No more big bad wolf: new Master’s degree to manage wildlife

Share
condividi

The only times most people hear about wild animals is in case of emergency. For the rest of the time, they remain out of the picture. The Master’s Degree Programme in Wildlife Management at Ca’ Foscari, unique in Italy and internationally, aims to fill this essential gap by training professionals with a profound knowledge of both ecology and the law.

Marco Olivi, director of the new Master’s Degree Programme, explains: “Reducing relationships between man and animal to a reactionary mind frame is at odds with the nature of the problem. What we need are systematic actions. The ecological policy we have seen so far have been based on partisan politics with no scientific basis or practical solutions that cannot be acted upon because they are illegal: a good example of this was the national plan for the protection of wolves that involved years of research but was blocked by the Regional State Conference. The regional law designed to control wild boar populations, similarly, was declared unconstitutional.”

The new Master’s Degree Programme was met with enthusiasm from conservation specialists, institutions and ecological administration, who welcomed the uniqueness of the programme, praised its focus on issues of impending importance and encouraged enrolment by noticing the national and international employment prospects open to future graduates.

The Master’s Degree course, organised by Ca’ Foscari Challenge School, will start in November. Supported by specialized teaching staff, participants will develop skills in both the field of biology and the field of law.