Using animal behavior in conservation management: a series of systematic reviews and maps

• Published in: Environmental evidence Vol. 8; no. Suppl 1; pp. 1 - 3
• Main Authors: Greggor, Alison L, Blumstein, Daniel T, Wong, Bob B. M, Berger-Tal, Oded
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central Ltd 13.06.2019; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Acoustics; Animal behavior; Anthropogenic factors; Collaboration; Communication; Conservation; Conservation areas; Environmental aspects; Human influences; Literature reviews; Mammals; Methods; Noise pollution; Protocol; Reintroduction; Systematic review; Wildlife; Wildlife conservation; Wildlife management; United States
• ISSN: 2047-2382; 2047-2382
• DOI: 10.1186/s13750-019-0164-4

Animal behavior can help us understand and predict the impacts of anthropogenic disturbance on wildlife populations, can be used as a tool in conservation interventions, and can serve as a powerful indicator of conservation problems [1]. Overall, the emergent field of conservation behavior (applying animal behavior research to conservation and management) has already contributed to many successful conservation outcomes—from devising individual-specific diets to manage sex ratios in the critically endangered Kakapo [2], to promoting life skills that enhance survival after reintroduction of species into the wild [3–6]. [...]we see this as merely the beginning of a practice that we hope to become commonplace for animal behavior scientists interested in having greater conservation relevance for their work. There may be geographical, species-level and intervention-type biases that need to be addressed in arenas of scientific planning. [...]when the group of reviews and maps are ultimately published, we will have a basis for evaluating evidence in specific areas of conservation behavior, and a snapshot of the biases present within diverse areas of the field.