Animal Science and Conservation

Animal welfare science is a fast-changing field in which welfare is defined, welfare concept is debated, and assessment of welfare across lifespan, species and context is undertaken. Linking physiology, behaviour, and emotional welfare indicators, with context (husbandry and management), to consider how an animal perceives they are doing is the central function of this academic discipline. This module will introduce students to some of the many welfare definitions. We will focus on progressive animal welfare concepts by considering positive welfare states and emotional states, while acknowledging historical focuses of stress, pain, and suffering. Students will learn about indicators of welfare (specific indirect measures considered relevant to welfare) and will discuss and apply (in a range of online practical tasks) specific welfare assessment frameworks including the Five Freedoms, Five Domains, Animal Welfare Assessment Grid, and Quality of Life scale. Links between welfare definitions and assessment frameworks will be explored.

To understand animal welfare, it is essential that a student also understands animal biology. This module will introduce the student to the anatomical and physiological systems in a range of vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Learning will take a systems-based approach, starting with cell systems and homeostasis and progressing through nervous, muscular, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, reproductive, skeletal, and endocrine systems. The focus of learning will be the relationships between structure and function of the anatomical and physiological features. The influence of living environment and husbandry (including nutrition) on animal biology will also be discussed. This is a theory-based module required to provide background knowledge needed to understand welfare. While methods of assessing functionality of anatomical and/or physiological features may be discussed, practical laboratory skills are not part of the teaching and learning strategy of this module.

This module underpins the philosophy of the BSc (Hons) Animal Science and Conservation. Finding sustainable solutions to animal welfare/conservation problems is essential not only for the wellbeing of individual animals, but for entire ecosystems, humankind, and the planet. This module will introduce the student to the Global Health approach and sustainability. The pillars of sustainability (economic development, social development, environmental protection) will be explored with particular emphasis on environmental sustainability – finding long-term solutions to biodiversity loss, global warming, and system-level conservation of natural resources, which starts with the welfare of individual animals. The historical context of sustainability will be considered with a focus on development of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainability issues (e.g. biodiversity loss, urbanisation, social inequality) and solutions (e.g. food sovereignty, ecological, environmental and social justice) will be introduced as will topics including governance of sustainability, people empowerment and global citizenship in relation to animal welfare.

Academic skills are an essential part of completing a degree. Employers require graduates to demonstrate clear and precise written communication and verbal communication skills. In the field of animal welfare science and conservation, even concerning private consultation work, a graduate must demonstrate reliance on academic, trustworthy and authentic information sources and reference that information appropriately given academic convention. In this module, which is run as an independent study module, students will independently complete a range of 10 academic skills tasks that will combine to form an online portfolio. Learning will be supported by drop-in tutorial sessions every other week.

Health is a major component to animal welfare and the field of animal welfare science originated in the discipline of veterinary medicine. For both welfare and conservation, it is imperative students understand noteworthy diseases, the symptoms, treatment, and causes of disease, and ramifications for welfare and conservation. In this module students will learn about the mechanisms of disease, routes of transmission and how health is related to animal husbandry. The ways in which health is related to welfare will be explored as will health in relation to conservation. Given disease is a natural modulator of population size, disease transmission and the ramifications of disease will be discussed at population and individual level.

Animal behaviour is an important part of holistic welfare concepts. It is vital those studying animal welfare science and conservation understand both the types and causes of behaviour and the relevance of behaviour to animal welfare. In this module animal behaviour will be studied from both ethology (behaviour of wild-living animals) and behavioural ecology (interaction between animals in a population and their environment) perspectives. Students will explore proximate and ultimate causes of behaviour and consideration of Tinbergen’s Four Questions will inform students. Key topics will include learning, sexual selection/mating systems, social evolution and kin selection, artificial selection, natural selection and genetics.

Types of behaviour will be discussed in a range of species, including social behaviour and social organisation, communication, feeding, predator avoidance, territories and migration, reproductive behaviour. Abnormal behaviour will be discussed as a specific indicator of welfare and inhibitor of successful conservation. Students will learn how to measure behaviour.

Taxonomic classification and systematics of animals reveals the extensive diversity of the Animal kingdom. By understanding animal taxonomy, morphology and evolution, students will be able to better understand the welfare needs of animals and how to conserve them. In this module students will examine the Animal kingdom from simple animals through to the Mammalia class. While mammals will be preferentially discussed, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects will be considered in some detail to evidence a One Welfare and Global Health approach of inclusivity across the Animal Kingdom. For each taxa, classification, morphological diversity, and adaptations to natural habitats will be investigated. Form and functions will be the central focus throughout this module.

Ecology seeks to investigate and explain how individuals, populations and communities interact within ecosystems and how the spatial and temporal distribution of species is affected by the biotic and abiotic environment. This module will help students understand why animal species exist in the natural environments in which they are currently found. How animals adapt and interact with other organisms will be discussed in relation to behavioural and genetic processes.  Evolutionary history and succession will therefore be discussed as will physiological ecology (the behavioural and physiological adaptations of animals because of environmental change) and the life history strategies of an organism.   Ecosystem types, and abiotic and biotic characteristics of the physical environment will be investigated. The influence of humans on ecosystems (anthropogenic influence) will be discussed at an introductory level including habitat destruction, pollution, disease and agriculture.

Having learnt in the first year how to define and assess animal welfare, this module will comprehensively discuss welfare issues across a broad spectrum of domestic animal management. Welfare issues occurring during breeding, rearing, housing, handling, training, transport and slaughter/euthanasia will be examined across farming, horse riding, sports, pet keeping, working animals, performing animals, hobbyist farming, scientific procedures, and illegal activities involving domestic species. The Five Domains and Five Freedoms models will be used consistently across contexts to identify welfare issues and assess the ramifications on health and wellbeing. Husbandry standards, codes of practice, regulations and the Animal Welfare Act 2006 will be considered to determine husbandry practices. Students will leave this module with comprehensive knowledge of industry practices and ramifications on welfare of domestic species.

Having learnt in the first year how to define and assess animal welfare, this module will comprehensively discuss welfare issues across a broad spectrum of wild (non-domesticated, in captivity or wild-living) animal management. Welfare issues occurring during breeding, rearing, housing, tracking, trapping, handling, training, transport, translocation, rehabilitation, reintroduction, and slaughter/euthanasia will be examined across zoos, farming, circuses, sports, pet keeping, sanctuaries, scientific procedures, and illegal activities involving wild species. The Five Domains and Five Freedoms models will be used consistently across contexts to identify welfare issues and assess ramifications on health and wellbeing. Husbandry standards, codes of practice, regulations and the Animal Welfare Act 2006 will be considered to determine management practices. Students will leave this module with comprehensive knowledge of industry practices and welfare ramifications in wild animals. The module demonstrates a Wildlife/One Welfare approach – extrapolating animal welfare to include wild-living animals and animals across all invertebrate/vertebrate classes.

For graduates wishing to work in the fields of animal welfare/conservation biology it is essential to develop comprehensive knowledge of relevant legislation, to maintain professional standards and integrity. It is similarly important to demonstrate ethical practice. This module, which runs as an independent study module, will inform students about the legislation underpinning the animal management industry and environmental protection (both global and domestic legislation), who and how the law is enforced, and will help students to understand what legal and ethical practice is and how to achieve it. The comprehensive canvas classroom for this independent study module presents fact-based information with a series of mini-tasks to complete which are formative and help students prepare for an end-of-module written timed assessment. Students will be supported by weekly drop-in online tutorials hosted by the Module Leader, though otherwise will rely on the guided canvas activities.

Planning and conducting research are defining aspects of both academic skill and industry practice – those working with animals should take an evidence-based approach, conducting valid and creditable research, faithfully interpreting that research and producing research reports. In this module, students will therefore progress their academic skills and employability.

Students will learn about research design and planning, including ethics and risk assessment. They will also discuss, in some detail, a range of pertinent qualitative and quantitative research methods, considering validity, reliability, creditability, authenticity and trustworthiness. Here students will further develop critical thinking skills in relation to research design. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis will also be explored. In lectures students will learn the theory behind inferential and descriptive analysis, coding and qualitative analysis, while sample data sets will be provided to guide students in seminars to apply analytical techniques. Results interpretation and report writing will also be explored.

Poor welfare is a sustainability issue, but modern animal productions systems are unsustainable on multiple levels. In this module, students will consider animal welfare issues raised earlier in Year 2 in relation to environmental sustainability. Lectures will focus on the conceptual relationship between poor animal welfare and unsustainable practice at individual animal and population level, and students will consider those practices in terms of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Over several weeks students will examine the literary evidence linking animal production systems with key topics in environmental sustainability including biodiversity loss related the habitat disturbance/destructions, climate change, direct capture/hunting/killing of wild animals, and pollution. Subsequently, each week students will examine unsustainable practice in specific systems including beef and dairy farming, egg/broiler production, zoo populations, domestic pet populations, illegal exotic animal trade and use, and the equine industry. These system-focused sessions will be delivered by specialist guest lecturers.

Conservation Biology is a relatively young area of study that takes a multidisciplinary approach to investigating and reducing global loss of biodiversity related to human activity. In this module students will learn about the conceptualisation, development, and importance of conservation biology. The scale and scope of human-induced environmental change will be discussed in relation to biodiversity loss and the Anthropocene. Causes of human-induced biodiversity loss will be comprehensively discussed including invasive species, pollution, climate change, and habitat loss/fragmentation, as well as direct threats to animals like hunting and other causes of human-wildlife conflict. Real-world case studies will be used to examine interconnectivity between human causes of biodiversity loss. Biodiversity loss will also be examined from a societal and economic perspective, to further embed knowledge on the significance of biodiversity loss on the globe and life as we know it. Solutions to biodiversity loss will be discussed in Year 3.

Having learnt about species ecology in Year 1, students will now study population and community ecology – how species interact in time and space and in relation to the physical resources in an ecosystem. The natural causes and relationship between natural regulators of population growth and decline will be discussed. Specific topics to be explored in detail include interspecific competition within populations, predator-prey interactions, action of decomposers and detritivores, parasitism and disease, symbiosis and mutualism, and abundance. At community level, students will learn about trophic structure, complexity and ecosystem dynamics and changes in community structure, influences on species richness and measurement of species richness. The causes and ramifications of natural ecological disturbance and succession will thus be considered. Over the course of the module, students will develop comprehensive understanding of the natural processes that influence biodiversity. This module will inform learning on module Conservation Biology: Biodiversity Loss.

Employers require animal welfare/conservation graduates to evidence a range of practical skills, in addition to theoretical knowledge, academic skill and research skill. To ensure our graduates evidence practical skills, you will undertake this independent study module. Students will independently complete 12 practical tasks, some desk-based, some outdoors, and students are strongly encouraged to engage with local facilities like nature reserves, to provide context which can often promote learning. The 12 practical guided tasks, detailed in the canvas classroom, will combine to form an online portfolio (the summative assessment for this module). Learning will be supported by drop-in tutorial sessions every other week throughout semester 2, otherwise the student will rely on information in the canvas classroom and self-guided study. To ensure students have sufficient time to complete the tasks, the portfolio will be submitted after spring break. To support students further online study groups will be formed.

The dissertation is an extended piece of independent research in animal welfare science and/or conservation biology and/or environmental sustainability. The specific research topic/question must be agreed with the dissertation supervisor, though the project is always led by the student who must work diligently throughout Year 3 to complete this large piece of work. You will select/be allotted a supervisor who will provide up to 6 hours supervision. In addition, there will be taught introductory sessions and a comprehensive Canvas classroom. Students will be given Dissertation Guidelines at the beginning of Year 3 which discuss types of dissertations, the dissertation process, and structure/formatting of a dissertation. This is the pinnacle of an undergraduate degree; it is the student’s chance to consider a topic more comprehensively than in other coursework. It is also an opportunity to grow, as a student, academic and professional, preparing you well for further study or employment.

Conservation biology can no longer focus on animal populations, individual animals matter. In this module students will critically explore application of One Welfare, wildlife welfare and Global Health to conservation biology. The concept of welfare applied to wild-living animals (native and exotic) will be critically explored as we increasingly acknowledge that even if not directly under human control, wild-living animals are affected by human activity and our moral duty to treat animals well therefore extends to the wild. The relationship between animal welfare science and conservation biology will be systematically investigated to identify areas where an animal- rather than a population- or genetic-approach could be advocated. Development of sustainable, ethical conservation practices are of primary importance. Students will learn to re-think current conservation ideologies and practices and consider the feasibility of aligning conservation and welfare by development of conservation ethics.

Having discussed conservation biology from the perspective of threats to biodiversity in Year 2, in this module the strategies available to conserve biodiversity will be discussed. The type and range of strategies, and the strengths and weaknesses of each strategy will be examined. Both in-situ and ex-situ strategies will be discussed, ranging from translocation to rewilding, captive breeding programmes to zoo education.

Biodiversity conservation will also be examined from a societal and economic perspective, to further embed knowledge on the significance species conservation on the globe and life as we know it.

Conservation genetics is the application of genetics to preserve animals at species level as these are ‘dynamic entities capable of coping with environmental change’ (Frankham et al, 2002). In this module students will learn about the effects of ecosystem/habitat disturbance/destruction and captive husbandry/management on the genetic diversity of species. Multiple mechanisms and the ramifications for conservation will be examined. Genetic techniques used in conservation biology are discussed. Hence genetics in small, captive or declining populations is comprehensively considered. Students will calculate changes in gene frequency due to factors such as inbreeding, genetic drift and fragmented populations. Forensic techniques reliant on genetics will also be discussed. Students will gain insight into the genetic management of populations and the genetic consequences of biodiversity loss therefore. Lastly, species concept will be debated – will species remain as the unit of conservation?

Here animal welfare science, conservation biology and environmental sustainability are concurrently considered to determine sustainable solutions to poor animal welfare, poor animal population viability, and biodiversity loss. A focus on farm animal production will be essential – agriculture is one of the world’s biggest causes of biodiversity loss and animal suffering, yet it is also one of the biggest fields of employment and source of economic revenue. Students must develop understanding of sustainable agriculture that benefit the environment, prioritise good welfare and sustain human populations. Sustainability at every level of production will be explored. Other areas of animal management will be examined, including the viability of zoo populations and poor welfare of captive exotic animals. Here a revolutionary change in perspective is advocated – that behavioural skill rather than genetic diversity become the new unit of conservation. Strategies to reduce wastage, pollution and animal suffering in other systems will be considered also.

• Applied Animal Behaviour - 15 Credits
• Animal Welfare: Disasters and Emergencies - 15 Credits
• Applied Zoo Biology - 15 Credits
• Conservation Education and Society - 15 Credits
• Environmental and Animal Advocacy - 15 Credits
• Wildlife Crime and Trade - 15 Credits
• Animal Science and Conservation Volunteering - 15 Credits