Professional/Short course Advanced Species Conservation in Practice

Structure

Content

The module syllabus typically includes the following:

• Introduction to species concept and taxonomic classification.
• In-situ species management strategies: Biodiversity threats and conservation strategies, population dynamics, surveying tchniques.
• Ex situ species management strategies: Institutional and regional collection planning, captive breeding, husbandry, enrichment, health and nutrition, reintroduction, zoo record keeping system.
• Prioritisation of target species and actions: International Species Conservation Planning, key species, action plans, International Union for Conservation of Nature specialist group.
• Genetics technics applied to conservation: Inbreeding depression, loss of gene flow, genetic drift, genetic aspects of captive breeding, forensics, non-invasive sampling techniques (e.g. sequencing analysis).
• Legislation and governance: Law enforcement, international convention and organisations (e.g. Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, wildlife trade).
• Diseases in natural populations: zoonosis, host species.
• Invasive species.

Learning and Teaching

The module contact time is delivered predominantly at Bristol Zoological Society's facilities and makes extensive use of their staff expertise in conservation, as well as its large collection of captive wildlife. It is able to draw on the Zoo's wide experience of both ex situ and in situ conservation programme around the world, to provide real-world case studies to support student learning.

Scheduled learning includes lectures, seminars, tutorials, project supervision, demonstration, practical classes and workshops; fieldwork; external visits; work based learning; supervised time in studio/workshop.

Independent learning includes hours engaged with essential reading, case study preparation, assignment preparation and completion etc. These sessions constitute an average time per level. Scheduled sessions may vary slightly depending on the module choices you make.

Assessment

Assessment for this module comprises:

• an oral presentation (15 minutes with 5 minutes for questions to test specific learning outcomes if necessary).
• a written assignment (3,000 words maximum) of an extended piece of research into the methods used and impacts of conservation of a particular taxonomic group. The work comprises a literature review, data collation combined with the appropriate meta-analysis, presentation and interpretation of the data and its evaluation in the context of the published literature.

Coursework support sessions will be scheduled to support students in the successful completion of both assessments.