Migratory Bird Treaty Act: In 1918, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act was adopted to put and end to the commercial trade of migratory birds and their feathers. Many species were nearly driven extinct due to the fashions of the times in women’s hats. At this time the Canada goose was nearly extinct, with an estimated 500 birds left in the United States. While this act saved many species, it had many unintended consequences, including complications to modern management practices. In the case of the Canada goose, hunting restrictions are one of the many factors that lead to today’s extreme overpopulation.
(http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/intrnltr/mbta/mbtintro.html)

Definitions:
Urban Wildlife: All nondomestic vertebrate species with populations in areas classified as urban (CE Adams).
Pest: An animal, judged as a threat to humans (Wikipedia).

Changing Attitudes Towards Wildlife:
•80% of Americans now live in urban areas. •Major shift in wildlife “use” from consumptive to recreational. •In 2001 82 million US residents spent 108 billion dollars on wildlife-related recreation.
(Clark E. Adams, Kieran J. Lindsey, Sara J. Ash. Urban Wildlife Management. Boca Raton : Taylor & Francis, 2006. )