Course overview
The course will provision specialist skills in morphological, genetic, and behavioural techniques for identifying animals, including practical field-based sampling skills in observing and sampling, or trapping and handling, and data collection. Animal diversity across terrestrial and aquatic environments alongside policies, ethics, and procedures for working with animals may be covered. Intensive delivery in semester break ensures integrated theory and practice. Ecotechnology (remotely triggered video and audio recorders) and curating digital capture data using computer vision and learning algorithms will be prominent.
- Animal classification and identification
- Field-based animal identification
- Applications for biodiversity and wildlife conservation
Course learning outcomes
- Implement the core practical skills needed by conservation biologists to identify a range of taxa, including use of dichotomous keys and the integration of morphological, genetic, behavioural and remotely-captured evidence.
- Construct and curate databases that detail the fauna collected compliant with government and ethical reporting obligations.
- Understand the role of ethical compliance and research permits needed to study animals.
- Extract, synthesise and report in written or oral forms on the taxonomy and geographic range, conservation status and basic ecology of Australian fauna.
Degree list
The following degrees include this course