Identification of Wildlife

Understand the challenges and limitations of certain taxonomic groups and identification methods, and develop a personal approach to identification.

The course is organized into three modules. Each module is open to continuing education students. The order of the modules may be changed depending on the availability of external instructors specializing in the relevant taxonomic groups.

For each taxonomic group, the following topics will be covered: the group’s phylogeny; general information on the group’s morphology and ecology; standard monitoring and inventory methods applied to the group; a focus on species of conservation concern; and, finally, identification principles and a focus on a few difficult species pairs or complexes.

Segment 1: Bats

            use of analysis software and automatic recorders

            2 sessions of 3 hours each

Segment 2: Mammals

            Focus on small mammals, including the identification of specimens collected through trapping and from raptor pellets, as well as the use of camera traps, footprints, and track prints

            3 sessions of 3 hours each

Segment 3: Birds

            Visual identification using preserved specimens, acoustic identification

            2 sessions of 3 hours each

- This course is reserved for students in the EDEN Professional Bachelor’s program who have a basic understanding of identification for at least one of the groups covered in the course.

-Understand current and past biodiversity (K2)

-Understand the tools used to describe biodiversity, from the gene to the biosphere (K4)

-Be able to deliver an oral presentation and write a scientific report, using illustrations and a presentation style appropriate for the target audience, with the help of appropriate computer tools (L6)