北米における野生動物管理の認証プログラムの現状

抄録

 Wildlife management varies from country to country and even within different administrative regions, leading to diverse goals and strategies. This results in a wide range of organizations and roles involved in implementing these measures. Understanding the roles and responsibilities of organizations in other countries is essential for formulating effective strategies for managing wild animals within one's own country. This content introduces the certification system of the Wildlife Society (referred to as TWS), which is a significant credential within North America, including the United States and Canada.

 In the United States, individuals can obtain two types of certifications offered by TWS by accumulating a specific number of academic credits through university coursework. The first is the TWS Associate Wildlife Biologist certification, attainable with a certain number of undergraduate-level credits. The second is the TWS Certified Wildlife Biologist certification, available to individuals who have completed undergraduate coursework and possess at least five years of full-time professional experience in wildlife management, encompassing areas such as conservation, administration, and assessment. Some positions, such as wildlife management scientists at federal agencies or state organizations, exclusively seek applicants holding these certifications. The United States seeks to foster a bottom-up approach in developing skilled professionals, where certification holders contribute to wildlife conservation and mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts through scientific management strategies at the local level and beyond.