| The wildlife conservation movement unofficially began | | | | duties are the same. To protect the wildlife of their |
| in North America at the turn of the twentieth century. In | | | | jurisdiction by sound law enforcement. |
| about the year 1900, the various states and Canadian | | | | In addition to wildlife protection, most of these |
| provinces began to pass legislation designed to protect | | | | enforcement people have had other duties added to |
| different species of wildlife within their jurisdictions. This | | | | their list of responsibilities such as enforcing the boating |
| was due to the fact that many species of wildlife | | | | laws of their state or province, enforcing the state or |
| were almost extinct primarily because of the | | | | provincial park regulations of their area and also |
| unrestricted overshooting of various species that | | | | assisting other police officers in more conventional law |
| occurred during the settlement of the western United | | | | enforcement. Also, today, wildlife officers are heavily |
| States. Additionally, the habitats of various species had | | | | involved with homeland security work and are called |
| been severely altered and even destroyed due to the | | | | upon on a daily basis to perform their oftentimes |
| settlement of the land. | | | | difficult and dangerous tasks. |
| At about this time, the two governments not only | | | | Many citizens do not think of the game warden as a |
| passed protective legislation on various species but | | | | police officer but the reality is that that is exactly what |
| they also took the necessary step of hiring the first | | | | he/she is. Wildlife officers in the various states are |
| wildlife enforcement officers (or game wardens if you | | | | trained at their state or provincial law enforcement |
| will) to enforce these laws. | | | | training center. They encounter all of the same |
| Due to the strict enforcement of our wildlife laws, the | | | | problems and risks that a conventional police officer |
| Whitetail Deer, The Elk, The Pronghorn Antelope and | | | | does and the laws they enforce are incredibly |
| the Bighorn Sheep to name a few have been not only | | | | important in that they insure the survival of species and |
| saved from extinction, now they are abundant. Without | | | | provide for public protection. |
| proper law enforcement in the past 100 plus years, this | | | | In summary, the wildlife officer in both the United |
| would not be the case. | | | | States and Canada are highly trained police officers of |
| Today there are approximately 8,000 wildlife officers in | | | | the outdoors. They perform duties that protect the |
| the United States and Canada. They may go by | | | | environment and the species that share this planet with |
| different titles such as game warden, Conservation | | | | the human race. |
| Officer, Wildlife officer and so on but essentially, their | | | | |