Module 7: Ecological Mitigation

Abstract

Ecological mitigation comprises removal of specimens, changing their behavior or manipulating their habitat. In the case of protected species, such measures may not be applicable or may be restricted in the one or the other way. This chapter describes existing approaches and discusses their limitations in context of protected conflict species and in context of efficacy and cost-effectiveness. It outlines minimum, standard and advanced approaches and identifies their risks. The conclusions put ecological mitigation in the wider context and stress amongst others that a thorough understanding of the biology and ecology of the conflict is essential, that traditional ecological knowledge may be misleading, that human dimensions and emotions are essential aspects and costs of different methods are rather of secondary nature.