Sustainable Wildlife Management - Unasylva 249

Book excerpt: Wildlife management is the focus of considerable international debate because of its importance for biodiversity conservation, human safety, livelihoods and food security. Local people have been managing wildlife for millennia, including through hunting. Sufficient examples are presented in this edition to show that sustainable wildlife management is also feasible in the modern era. In some cases, a sustainable offtake – by local people, trophy hunters and legitimate wildlife traders – is provin g vital to obtain local buy-in to wildlife management and to pay the costs of maintaining habitats. No doubt the debate will continue on the best ways to manage wildlife; this edition of Unasylva is a contribution to that.