Research

The live animal trade contributes directly to species invasions, which have resulted in species extinctions and biodiversity loss. Interventions are required to manage trade in non‐native animals with high invasion potential, impulse or ill‐informed purchases of non‐native pets, and the deliberate release of non‐native animals. Interventions are also required to prevent the establishment of released non‐native animals (e.g., euthanasia). We conduct research with members of the live animal trade and the general public to determine their willingness to support efforts to prevent species invasions and how their support for management varies according to species to be managed.

Principal Investigators: Elizabeth F. Pienaar, Gino D'Angelo, Michel Kohl, Mark Ruder

Research Scientist: Hannah Shapiro

Funding: Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2) is a highly contagious, highly fatal disease that has infected wild and domestic lagomorphs in >12 states and will likely spread rapidly across the United States if not contained. Continued spread of RHDV2 will adversely affect small game hunting, the commercial rabbit industry and the pet industry, as well as resulting in trophic cascades. Intensive, costly management efforts will be required to recover ecosystems that are impacted by RHDV2. Unfortunately, lack of clear regulatory authority, the size of the live rabbit trade, and the number and diversity of stakeholders involved are impeding states’ ability to respond to RHDV2. Using both quantitative and qualitative human dimensions methods we are: 1) determining how key stakeholders may be engaged in appropriate voluntary behaviors to prevent or contain the spread of RHDV2; 2) identifying opportunities for, and barriers to, cooperative efforts to contain RHDV2, including coordination between agencies and cooperation with industry groups; 3) distilling our findings into recommendations for agencies; and 4) generating extension programming and communication strategies that are tailored to different stakeholders.

Many threatened and endangered species are highly dependent on privately-owned lands for their continued survival. We conduct research to examine farmers’ and private landowners' motivations for managing their lands for imperiled species and the habitat that supports these species. We also identify potential financial and non-financial conservation programs that may incentivize or secure continued imperiled species management on private lands -- taking into account the political, social and biological complexity of imperiled species management.

Growing human populations are placing increasing pressure on the natural environment. Climate change, pollution, over-exploitation of resources, and land-use change are key drivers of ecosystem loss. Conversion of private forestlands, rangelands, and agricultural lands to urban development as a result of increasing property values, tax burdens and global market competition is resulting in the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Regulations, land acquisition, conservation easements, payments for ecosystem services and tax incentives have been implemented to protect and conserve habitat, ecosystem services and biodiversity. Although these conservation programs play an important role in attaining ecosystem services conservation, new approaches are needed to engage landowners in sustainable management of their lands. We conduct research to assess landowners' willingness to engage in sustainable management of their lands, and the value that the public places on biodiversity and ecosystem services to help inform conservation decision-making.

Wildlife tourism plays a key role in both wildlife conservation and economic development in Africa. The wildlife tourism industry generates approximately the same total revenues as farming, forestry, and fisheries combined. Trophy (or safari) hunting is of central importance. Over 1,394,000 sq km of land in sub-Saharan Africa is utilized for trophy hunting – an area that exceeds the total land area encompassed in national parks. The revenues generated by trophy hunting, combined with the quantity of land devoted to hunting, means that trophy hunting, rather than photographic tourism, may best support both wildlife and habitat conservation in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is a lack of consensus within the conservation community regarding the effectiveness of trophy hunting as a conservation tool. In large part, this lack of consensus is owing to insufficient research into the economic and ecological impacts of trophy hunting and other sustainable uses of wildlife (e.g., game meat production, live sales).