To investigate community engagement and decision making in wildlife control programs

Australia's unique wildlife is a core part of our national identity. From kangaroos to brumbies, decisions to control native and introduced animals have social, cultural, ecological and economic impacts, causing varied and at times opposing perceptions of wildlife control. Consequently, effective wildlife management programs require a combination of technical and community expertise and experience. However, programs across Australia continue to rely heavily on species ecology only, causing tension and mistrust between decision makers and the community. This project investigated wildlife management programs overseas to understand the enabling conditions for effective public engagement and decision making.

Project Summary

Through my Fellowship, I found that effective wildlife management is fundamentally about people, not just species. Programs that succeeded internationally invested heavily in governance, clear decision-making processes, and proactive, well-resourced community engagement. I observed that trust, transparency and early involvement of affected communities were critical, particularly where values and perceptions of wildlife differ. Rather than relying solely on ecological data, the strongest programs integrated social science to understand behaviours, resolve conflict, and identify areas of compromise.

As a result, I recommend embedding social science into all stages of wildlife management, from planning through to evaluation. This includes establishing inclusive governance structures such as advisory groups, investing in ongoing community engagement and education, and prioritising those most impacted in decision making. I also recommend stronger coordination across agencies and land tenures, clearer national direction, and using tools such as systems thinking and behaviour change frameworks to support more transparent, evidence-based and socially accepted outcomes.