The Botstiber Institute for Wildlife Fertility Control opens a new European office at York

Posted on 29 September 2021

The University of York is to become a new European base for The Botstiber Institute for Wildlife Fertility Control (BIWFC).

Widespread community opposition to lethal control is limiting wildlife management options

The Institute - a resource centre working in the field of wildlife fertility control to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts - will be housed in the Department of Environment and Geography.

The US-based organisation works to educate wildlife managers, policy makers and the public. It hosts collaborations, networking events and conferences as well as supporting wildlife fertility control projects through grants.

Global reach

Monique Principi, BIWFC Managing Director said: “We are very excited to be expanding our global reach with an office in the UK. This new initiative will broaden the Institute’s ability to educate and advance the field beyond the United States and increase our international presence.”

Professor Piran White from the Department of Environment and Geography said: “We are delighted to be hosting the new BIWFC Europe office which will carry out the Institute’s general mission, purpose and goals focusing on promoting fertility control through knowledge exchange.

“It will be a great opportunity for York staff and students to engage with important sustainability and animal welfare challenges in the field of wildlife conservation and management, and we look forward to working with BIWFC to increase study and encourage further research on wildlife fertility control.”

The new BIWFC Europe office Director, Dr Giovanna Massei says that current trends of human population growth and landscape development in Europe suggest that human-wildlife interactions will continue to increase. Widespread community opposition to lethal control is limiting wildlife management options, particularly for high public-profile species.

Awareness

Dr Massei said: “As a result, there is significant pressure to implement humane, effective, non-lethal methods to mitigate human–wildlife conflicts.

“BIWFC Europe provides the ideal platform to raise awareness about contexts and species in which fertility control could be used to manage wildlife.

“I’m thrilled to take on this new position with the Botstiber Institute for Wildlife Fertility Control and I believe strongly in their mission and am excited to expand their presence outside the US.”

The Botstiber Institute for Wildlife Fertility Control is marking its fifth anniversary this year with an array of events and projects including an educational film “An Overview of Wildlife Fertility Control.”