Predation pressure is a very real threat to the conservation of many vulnerable species. Losses of eggs and juveniles to predators is a large driver of declines and can prevent successful species recovery. There is consensus that declining and threatened species should be a conservation priority and that, where reasonable action can be taken to help conserve these species, it should be.
However, this agreement is often overshadowed by debate surrounding whether predation management should be endorsed and at what intensity. In order to be effective and therefore ethical, it is essential that predation management for biodiversity conservation should be able to make use of the most appropriate methods, including lethal control, provided it is carried out according to best practice principles.
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