Animal capture is a complex subject, with a growing number of new challenges associated with the rapid change of modern society and consequent rapid evolution and mutation of the knowledge and methodologies used. Today, more than ever, there is a need for sharing and acquisition of new knowledge by those who are directly or indirectly linked to this activity.

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Considering the success of the I, II and III Technical Course of Capture, several organizations of the Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD)  with the support of the Association of Tramperos de España (ATE), decided to go ahead with the organization of the III World Trapping Conference for the 4th and 5th of March 2017.

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The objectives of this conference are the dissemination of animal capturing techniques in general and capture by trapping in particular, respecting animal welfare and trapping selectivity, in various areas such as capture with scientific objectives, capture of invasive alien species, capture of stray and feral animals in urban and peri-urban environments and hunting management. We also aim to discuss the technical, ethical and legal aspects of these approaches during the conference, with particular emphasis on the final round table discussion.

The capture of animals is sometimes an imperative for animal welfare, public health and safety, avoiding damage to ecosystems, and obtaining scientific information that is critical to making the right decisions. Animal capture has many difficulties of which the general public is hot ware of. From many television documentaries, the animal chemical restrain is overestimated by the general public, which in reality is a technique with very limited applications. Thus, trapping animals is a necessity for professionals in the sector and has new developments very recently.

These developments will be exposed and debated at this conference, not only in the preparation of the capture through signs of presence and photo-trapping, but also the planning of the entire process and the choice of the best capture method. They will also be presented and debated: the methodology for homologation of traps; the traps already homologated in Spain developed on the basis of scientific studies which sought to assess animal welfare during and after the capture process and also trapp selectivity, which aims that only the target specie is captured;  future lines of action. The European, Portuguese and Spanish current legislation and the possibility of harmonization between different realities will also be a subject of debate.