BIOL439 Wildlife Management (2,3)        3 The application of ecological principles to develop practical wildlife management strategies to preserve, enhance or create viable wildlife habitats and populations. Students will have the opportunity to observe and practice standard field and laboratory techniques. Prerequisites: (BIOL311 or BIOL 312) and BIOL339. Wildlife Management is a core course for students in the combined Fisheries & Wildlife option, as well as for those concentrating in Wildlife Management.  This is a capstone course and as such requires students to synthesize what they have learned in other classes.  A broad background in biology is an obvious prerequisite to managing any natural resource.  Additionally (no pun intended) many of the topics in this course are quantitative in nature, and thus, a solid foundation in mathematics is essential. Lectures explicitly build on the theoretical foundation acquired in BIOL339 to develop practical approaches to population and habitat management.  The conservation, control, and sustained harvest of wildlife populations are the central focus of the course. The laboratory portion of this course emphasizes hands-on experience with some of the common tools and practices of wildlife management.  Students will have the opportunity to asses the status of both wildlife and their habitats as part of their laboratory exercises and via volunteer activities with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.  Specific laboratory activities include a radio- telemetry project, application of a Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) model, and practice with chemical immobiliztion equipment. updated 11/18/2010