Deconstructing compassionate conservation
Article
Article Title | Deconstructing compassionate conservation |
---|---|
ERA Journal ID | 3221 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Hayward, Matt, Callen, Alex, Allen, Benjamin L., Ballard, Guy, Broekhuis, Femke, Bugir, Cassandra, Clarke, Rohan H., Clulow, John, Clulow, Simon, Daltry, Jennifer C., Davies-Mostert, Harriet T., Fleming, Peter J. S., Griffin, Andrea S., Howell, Lachlan G., Kerley, Graham I. H., Klop-Toker, Kaya, Legge, Sarah, Major, Tom, Meyer, Ninon, Montgomery, Robert A., Moseby, Katherine, Parker, Daniel M., Periquet, Stephanie, Read, John, Scanlon, Robert J., Seeto, Rebecca, Shuttleworth, Craig, Somers, Michael J., Tamessar, Cottrell T., Tuft, Katherine, Upton, Rose, Valenzuela-Molina, Marcia, Wayne, Adrian, Witt, Ryan R. and Wuster, Wolfgang |
Journal Title | Conservation Biology |
Journal Citation | 33 (4), pp. 760-768 |
Number of Pages | 9 |
Year | 2019 |
Publisher | John Wiley & Sons |
Place of Publication | United States |
ISSN | 0888-8892 |
1523-1739 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13366 |
Web Address (URL) | https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cobi.13366 |
Abstract | Compassionate conservation focuses on 4 tenets: first, do no harm; individuals matter; inclusivity of individual animals; and peaceful coexistence between humans and animals. Recently, compassionate conservation has been promoted as an alternative to conventional conservation philosophy. We believe examples presented by compassionate conservationists are deliberately or arbitrarily chosen to focus on mammals; inherently not compassionate; and offer ineffective conservation solutions. Compassionate conservation arbitrarily focuses on charismatic species, notably large predators and megaherbivores. The philosophy is not compassionate when it leaves invasive predators in the environment to cause harm to vastly more individuals of native species or uses the fear of harm by apex predators to terrorize mesopredators. Hindering the control of exotic species (megafauna, predators) in situ will not improve the conservation condition of the majority of biodiversity. The positions taken by so-called compassionate conservationists on particular species and on conservation actions could be extended to hinder other forms of conservation, including translocations, conservation fencing, and fertility control. Animal welfare is incredibly important to conservation, but ironically compassionate conservation does not offer the best welfare outcomes to animals and is often ineffective in achieving conservation goals. Consequently, compassionate conservation may threaten public and governmental support for conservation because of the limited understanding of conservation problems by the general public. |
Keywords | animal rights; animal welfare; effective conservation; evidence-based conservation; invasive species; invasives; lethal control; translocation |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 410401. Conservation and biodiversity |
Public Notes | File reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher/author. |
PubMed ID | 31206825 |
Byline Affiliations | University of Newcastle |
Nelson Mandela University, South Africa | |
University of Pretoria, South Africa | |
Institute for Life Sciences and the Environment | |
University of New England | |
Department of Primary Industries, New South Wales | |
University of Oxford, United Kingdom | |
Monash University | |
Macquarie University | |
Fauna & Flora International, United Kingdom | |
Endangered Wildlife Trust, South Africa | |
University of Queensland | |
Australian National University | |
Bangor University, United Kingdom | |
Fondation Yaguara Panama, Panama | |
Michigan State University, United States | |
University of New South Wales | |
Arid Recovery, Australia | |
Rhodes University, South Africa | |
University of Mpumalanga, South Africa | |
Ongava Research Centre, Namibia | |
University of Adelaide | |
National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico | |
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Western Australia |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/v4164/deconstructing-compassionate-conservation
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