Applied zooarchaeology: The relevance of faunai analysis to wildlife management

Abstract Zooarchaeology has the opportunity to expand its analytical horizons into the little explored realm of modern wildlife management by applying the knowledge it gains from its unique perspective of prehistory. Ways in which animal populations threatened with extinction might be protected in perpetuity, identifying which forms or taxa should be reintroduced to which areas to recreate natural biotas, identifying which forms or taxa are exotic and should be removed from an area to create a natural biota, and helping to define the boundaries of biological preserves meant to preserve biota in perpetuity are all subjects to which knowledge gained through zooarchaeological research might be applied. The potential benefits include better informed wildlife management decisions, fewer extinctions, less loss of biological diversity and increased job opportunities for zooarchaeologists.