One of the potential consequences of untrained, unlicensed individuals possessing wildlife is the treatment of those animals as pets. The unfortunate result of treating a wild animal as if it were a kitten or puppy is a maladjusted animal that does not understand its place in the world. Lacking contact with its own kind during critical developmental stages, the animal is unable to identify its own species, and does not know appropriate social cues and other behaviors that are essential to its survival in the wild. When, inevitably, the caregiver is no longer willing or able to keep the animal, it may be released into an inappropriate area, with no survival skills or knowledge of kinship or community, which will result in the animal’s death from illness, injury, or starvation.
In this course, we will examine the critical developmental stages when imprinting or habituation occur, strategies for prevention, and techniques for reversing this condition. Through case studies, we will develop a deeper understanding of animal behavior and be able to identify key behavioral traits that indicate habituation or imprinting.
