Gambling with extinction: Comments on Chauvenet et al. (2010).

The question of how a fixed budget to address a conservation problem should be allocated among alternative activities was addressed in Chauvenet, Baxter, McDonald-Madden & Possingham (2010) (henceforth CBMP). The specific context for their inquiry was the allocation of a budget for conservation of an endangered species that currently is present on a set of isolated patches. The patches differ in terms of their habitat quality and the effectiveness of management actions to prevent local extinction. A case study focused on the Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) which is threatened by loss of habitat, poaching, prey depletion and conflict with livestock owners. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.