Challenges in wildlife conservation and management. The contribution of veterinary doctors

Abstract

Man’s interaction with wild animals dates back to ancient times and his perception of it has been changing. Currently, society presents such a wide variety of views that make it difficult to implement conservation and management strategies without interdisciplinary work. In this context and taking into consideration the basic issues that veterinary sciences comprise, what would the contribution of the veterinarian be in the conservation and management field of wild animals?

Veterinary Education and Training on Non-Traditional Companion Animals, Exotic, Zoo, and Wild Animals: Concepts Review and Challenging Perspective on Zoological Medicine

“…They have more things in common for their approach to the taxon than based on the degree of domestication or the place of maintenance. For these reasons, it would be preferable to use the term zoological medicine for everything that covers the medicine of pets, wild or zoo species of reptiles, birds, and mammals excluded from traditional domestic ones such as dogs, cats, horses, and farm animals [ 1 , 2 , 8 ].…”

“…Consequently, the demand for specialised veterinary care, specific knowledge, and competencies must be improved and increased in parallel. It should be remembered that the legal possession of unconventional pets is associated with attention to specialised requirements and their specific anatomical and physiological characteristics, which do not allow extrapolating procedures from the traditional medicine of dogs and cats [ 8 ].…”

“…They were initially conceived as menageries [ 3 , 19 , 20 ] where wild and exotic animals were simply exposed to the public, without fulfilling any additional function than the mere entertainment and enjoyment of visitors. However, they have experienced a resounding change, and although there are still zoos with this archaic vision, many others have spent years developing education, research, conservation, and captive breeding to contribute to the survival of threatened species [ 8 ]. These zoos have become bioparks, rescue centres, or reserves that often allow visitors to see animals in more natural and less intrusive environments, replacing the barred cages with semi-open facilities based on the zoo or landscape immersion concept [ 3 , 21 ].…”