Does working to protect wildlife appeal to you? If you have a genuine passion for wildlife and the natural world, this course will prepare you for a management career in conservation.
Advanced Certificate of Wildlife Conservation and Management is a professional development course that provides a broad knowledge base in wildlife conservation and management practices.
In this wildlife management course, you will learn about ecology and biology diversity, farming and urban planning, habitats, and recovery of threatened species. You will also learn about wildlife management techniques, law and administration and how to conduct a case study research project.
On completion of this course, you will have a strong understanding of wildlife conservation and crucial management strategies.
Course Structure
Unit - Wildlife Conservation
Unit 1 – Introduction to Wildlife Conservation
- What is wildlife conservation?
- The need for wildlife conservation
- Important concepts
- Threatening processes (Ecology, Ecosystem and Biome)
- Conservation Values
- Biological diversity
- Biodiversity indicators
- Genetic drift
- Habitat and life span
- Wildlife Management
- Habitat fragmentation
- Habitat degradation and loss
- Types of soil degradation
- Types of Erosion
- Pollution
- Land pollution
- Air pollution
- Water pollution
- Marine degradation
- Unsustainable harvesting/hunting
- Invasive species
- Climate change
- Population isolation/conservation genetics
- Disease
- Extinction and Disease
- Density and Disease
- Impacts of Disease Control Measures
- Terminology
Unit 2 – Recovery of Threatened Species
- Loss of species categories of risk
- Species vulnerability to endangerment
- Rarity
- Ability to Disperse
- Degree of Specialisation
- Population Variability
- Population Variability
- Life Span
- Reproductive Rate
- Recovery of species
- Threat management
- Habitat conservation
- Critical habitat and protecting habitat
- Research population growth
- Habitat use
- Conservation genetics
- Captive breeding
- Translocation
- Public involvement
- Terminology
Unit 3 – Habitat Conservation
- Habitat
- Types of Habitat
- Temperate and tropical forests, woodland, tundra and mangrove habitats
- Habitat use
- Species richness
- Habitat fragmentation
- Creating habitats
- Restoration ecology
- Creating habitat corridors, situating corridors and edge effects
- Rehabilitation
- Implementing a land rehabilitation management program
- Determining land objectives, determining a program
- The role of GIS in conservation
- The role of protected areas
- Levels of protection
- Approaches to reserve selection
Unit 4 – Approaches to Conservation of Threatened Wildlife
- Species approach
- Demographic modelling
- Effective population size, small populations
- Population viability analysis (PVA)
- Spatial distribution of populations within a landscape
- Landscape Modelling
- Ecosystem approach
- Ecosystem management
- Adaptive management
- Ecologically Sustainable Forest Management
Unit 5 – Vegetation (Flora) Surveys
- Plant Identification (names and scientific names)
- Levels of division
- Botanical keys
- List of plant groups
- Vegetation/flora surveying
- Flora survey techniques
- Line surveys
- Belt transect
- Vegetation mapping
- Quadrat surveys
- Remote sensing data.
- Landsat
Unit 6 – Fauna Surveys
- Observation techniques
- Types of surveys / census techniques
- Total counts and sampling
- Direct methods of surveying wildlife
- Aerial surveys
- Transects
- Mark-recapture
- Indirect methods of surveying wildlife
- Roadside and call counts
- Scat analysis
- Hair tube analysis
- Nest boxes
- Sand pads/trays
- Spotlighting
- Mapping
- Sampling methods specific to animal populations
- Distance sampling
- Random vs non-random sampling
- Species identification
Unit 7 – Marine Conservation
- Coral bleaching
- Overfishing
- Commercial fish stock management
- Stock identity and assessment
- Stock biomass
- Stock management methods
- Marine surveys
- Capture and mixed methods
- Non-capture methods
- Non-lethal whale research techniques
- Acoustic research methods
- Molecular methods
- Genetics and satellite tagging
Unit 8 – Planning for Wildlife
- Farm planning
- Planning farm activities
- Off property effects
- Biological and climactic considerations
- Socioeconomic options
- Examples of information to be collected & analysed
- Examples of decisions which might need to be made
- Urban planning
- Aspects of urban management
- Urban planning for wildlife
Unit 9 – Management
- Managing threatened wildlife populations
- Recovering threatened species
- Manipulating populations
- Reintroducing species
- Removal of Predators/Competitors
- Captive Breeding
- Manipulating habitat
- Revegetation/restoration
- Exclusion fencing for threatened species
- Creating corridors
- Designing and planting a fire break
Unit 10 – Wildlife Conservation Project
Unit - Wildlife Management
Unit 1 – Introduction to Wildlife Management
- What is wildlife management
- Approaches to wildlife management
- Preservation and conservation
- Purpose of wildlife management
- Reasons for managing wildlife
- Reasons for managing wildlife
- Decision making in wildlife management
- Who are the decision makers?
- Decisions regarding wildlife populations
- Important concepts and considerations
- Range, distribution and habitat.
- Needs of wildlife
- Good wildlife habitats
- Population limiting factors
- Carrying capacity
- Succession
- Habitat fragmentation
- Habitat diversity
- Biological control
- Integrated pest management
Unit 2 – Wildlife Ecology
- Ecology
- Types of ecology
- Population Ecology
- Community Ecology
- Ecosystem Ecology
- Interactions within a community
- Competition
- Predation
- Parasitism
- Commensalism
- Mutualism
- The food web
- The web of life
- Energy flow
- Imbalances
Unit 3 – Wildlife Habitats
- Classification of habitats
- Habitat types
- Location and characteristics of biomes and common wildlife
- Animal use of features within habitats
- Case study – nest boxes
- Logs, surface rocks and ground cover
- Creeks, wetlands and dams
- Case study – bird requirements and uses of habitat
- Requirements of birds in captivity
- Habitat features used by birds
- Trees
- Plants
- Changes to habitats
- Physical changes
- Biological changes
- Air pollution
- Water pollution
- Toxicants
- Water
- Siting water points
- Trees: more or less
- Deforestation and afforestation
Unit 4 – Population Dynamics and Pest Management
- Populations
- Birth or fecundity rate
- Death or mortality rate
- Population growth rate
- Control of pest or undesirable wildlife species
- The objectives of control
- The effects of control on a population
- Mortality manipulation
- Biological control
- Successful biological control examples
- Catastrophes in biological control
- General case studies
- Mosquitoes
- Grasshoppers (locusts)
- Birds and mammals
- Case study: feral animals in Australia
- Case study – total eradication of exotic species in New Zealand
Unit 5 – Carrying Capacity
- Exponential population growth and population dynamics
- What is carrying capacity
- Fisheries – stock management
- Stock identity
- Stock assessment
- Stock biomass
- Stock management methods
Unit 6 – Wildlife Censuses
- Types of censuses
- Total counts
- Sampling
- Sampling accuracy vs precision, and bias errors
- Methods of wildlife censuses
- Aerial surveys
- Trapping
- Mark-recapture
- Transects
- Indirect methods
- Roadside and call counts
- Mapping
- Environmental DNA (eDNA)
- Taxon specific sampling methods
- Animal ethics
- Case study – the Calgary zoo’s swift fox survey
- Census objective
- Sampling plan and techniques
- Results
Unit 7 – Wildlife Management Techniques
- Management of native wildlife
- Habitat modification
- Habitat modelling
- Population monitoring
- Conservation breeding programs
- Case study – the North American giant salamander
- Translocation of threatened species
- Culling and harvesting
- Case studies culling
- Case studies culling and harvesting
- Fertility manipulation
- Genetic engineering
- Indirect methods
- Case studies cites and conservation (tigers and rhinoceros)
Unit 8 – Wildlife Management Law and Administration
- Policy and wildlife law
- International environmental law
- Making international laws
- Treaties
- International customary law
- Hard vs soft law
- Domestic (national) laws
- Evolving domestic law
- Sources of legislation
- Environmental ethics
- Enforcement of conservation laws
Unit 9 – Problem Based Learning (PBL) Project – Management of Endangered Fragmented Owl
Study Hours
Estimated duration 100 hours
Course Delivery and Start
Start anytime, self-paced and 100% online
Assessment
Assessment will be comprised of written exercises, including short-answer questions, reflective tasks, short reports and/or projects. There are no examinations or due dates for assessment. As a result, you can complete training in your own time and at your own pace with the assistance of unlimited tutor support.
Testimonials
Graduation
A Certificate of Attainment and Statement of Results will be issued upon successful completion of this course.
How to Enrol
Enrol Online: Enrol Now
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Enrol via Telephone 1300 76 2221 (Business Hours)
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Enrolling Multiple Staff?
To enrol multiple staff, please complete the Employer Enrolment Form. We’ll be in touch within 60 minutes during business hours!
Payment Options
Visa, Mastercard, BPAY and Direct Deposit.
Course FAQs
Why Choose Australian Online Courses?
- Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
- Improve your employment opportunities;
- Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
- High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
- All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
- Unlimited tutor support via email;
- We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
- Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.
Are there any entry requirements or pre-requisites?
To study online with Australian Online Courses you will need a computer (desktop PC/laptop) running a current/updated operating system with reliable high-speed internet access. You will need to use the Google Chrome browser to access your course.
Are there any computer requirements?
To study online with Australian Online Courses you will need a computer (desktop PC/laptop) running a current/updated operating system with reliable high-speed internet access. You will need to use the Google Chrome browser to access your course.
When can I start this course?
You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!
Credit card: Within 60 mins during business hours.
BPAY: Within 1-2 working days.
Internet Banking: Within 1-2 working days.
Cheque/Money Order: Upon receipt of mailed cheque.
How is this course delivered?
This course is delivered online via our easy-to-navigate Learning Management System (LMS), where you will discover interactive online learning/written content, resources and assessment.
Do I need to attend classes or undertake any work placements?
No. All courses are delivered online via our LMS and there are no work placement requirements in this course.
What support can I expect from Australian Online Courses?
Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email only during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.
I am an international student. Can I enrol into this course?
Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.
Career Pathways
Future growth
Strong
Unemployment
Low
Professional Development for:
- Wildlife Manager
- Wildlife Educator
- Conservation Manager
- Conservation Administrator
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