This volume contains 104 papers, divided in 5 sections: 1. Ornithofauna, 2. Wild mammals, 3. Game management, 4. Game diseases, 5. History and culture of hunting. Most papers are in English, some in German, French and Russian. A colour supplement presents information on hunting societies and forests in Bulgaria, discussing management and culling techniques as well as village level eco-preservation.
The focus of the congress whose proceedings are included in this document was on wildlife biology and management in forested environments. Papers presented are arranged under the following broad topics: wildlife and forest management; biodiversity; wildlife genetics; socio-economic considerations in forestry and wildlife management; carnivores; bears; geographical information systems; toxicology; parasites; birds; remote sensing; game ranching; and ungulates.
Human exploitation of other mammals has passed through three histori cal phases, distinct in their ecological significance though overlapping in time. Initially, Homo sapiens was a predator, particularly of herbivores but also of fur-bearing predators. From about 11 000 years ago, goats and sheep were domesticated in the Middle East, rapidly replacing gazelles and other game as the principal source of meat. The principal crops, including wheat and barley, were taken into agriculture at about the same time, and the resulting Neolithic farming culture spread slowly from there over the subsequent 10 500 years. In a few places such as Mexico, Peru and China, this Middle Eastern culture met and merged with agricultural traditions that had made a similar but independent transition. These agricultural traditions provided the essential support for the industrial revolution, and for a third phase of industrial exploita tion of mammals. In this chapter, these themes are drawn out and their ecological signifi cance is investigated. Some of the impacts of humans on other mammals require consideration on a world-wide basis, but the chapter concen trates, parochially, on Great Britain. What have been the ecological consequences of our exploitation of other mammals? 2. 2 HISTORICAL PHASES OF EXPLOITATION 2. 2. 1 Predatory man Our nearest relatives - chimpanzees, orang utans and gorillas - are essentially forest species, deriving most of their diet from the fruits of forest trees and the shoots and leaves of plants.
In 1995, the University of Alberta hosted The Second International Martes Symposium, an event that brought together scientists to discuss the state of knowledge about mammals of the genus Martes, which includes martens, fishers, and sables. Martes: Taxonomy, Ecology, Techniques, and Management is the proceedings of this symposium and is comprised of 31 technical papers on diverse aspects of these small carnivores. The papers highlight research findings and the importance of the genus Martes to naturalists, zoologists, wildlife managers and foresters. This book is a useful reference for researchers and members of the public interested in discovering more about the habits and conservation of martens, fishers, and sables.
