat animals became big business overnight. l 2. Market hunters found that their quarry could be taken all year long.

9. 3. Passenger Pigeons l Probably the most numerous bird on earth in mid 1800’s (billions & billions) Last wild colony reported in 1885 Major factors – Unregulated market hunting – Railroad, telegraph, repeating guns – Cutting down nest trees – Low fecundity (1 egg / pair / year) – Group breeding

10. Market hunters l Buffalo herds came close to extinction for the same reasons l Estimated 60 million in 1860 l 150 left in the wild by 1889 l Major factors: 1.Unregulated market hunting 2.Tongue 3.Hides & leather 4.Technology 5.Railroad 6.Repeating rifles 7.Army killed bison to deprive Native Americans

11. 1850 – 1900: Rapid Depletion l Rapid increase in human population, economy, & technology extinction of numerous species – passenger pigeon – Labrador duck – Carolina parakeet Near-extinction of plains bison, turkeys, pronghorn, several whales 1872 – Yellowstone = first National Park 1896 - Geer vs. Connecticut Established Public Trust Doctrine Wild animals are property of the STATE

12. 1900 – 1933: Preservation & Production l Preservation: hunting restrictions, predator, bounties, refuges Production: populations replenished through captive breeding & stocking l national legislation – 1900 - Lacy Act – 1918 - Migratory Bird Treaty Act – 1929 - Migratory Bird Conservation Act

13. The Lacey Act-1900 first federal act dealing with wildlife was passed. made interstate transport of game taken against the law a federal crime. killed market hunting and saved many species from destruction

14. Migratory Bird Act- 1918 protection of migratory waterfowl that breed in Canada and fly across the US each year.

15. Important People of 1900-1933 l Gifford Pinchot (first head of Forest Service, 1898) – Conservation = “wise use” l Theodore Roosevelt (president 1901-1909) – avid hunter & outdoorsman – created National Wildlife Refuges - first = Pelican Island, 1903 - 52 refuges during term in office -set aside millions of acres of land as “reserves” for forestry and mining

16. Aldo Leopold l the “father of wildlife management” – made Wildlife Biology a new profession – 1933, “Game Management” first textbook – Wrote “Sand County Almanac”, “Thinking like a Mountain”... – Conservation ethic: conservation is a moral obligation l – Habitat & ecology are key Shift in perspective on predators

17. 1934 Duck Stamp Act a. first year raised revenues of $600,000 b. now raise up to $6 million a year c. finance numerous projects to protect and expand North American waterfowl population.

18. History of Wildlife Management l 1937 Pittman Robertson Act 10% tax on firearms and ammo Game species only “managed” First money directed towards management

19. The road back l 1940 US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior formed.

20. 1960 – present: Environmental Awareness & Activism Public concern for environmental issues – 1960 Rachel Carson, “Silent Spring” ended DDT spraying, saved many bird species – 1970 first Earth Day Population shift: rural to urban/suburban Increased interest in conserving nongame wildlife and predators Greater research in ecology & conservation biology

21. National Environmental Policy Act 1969 Endangered Species Act 1970 CITES 1973 National Forest Management Act 1976 Conservation Reserve Program 1985 Some key legislation and policies: