Sustainable Wildlife Management

FAO encourages a transition to more sustainable levels of hunting and fishing and less unsustainable wildlife consumptive uses in urban areas. To do this, FAO combines traditional knowledge and the latest technologies to develop inclusive policies, income-generating opportunities and sustainably produced meat products and farmed fish.

Most of the zoonotic emerging infectious diseases originate in wildlife. Health security and sustainable development solutions need to address the specific drivers of diseases. FAO advocates the "One Health" approach, which ensures that specialists in multiple sectors, including forestry and wildlife, work together to tackle health threats to animals, humans, plants, and the environment.

Conflicts between humans and wildlife increase as human populations expand and encroach on wildlife habitats. The conflicts threaten the survival of several wildlife species that are critical for the livelihoods of many communities. To improve food security and the health of rural populations FAO assists countries in preventing and reducing human-wildlife conflicts (HWC) and promotes co-existence, through an in-depth assessment of the root causes of HWC, which considers the political, social, and cultural aspects of the affected communities. 

Well-managed protected areas can generate multiple health benefits for people, animals, plants, and the environment. However, corruption, legal inconsistencies, and weak management can make effective wildlife management difficult to apply and impossible to enforce. FAO supports transparent and inclusive governance practices that involve civil society and are adapted to the socio-ecological contexts.