Wildlife groups find common ground
Research conducted by UBC’s Sara Dubois found the majority of those surveyed believe habitat loss and pollution are the biggest threats to wildlife.
Publication on wildlife feeding underscores serious harms to animals
After numerous high-profile events where food-conditioned wildlife were killed in BC, PhD student Sara Dubois evaluated various types of feeding practices and prohibitions. The publication, featured this month in the journal Animals, reviews the literature and proposes a framework to help decide if, and when, it is reasonable to feed wildlife.
Thesis from MSc student Meghann Cant on rehabilitation of black bears
Abstract: Throughout the year, black bear (Ursus americanus) cubs are orphaned, abandoned, or permanently separated from their mothers due to natural or human causes. Although cubs have been the focus of limited rehabilitation efforts in North America for more than 30 years, information on bear rehabilitation remains sparse. Furthermore, a lack of agreement exists regarding the […]
Listen to Liv Baker’s presentation “Understanding The Individual In Wildlife Conservation”
Animal Welfare Program Ph.D. student Liv Baker recently presented her research at the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare’s (UFAW) first international conference in Barcelona, “Science in the service of animal welfare: priorities around the world”. A recording of Liv’s presentation can now be heard on-line.
New paper published on human-wildlife conflict features BC ‘pot’ bears
The story of the BC ‘pot’ bears became international news in summer 2010 – now PhD student Sara Dubois has recently published her 2011 community survey of Christina Lake residents in an article in the journal Animals. The two-phase phone survey of local attitudes documented varying beliefs about wildlife feeding and management actions for problem […]
Sara Dubois to present at conference on solutions to conflicts with urban wildlife
PhD student Sara Dubois will present the results of her recent research at Living With Wildlife 2013. The conference intends to bring together local government officials, farmers, wildlife rehabilitation groups, animal control agencies, academics and individual citizens to work towards humane solutions to conflicts with bears, coyotes, beavers, deer and other urban species. Sara Dubois […]
A heated topic: branding animals for identification
Branding has been used for centuries on horses and cattle; more recently wildlife researchers have begun using hot-iron branding to identify marine mammals. Kristen Walker’s Ph.D. research focused on the pain and distress caused by branding and other marking methods in Steller sea lions, and how this could be avoided. Kristen’s work and other recent […]
Liv Baker’s research featured in interview
PhD student Liv Baker has been interested in the welfare concerns that arise from the management of threatened species and the use of animal welfare research methods to improve conservation concerns. She was recently interviewed by WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) about her research and the role of animal welfare and sentience […]
Professor Fraser presents ANZCCART lecture in Dunedin, NZ on 14 March
Cars, cats and climate change represent a few of the growing but neglected harms to animals caused by seven billion busy people. These and many other aspects of human life cause a spectrum of harms ranging from animal suffering to loss of biodiversity. Animal welfare and conservation thus involve many shared problems. Indeed, animal welfare […]
Greatest Harms to Wildlife
Sara Dubois, PhD candidate’s recent article [link] surveying BC wildlife experts and the public, showed that both conservation-oriented and welfare-oriented participants agreed on the greatest harms to wildlife – urban development, pollution, resource development, and agriculture. Despite divisions in philosophy and professional practice, there was broad agreement on ranking activities that harm wildlife, indicating wildlife […]