Money may make the world go around but it has not been the driving force behind analysis of vertebrate pest control. Surprisingly few efforts at vertebrate pest control have involved even a cursory economic analysis. Hence, this chapter contains more theory than empirical examples. The outcomes of decisions about when, where and how to control pests or their impacts must involve use of resources and so must have costs and hopefully some benefits.

An economic evaluation of the damage by or control of vertebrate pests is essential to an understanding of the pests' role in a production or conservation system. Cherrett et al. (1971) considered that the assessment of the economic status of a pest should be simple. The expected damage and costs of counter measures would be assessed. If the damage cost was greater then control was economically worthwhile. An interesting example of the link between economics and ecology was described by Sukumar (1991) for elephants (Elephas maximus) in southern India. Adult male elephants comprised about 7% of the population but caused 62% of the economic loss to crops. The difference was associated with their greater size and differences in behaviour.

Dillon (1977) discussed the difference between statistical and economic significance in experiments. Scientific research applies tests of significance to data (‘the cult of the asterisks’). Statistical significance at a P < 0.05 level may not be the best criterion for economic evaluation.