What is the difference between a principle and a rule in Wildlife Management?

 

•   A principle of wildlife management is a widely accepted generalization.

•       It is based on abundant and diverse researches and experiences having application in managing wildlife.

•       An example of a principle;

v   Wildlife is the organic resource and can be managed in a sustained yield basis.

• This principle implies wildlife population can be harvested periodically without reduction in their breeding stock producing new harvestable surpluses.
• This principle must be applied with judgement because population will not sustain all possible level of harvest and over harvest can occur.

•       Principles are not rule to follow in managing wildlife population.

•       For example.

v  Only male impalas should be shot by licensed hunters, is not a principle but a rule.

• A rule has a narrow application.
• Principles of wildlife management are concepts to consider when formulating management objectives and in reaching decisions.
• Principles do not tell people what to do but they are concepts to consider on what should be done.
• Application of principles requires knowledge of biology,ecology and analytical thinking while one does not need biological and ecological knowledge to successful apply a rule.
• Principles have broad application and must be applied by biologists and ecologists  whereas a rules have narrow applications and can be applied by technicians.
• Principles are neither unchangeable nor unchanging.
•  They are widely accepted today and become expanded, modified or discarded and replaced as new knowledge provides new  insight.

•       For example.

v  Some accepted principles were that, The earth is flat,atoms are indivisible and species are immutable but they have been rejected.

• Thus principles should be analytically accepted and challenged.