Wildlife Management Glossary

An iterative management approach that monitors outcomes and adjusts strategies based on what is learned.

The variety and variability of life at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels.

Breeding wildlife in controlled environments to increase population numbers for conservation or reintroduction.

The maximum population size a habitat can sustainably support given available resources.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, regulating cross-border wildlife trade.

The scientific study of the protection and management of biodiversity to prevent species extinction and habitat loss.

A population regulation factor whose influence increases as population density rises.

A factor affecting population size regardless of density, such as natural disasters or extreme weather.

A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment as a functional unit.

Ecological changes at the boundary between two habitats that can alter species composition and abundance.

A 1973 U.S. law providing protection for species at risk of extinction and their critical habitats.

Geographic Information Systems used for spatial analysis of habitats, land use, and wildlife distribution.

The process of breaking continuous habitat into smaller, isolated patches through human activity.

The area in which an individual animal normally lives, feeds, mates, and raises offspring.

Negative interactions between wildlife and humans, such as crop damage, livestock depredation, or property destruction.

Non-native organisms that cause ecological or economic harm after introduction to a new environment.

A species whose ecological influence is disproportionately large relative to its abundance.

A population estimation method involving capture, marking, release, and recapture of individuals.

The smallest population that can persist long-term without significant genetic or demographic problems.

The study of changes in population size and composition over time and the factors causing those changes.

A technique using radio transmitters on animals to remotely track movements and habitat use.

The deliberate release of a species into an area from which it had been extirpated.

Chain reactions through food web levels caused by adding or removing a top predator or keystone species.

A habitat linkage connecting isolated patches to allow animal movement and genetic exchange.

A protected area managed primarily for the conservation and management of wildlife and their habitats.