I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I love animals and find that killing them for conservation is a complex topic. Still, the author of this book brings forward several thought-provoking ideas that helped me understand why it is necessary.

“Cull of the Wild” offers a thought-provoking dive into the ethical and ecological complexities surrounding the practice of killing in wildlife conservation. This is a contentious debate in wildlife management and the author does a great job bringing to light the multifaceted nature of the issue.

A theme throughout the book is the inherent complexity of ecology. Warwick challenges the notion that ecological problems have straightforward solutions (which I fully agree with), emphasizing that the balance of nature is intricate and often resistant to simple fixes. An example I think of for this is the introduction of mongoose in Hawai’i, in an attempt to control rat populations.

Warwick makes a great comparison in the book, likening conservation culls to the “trolly problem.” I much appreciated his statement on ethics panels as “places where decisions are made that are not necessarily correct but have at least been thought about” as this acknowledgment is often how I feel about many aspects of policy and and the issues inherent in wildlife management.

The book also highlights the connection between conservation and colonialism. How 80% of the world's remaining biodiversity is found on Indigenous people’s land , when they occupy ~25% of the earth's surface. Much of the land now preserved around the world in protected areas was taken from Indigenous people, who were already stewarding these places while colonial powers were causing the harm.

Though I do not agree with Warwick fully, I do think that this book is a compelling and fair exploration of the ethical dimensions of culling in conservation. The book’s diverse perspectives and real-world examples offer valuable insights that encourage readers to reflect on their own views and the broader implications of wildlife management practices. I think anyone working in environmental conservation, with any opinion on wildlife culling, would benefit from reading this. Again, I don’t agree with everything in these pages but the perspectives shared have given me much to reflect on and even re-evaluate some of the viewpoints I hold regarding conservation.

I am defenseless against a good pun - so when I saw the title "Cull of the Wild" I could not resist the urge to check it out. And just reading the preface convinced me that I had just met an author of my favorite type: inquisitive, with a dry wit and an open mind.

Killing animals in the name of conservation is a very controversial subject, usually raised in the heat of one-sided attacks on people or organizations that do it. But things are more complicated than that. I have been interested in this issue for many years, and it troubles me as much as it troubles the author - so I appreciate his approach. As he writes, "The basis of this book is the collision between heart and head”.

Even if we can accept the fact that sometimes killing one animal for the sake of another is justified, there are still so many questions: How do we decide which species are worth saving and which should be decimated? Is there an ecologically perfect state that our actions should restore? Which animals are invasive, and which can be treated as native?

Hugh Wawick asks these questions and many more, visiting places and talking to experts, bringing back so many fascinating examples and admitting that there are no easy answers here. But I agree with him that "the arguments about letting nature take her course are redundant as we have already intervened, considerably".

Highly recommended for anyone who loves nature and cares about its preservation.

Thanks to the publisher, Bloomsbury Wildlife, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I got this book courtesy of net galley. So far still reading it and enjoying. Written by a British ecologist and highlights a necessary but sometimes difficult aspect of the field and the need to kill invasive or non native species. Starts out well with an animal near and dear to the authors heart the hedgehog that has been introduced to several islands including New Zealand where it has become problematic. Author goes into two strategies being used relocating and culling with definite advocates for both. You can see the author struggle with his head and heart on how to do the best for the species, individual, and environment. This is followed by several more related chapters like the cane toad, pythons, deer, raccoons, etc. A really strong argument for both conservation and ethical conservation.
Overall, this was a fun read and I recommend to anyone who wants to know about the reality of conservation ecology that isn't just saving the cute creatures.

I enjoyed this book. Its strong points were the author’s journey and the in-depth interviews with other scientists/advocates. These were fascinating. Warwick translates the science into easily understood language and adds in some humour. I found the writing very smooth and easy to read. I also appreciated how Warwick, although he feels strongly about many issues, is also very willing to look at less-than-perfect, but pragmatic solutions. This, to me, makes his advocacy even stronger. I had been expecting unbridled advocacy and a lecture from the bully pulpit, but I am glad that I was completely wrong about this. This book is well worth reading. Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Wildlife for the digital review copy.

Really well done. Warwick does a great job of presenting multiple sides of the culling issue without letting his own "Vague-an" philosophy get in the way, and does so with a gentle sense of humor. He gives the reader plenty of information on which to ruminate when we consider if/how we go forward in an attempt to wisely try to control the natural world around us.
I happen to live in an area surrounded by wilderness on one hand, and agriculture on the other, so human/animal confrontations are often at the forefront of the local news, most recently the reintroduction of wolves, which has sparked a lot of controversy.
I'm definitely putting Mr. Warwick's other works on my "to read" list, and offer him an invitation to meet over a pint. One word of warning, Hugh; I tried being vegan once, but just couldn't abide soy cheese.