Animal Behaviour, Welfare, and Interactions in Sports and Recreational Environments

The Authors

 Preface

 Chapter 1: Introduction: why consider animals at sports grounds and leisure facilities?

1.1  General discussion: what this book is about and why

1.2  What sports and recreational activities need to be considered

1.3  Why considering animals is important

1.4  The One World approach

1.5  A brief discussion of the involvement of animals in sport, both presently and from history

1.6  People can have unusual interactions with animals

1.7  Plants and fungi are also instrumental to natural surface health

1.8  Aquatic sports and recreational spaces, and why they also need consideration

1.9  Recreational activities not considered

1.10 Summary and conclusion

 Chapter 2: Nematodes and the generation of good plant growth conditions

2.1 Introduction to nematodes

2.2 Nematode biology, life cycle

2.3 Nematodes and soil health

2.4 Nematode management/encouragement

2.5 Summary and conclusion

Chapter 3: Worms: the good and the bad

3.1 Introduction to worms

3.2 Life cycle and general biology

3.3 Impact on plant growth and surface maintenance

3.4 Management of worms and their activities

3.5 Impact on the attraction of other wildlife

3.6 Summary and conclusions

Chapter 4: Aquatic environments

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Coasts and beaches

4.3 Fishing

4.4 Pests and pollution

4.5 Summary and conclusions

Chapter 5: Insects: nests and food

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Insects which are involved, and their impact

5.3 Acoustic determination of soil insects

5.4 Insects as attractors of other animals

5.5 Insect management

5.6 Arachnids

5.7 Summary and conclusions

Chapter 6: Birds: good to see, but creating havoc, or having havoc created against them?

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Examples of birds attracted to sports facilities

6.3 Damage which can be caused by birds

6.4 Management of bird presence

6.3 Summary and conclusions

Chapter 7: Rodents

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Which rodents do we need to be concerned about

7.3 Damage that rodents can do to playing surfaces

7.4 Rodents and buildings

7.3 Management of rodents

7.4 Summary and conclusions

Chapter 8: Moles, Lagomorphs, and burrowing mammals

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Burrowing animals which need to be considered

8.3 Damage which can be caused by burrowing

8.4 Management of burrowing animals

8.5 Summary and conclusions

Chapter 9: Bats: the flying mammals

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Summary and conclusions

Chapter 10: Companion animals

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Which companion animals should be consider?

10.3 Disruption and damage caused by companion animals

10.4 Management of companion animals

10.5 Summary and conclusions

Chapter 11: Large animals and their impact

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Examples of large animals which cause disruptions

11.3 Management of large animals

11.4 Summary and conclusions

Chapter 12: The Law: a brief exploration of laws, regulations and governance which recreational facilities should be cognisant of

12.1 Introduction: why laws need to be considered

12.2 A brief exploration of animal sentience, intelligence and ramifications for welfare

12.3 Examples of animal-related laws and regulations pertinent to sports facilities

12.4 Summary and conclusions

Chapter 13: One Health: Sport and Recreation Venues as a Context for Healthy Wildlife and Healthy Humans

13.1 Introduction

13.2 What are the benefits of nature exposure and wildlife interactions?

13.3 Why is nature exposure and wildlife interaction in sport and recreational environments beneficial? Theoretical Explanations

13.4 Summary and conclusions

Chapter 14: Final conclusions and summary

14.1 Introduction

14.2 An overview of the effects of animals on sports and recreational

14.3 How recreational facilities encourage good eco-systems

14.4 A Note about buildings

14.5 The future of facility maintenance

14.6 One World view of animals

14.7 Final summary and conclusions

Acknowledgments

References and Notes

Index

Biography

John T. Hancock is Professor of Cell Signalling at the University of West of England, Bristol (UWE) UK. He studied at the University of Bristol where he obtained a BSc(Hons) in Biochemistry (1984) and then a PhD (1987). He stayed at Bristol where he held post-doctoral research positions for six years, before he moved to UWE in 1993. He has been at UWE ever since. John has a long-standing interest in how small relatively reactive molecules are able to partake in cell signalling events in cells. This often centres around the chemistry of reduction and oxidation (redox). He has authored several editions of the textbook as well as publishing over two hundred academic articles. He holds several editorial positions with journals, most notably being the Editor-in-Chief of the journals Oxygen and Journal of Plant Physiology and Metabolism. Recently, John has published the book Why Elephants Cry: How Observing Unusual Animal Behaviours Can Predict the Weather (and other Environmental Phenomena) with CRC Press. He has also written several articles on COVID-19, including about the impact of the pandemic on animals and animal welfare, and coauthored the book Animal Welfare in a Pandemic: What does COVID-19 tell us for the future?, also with CRC Press.

Ros C. Rouse originally studied Psychology at the University of Bristol. She is a science policy expert with extensive Research Council experience. Ros concentrated on promoting integrity in research at the University of the West of England, and was a member of the University’s Ethics and Integrity Committee. She has a strong personal commitment to the welfare of animals, and believes that every animal counts. Ros is committed to a vision of One Health in which the health and wellbeing of animals is considered, as well as the impact of their health on humans. Ros has co-authored several articles on COVID-19 and animals, as well as the book Animal Welfare in a Pandemic: What does COVID-19 tell us for the future? with CRC Press. Ros is also an artist, focussing on wildlife and the natural world.

Chris Pawson is a Reader in Anthrozoology at Hartpury University, and Associate Professor in Applied Behavioural Science at the University of the West of England. Chris completed his PhD in Psychology in London and worked as a Home Office researcher before developing an interest in applying evolutionary and behavioural ecology approaches to explaining behaviour. This led him to further postgraduate study in primatology and his current interests in the field of human-animal interaction, which include the challenges posed by human and nonhuman animal coexistence, but also the benefits humans derive from interactions with animals and sharing space with them.