Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Thunder In The Distance: The Emerging Policy Debate Over Wildlife Contraception, R. Bruce Gill, Michael W. Miller

Contraception in Wildlife Management

Wildlife contraception is only now emerging as a wildlife policy issue It will emerge into a sociopolitical environment that is already polarized from a clash of ideologies. The wildlife conservation/hunting community strives to preserve the status quo while animal welfare and animal rights activists struggle to change wildlife management philosophy and practice to conform to their respective beliefs. Recent professional and popular literature reveal at least four major areas of conflict: (1) anti-management sentiment, (2) anti-hunting sentiment, (3) animal rights sentiment, and (4) animal welfare sentiment. Wildlife managers anticipate that the conflict over the use of contraceptives will involve value …