TY - JOUR

T1 - Deconstructing compassionate conservation

AU - Hayward, Matt W.

AU - Callen, Alex

AU - Allen, Benjamin L.

AU - Ballard, Guy

AU - Broekhuis, Femke

AU - Bugir, Cassandra

AU - Clarke, Rohan H.

AU - Clulow, John

AU - Clulow, Simon

AU - Daltry, Jennifer C.

AU - Davies-Mostert, Harriet T.

AU - Fleming, Peter J.S.

AU - Griffin, Andrea S.

AU - Howell, Lachlan G.

AU - Kerley, Graham I.H.

AU - Klop-Toker, Kaya

AU - Legge, Sarah

AU - Major, Tom

AU - Meyer, Ninon

AU - Montgomery, Robert A.

AU - Moseby, Katherine

AU - Parker, Daniel M.

AU - Périquet, Stéphanie

AU - Read, John

AU - Scanlon, Robert

AU - Seeto, Rebecca

AU - Shuttleworth, Craig

AU - Somers, Michael J.

AU - Tamessar, Cottrell T.

AU - Tuft, Katherine

AU - Upton, Rose

AU - Valenzuela-Molina, Marcia

AU - Wayne, Adrian

AU - Witt, Ryan R.

AU - Wuster, Wolfgang

PY - 2019/8

Y1 - 2019/8

N2 - Compassionate conservation focuses on 4 tenets: first, do no harm; individuals matter; inclusivity of individual animals; and peaceful coexistence between humans and animals. Recently, compassionate conservation has been promoted as an alternative to conventional conservation philosophy. We believe examples presented by compassionate conservationists are deliberately or arbitrarily chosen to focus on mammals; inherently not compassionate; and offer ineffective conservation solutions. Compassionate conservation arbitrarily focuses on charismatic species, notably large predators and megaherbivores. The philosophy is not compassionate when it leaves invasive predators in the environment to cause harm to vastly more individuals of native species or uses the fear of harm by apex predators to terrorize mesopredators. Hindering the control of exotic species (megafauna, predators) in situ will not improve the conservation condition of the majority of biodiversity even if compassionate conservationists do no harm to individuals of the exotic species. The positions taken by so‐called compassionate conservationists on particular species and on conservation actions could be extended to hinder other forms of conservation, including translocations, conservation fencing, and fertility control. Animal welfare is incredibly important to conservation, but ironically compassionate conservation does not offer the best welfare outcomes to animals and is often ineffective in achieving conservation goals. Consequently, compassionate conservation may threaten public and governmental support for conservation because of the general publics’ limited understanding of conservation problems.

AB - Compassionate conservation focuses on 4 tenets: first, do no harm; individuals matter; inclusivity of individual animals; and peaceful coexistence between humans and animals. Recently, compassionate conservation has been promoted as an alternative to conventional conservation philosophy. We believe examples presented by compassionate conservationists are deliberately or arbitrarily chosen to focus on mammals; inherently not compassionate; and offer ineffective conservation solutions. Compassionate conservation arbitrarily focuses on charismatic species, notably large predators and megaherbivores. The philosophy is not compassionate when it leaves invasive predators in the environment to cause harm to vastly more individuals of native species or uses the fear of harm by apex predators to terrorize mesopredators. Hindering the control of exotic species (megafauna, predators) in situ will not improve the conservation condition of the majority of biodiversity even if compassionate conservationists do no harm to individuals of the exotic species. The positions taken by so‐called compassionate conservationists on particular species and on conservation actions could be extended to hinder other forms of conservation, including translocations, conservation fencing, and fertility control. Animal welfare is incredibly important to conservation, but ironically compassionate conservation does not offer the best welfare outcomes to animals and is often ineffective in achieving conservation goals. Consequently, compassionate conservation may threaten public and governmental support for conservation because of the general publics’ limited understanding of conservation problems.

KW - animal rights

KW - animal welfare

KW - effective conservation

KW - evidence-based conservation

KW - invasives

KW - invasive species

KW - lethal control

KW - translocation

U2 - 10.1111/cobi.13366

DO - 10.1111/cobi.13366

M3 - Article

VL - 33

SP - 760

EP - 768

JO - Conservation Biology

JF - Conservation Biology

SN - 0888-8892

IS - 4

ER -