Digital Commons Network^™

Feral Dogs, Jeffrey S. Green, Philip S. Gipson

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

Feral dog, Canis familiaris. The primary feature that distinguishes feral from domestic dogs is the degree of reliance or dependence on humans, and in some respect, their behavior toward people. Feral dogs survive and reproduce independently of human intervention or assistance. While it is true that some feral dogs use human garbage for food, others acquire their primary subsistence by hunting and scavenging like other wild canids. Feral and domestic dogs often differ markedly in their behavior toward people. Feral dogs are usually secretive and wary of people. Thus, they are active during dawn, dusk, and at night much …

Mink, Edward K. Boggess

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

The mink (Mustela vison) is a member of the weasel family. Both sexes are a rich chocolate-brown color, usually with a white patch on the chest or chin and scattered white patches on the belly. The fur is relatively short with the coat consisting of a soft, dense underfur concealed by glossy, lustrous guard hairs. Mink also have anal musk glands common to the weasel family and can discharge a disagreeable musk if frightened or disturbed. Unlike skunks, however, they cannot forcibly spray musk. Mink are shoreline dwellers and their one basic habitat requirement is a suitable permanent …

The Probe, Issue 147 - September 1994

The Probe: Newsletter of the National Animal Damage Control Association

CONTENTS:
To Be or Not to Be Released in the Wild-That is the Question
Alternate Use for Softcatch Traps
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
Wild Pigs Ravage Northern California Vineyards
Control Methods’ Impacts on Laughing Gulls at JFK
Mountain Lions on the Prowl in Colorado
Gulls, Terns, Mergansers, and Herons Plague Washington Fish Hatchery
Do Livestock Guarding Dogs Lose Their Effectiveness Over Time?
New Book Available – Wildlife Removal Handbook
American White Pelicans and Catfish

Haights Creek Rpm Pipe Failures, United States Department Of The Interior, Bureau Of Reclamation

Water

In 1989, Haights Creek Irrigation Company replaced 730 linear feet of 24- and 27-inch-diameter RPM (reinforced plastic mortar) pipe because of several failures. Bureau of Reclamation personnel examined the pipe before and after exhumation, the surrounding soil conditions, and measured diametral deflections. Major longitudinal cracks in the pipe invert appear to be the result of hard spots in the pipe foundation. Some of these hard spots were caused from mounding, or using a mound of soil under one end of the pipe to bring it to grade without providing an equivalent uniform support along the remainder of the pipe.

Center For Sustainable Agricultural Systems Newsletter, September/October 1994

Center for Sustainable Agricultural Systems: Newsletter (1993–2000)

Contents:

New UNL Center for Grassland Studies

BioNet Bulletin Board

New NSAS Director and New Extension Director

What Happens to Pesticides in Soil and Water?

In the Seminar Spotlight

Paul Thompson

Joel Salatin

Symposium to Focus on Future of Great Plains

Farm Bill Focus of midwest Governors' Conference

Ag Waste Database

Sustainable Development Framework for the Great Plains

USDA Drafting National Organic Standards

Environmental Reserve Proposed

Sustainable Ag Directors Workshop on February

EPA and USDA Agreement on Pest Management

Congress Approves Funding for Sustainable Ag and Related Programs

President Clinton's Sustainable Development Awards

Futuristic Symposium at ASA Meetings

Black Bears, Scott E. Hygnstrom

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

The black bear (Ursus americanus) is the smallest and most widely distributed of the North American bears. Black bears east of the Mississippi are predominantly black, but in the Rocky Mountains and westward various shades of brown, cinnamon, and even blond are common. The head is moderately sized with a straight profile and tapering nose. The ears are relatively small, rounded, and erect. It is important to be able to distinguish between black bears and grizzly/brown bears (Ursus arctos). The grizzly/brown bear is typically much larger than the black bear.

Red Fox, Robert L. Phillips, Robert H. Schmidt

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the most common of the foxes native to North America. Most depredation problems are associated with red foxes, although in some areas gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) can cause problems. The red fox is dog-like in appearance, with an elongated pointed muzzle and large pointed ears that are usually erect and forward. It has moderately long legs and long, thick, soft body fur with a heavily furred, bushy tail. Red foxes occur over most of North America, north and east from southern California, Arizona, and central Texas. The red fox is …

The Prairie Naturalist Volume 26. No. 3. September 1994

The Prairie Naturalist

BREEDING RANGE AND POPULATION STATUS OF LESSER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS IN COLORADO ▪ K. M. Giesen

LESSER PRAIRIE-CHICKEN MOVEMENTS AND HOME RANGES IN NEW MEXICO ▪ T. Z. Riley, C. A. Davis, M. A. Candelaria, and H. R. Suminski

WATERFOWL PRODUCTIVITY AND USE OF NESTING STRUCTURES IN THE PRAIRIE POTHOLE REGION ▪ R. R. Johnson, K. F. Higgins, I. J. Ball. and S. C. Kohn

A COMPARISON OF PERCH USE BY VOCALIZING EASTERN AND WESTERN MEADOWLARKS ▪ K. A. Kinstler and T. A. Sordahl

FARM OPERATOR ATTITUDES TOWARD WHITE-TAILED DEER AT SAND LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, SOUTH DAKOTA ▪ D. E. Naugle. …

Nutrient Bioassays In Tampa Bay, Dr. Vargo

Reports

Water samples were collected seasonally at four locations in Tampa Bay to determine if nitrogen, phosphorus and a chealtor (ETDA), alone or in combination, were limiting growth rate and/or biomass.

Badgers, Fred Lindzey

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

The badger (Taxidea taxus) is a stocky, medium-sized mammal with a broad head, a short, thick neck, short legs, and a short, bushy tail. Its front legs are stout and muscular, and its front claws are long. It is silver-gray, has long guard hairs, a black patch on each cheek, black feet, and a characteristic white stripe extending from its nose over the top of its head. Badgers are members of the weasel family and have the musky odor characteristic of this family. They are especially adapted for burrowing, with strong front legs equipped with long, well-developed claws. …

Grizzly/Brown Bears, Charles Jonkel

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

Grizzly/brown bears (Ursus arctos) of the world include numerous subspecies in Asia, Europe, and North America. The interior grizzly (Ursus arctos horribilis) is generally smaller than the coastal (Ursus arctos gyas) or island (Ursus arctos middendorffi) subspecies of North American brown bear, and it has the classic “grizzled” hair tips. Brown bears in general are very large and heavily built. Wherever brown bears live, their size is influenced by their subspecies status, food supply, and length of the feeding season. Bone growth continues throughthe sixth year, so subadult nutrition often dictates their …

Polar Bears, Peter L. Clarkson, Ian Stirling

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

The polar bear is the largest member of the family Ursidae. Polar bears have a heavy build overall, large feet, and a longer neck relative to their body size than other species of bears. The fur is white, but the shade may vary among white, yellow, grey, or almost brown, depending on the time of year or light conditions. The vitamin A content of the liver ranges between 15,000 and 30,000 units per gram and is toxic to humans if consumed in any quantity. Polar bears are distributed throughout the circumpolar Arctic. In North America, their range extends from the …

House Cats (Feral), William D. Fitzwater

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

The cat has been the most resistant to change of all the animals that humans have domesticated. All members of the cat family, wild or domesticated, have a broad, stubby skull, similar facial characteristics, lithe, stealthy movements, retractable claws (except the cheetah), and nocturnal habits. Feral cats are house cats living in the wild. They are small in stature, weighing from 3 to 8 pounds, standing 8 to 12 inches high at the shoulder, and 14 to 24 inches long. The tail adds another 8 to 12 inches to their length. Colors range from black to white to orange, and …

Experiment Using Infrared Spectroscopy To Study The Effect Of Soil Characteristics Upon The Rate Of Trichloroethylene Desorption, Benjamin T. Kindt

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigated the influence of soil characteristics on the desorption of trichloroethylene (TCE). TCE is one of the most common contaminants at Superfund sites. Unfortunately, extraction of TCE from contaminated soils has been hindered by its slow and poorly understood desorption from soil particles. The rate and progress of desorption of TCE from seven types of soil with varying particle diameters and elemental compositions was measured using optical absorption techniques. Fitting the data to the Langmuir Isotherm functional form predicted in the literature yielded parameters for the desorption rate and total amount desorption each soil type. These parameters were …

Coherence And Usability Of An Environmental Impact Statement, Jill A. Easterly

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research effort was to investigate the application of certain principles of effective communication to improve the comprehension, and ultimately the usability, of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Principles from cohesion theory (an area of research describing effective design) were used to manipulate the design of select sections of two sample EISs. Each sample EIS was altered to manipulate the presence and/or absence of visual and linguistic cohesion. Subjects were required to read select versions from each section of the two sample EISs and answer four short answer questions. The dependent variables were accuracy in answering the …

Simulation Of Hydrologic Influences On Wetland Ecosystem Succession, Robert A. Pompilio

Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on the development of a simulation model to determine the effects of hydrological influences on a wetland ecosystem. The model allows perturbations to the inputs of various wetland data which in turn, influences the successional development of the ecosystem. This research consisted of converting a grassland ecosystem model to one which simulates wetland conditions. The critical factor in determining the success of wetland creation is the hydrology of the system. There are four of the areas of the original model which are affected by the hydrology. The model measures the health or success of the ecosystem through …

Ambient Surface Water Monitoring Report, Data Year January, 1992 - December, 1992 Pinellas County, Florida, Pinellas County Department Of Environmental Management-Water Resources Management Section, Donald Moores, Earl "Gene" Quinn, Pamela Leasure, Nancy Page, Mariben Anderson, Sean Coats, Susan Myers, Donald Hicks, Lisa Baltus

Reports

Whereas ambient surface water monitoring in Pinellas County had been limited and sporadic in the past, there has recently been a renewed interest in monitoring programs. Partly this has been encouraged by the activities of the National Estuary Program and the mandates of the federal NPDES Municipal Storm Sewer permitting program. In the case of Pinellas County, the County's Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 1989, mandated the implementation of ambient water quality monitoring in the waters of the County. The first annual report of monitoring results was published in December, 1992 (Moores, et. al., 1992).

This is the second annual report …

The Probe, Issue 146 - August 1994

The Probe: Newsletter of the National Animal Damage Control Association

CONTENTS:
Redefining Wildlife Management As Faunal Resource Management
Wildlife Biologist Position Available at JFK International Airport
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
Bears Attack Hunter in Oregon and German Camper in Canada
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to Take Fresh Look at Refuge Uses

Surveys Of The Distribution Of Seabirds Found In The Vicinity Of Proposed Geothermal Project Subzones In The District Of Puna, Hawaii, Michelle Reynolds, George Ritchotte, Anthony Viggiano, Jill Dwyer, Bonnie Nielson, James D. Jacobi

Other Publications in Wildlife Management

In 1993, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) entered into an interagency agreement with the Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct specific biological surveys to identify potential impacts of the proposed geothermal development on the natural resources of the East Rift Zone (Figure 1). This report presents information from published literature information and new field data on seabird populations on the island of Hawaii. These data are analyzed with regard to potential impacts of geothermal development on seabird populations in this area. Fifteen species of seabirds, waterbirds, and shorebirds are documented or suspected of being found using habitats within …

Water Current, Volume 26, No. 4, August 1994

Water Current Newsletter

CRP Reduces Flood Damage
From the Director
Glossary of Water-Related Terms
Pesticide Fate Vital Factor
California Citrus Production Tied to Groundwater
Research Brief: Pesticide Levels in Storm Runoff From Agricultural Stream Sites with Different Riparian Buffer Strips
Festival of Color
USGS Team Visits Two Projects
Symposium to Take on Water Challenge

Use Of Infrared Spectrometry To Determine The Effect Of Temperature On The Description Rates Of Trichloroethylene From Plastic Clay 98b, Abdellatif Fares

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated the influence of temperature on the desorption rated of trichloroethylene (TCE) from plastic clay. It was expected that an increase in temperature will cause an increase in both the desorption rates of TCE and in the desorbed quantity. Previous studies on other chemicals indicated a faster decrease in the remaining sorbed concentration with an increase in temperature. This research made use of the infrared optical absorption technique. IR spectroscopy was used to measure the concentration of the vapor TCE that desorbed from the soil. The soil was exposed to liquid TCE for 2 days then placed inside …

Prairie Dogs, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Dallas R. Virchow

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

Prairie dogs are stocky burrowing rodents that live in colonies called “towns.” French explorers called them “little dogs” because of the barking noise they make. Their legs are short and muscular, adapted for digging. The tail and other extremities are short. Their hair is rather coarse with little underfur, and is sandy brown to cinnamon in color with grizzled black and buff-colored tips. The belly is light cream to white.
Five species of prairie dogs are found in North America: the black-tailed (Cynomys ludovicianus), Mexican (C. mexicanus), white-tailed (C. leucurus), Gunnison’s (C. gunnisoni), and Utah prairie dog (C. parvidens). The …

Belding's, California, And Rock Ground Squirrels, Rex E. Marsh

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

Twenty-three species and 119 subspecies of ground squirrels exist in the United States (Hall 1981). At least 10 species can be of considerable economic importance to agriculture or have a significant impact on public health. This chapter covers the three species found in the far west and southwest. All three species range over extensive regions. While the California (Spermophilus beecheyi) and the Belding’s (S. beldingi) ground squirrels are considered pests over large agricultural areas, they are not pests throughout their entire range. The rock ground squirrel (S. variegatus) is not a major pest but is important because of its involvement …

Mountain Beavers, Dan L. Campbell

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

The mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) is a medium-sized rodent in the family Aplodontiadae. There are no other species in the family. Average adults weigh 2.3 pounds (1,050 g) and range from 1.8 to 3.5 pounds (800 to 1,600 g). Average overall length is 13.5 inches (34 cm), including a rudimentary tail about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. The body is stout and compact. The head is relatively large and wide and blends into a large neck with no depression where it joins the shoulders. The eyes and ears are relatively small and the cheeks have long silver “whiskers.” The hind …

Muskrats, James E. Miller

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

The muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) is the largest microtine rodent in the United States. It spends its life in aquatic habitats and is well adapted for swimming. Its large hind feet are partially webbed, stiff hairs align the toes, and its laterally flattened tail is almost as long as its body. The muskrat has a stocky appearance, with small eyes and very short, rounded ears. Its front feet, which are much smaller than its hind feet, are adapted primarily for digging and feeding. The overall length of adult muskrats is usually from 18 to 24 inches (46 to 61 cm). Large …

Cotton Rats, Donald W. Hawthorne

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

The hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) is a moderately large, robust rodent with a scaly, sparsely haired tail that is shorter than the combined head and body. Cotton rats have relatively large eyes. The ears are large but almost hidden in the fur. They have four toes and a small thumb on their front feet and five toes on each hind foot. The cotton rat has very small internal cheek pouches. Distinguishing characteristics are the rough grizzled appearance of the blackish or grayish fur and the rather stiff black guard hairs.
The hispid cotton rat occurs over most of the …

Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrels, Edward C. Cleary, Scott R. Craven

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel is a slender rat-sized rodent weighing about 8 ounces (227 g) with a length of about 10 inches (25 cm) including a tail of 3 inches (8 cm). As its name implies, 13 stripes run the length of this ground squirrel’s body. Five of the light-colored lines break up into a series of spots as they progress down the back and over the rump. Five light and four dark stripes extend along the top of the head and end between the animal’s eyes. The cheeks, sides of the body, and legs are yellowish, tan, or tan …

Beavers, James E. Miller, Greg K. Yarrow

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

The beaver (Castor canadensis) is the largest North American rodent. Most adults weigh from 35 to 50 pounds (15.8 to 22.5 kg), with some occasionally reaching 70 to 85 pounds (31.5 to 38.3 kg). Individuals have been known to reach over 100 pounds (45 kg). The beaver is a stocky rodent adapted for aquatic environments. Many of the beaver’s features enable it to remain submerged for long periods of time. It has a valvular nose and ears, and lips that close behind the four large incisor teeth. Each of the four feet have five digits, with the hind feet webbed …

Chipmunks, David E. Williams, Robert M. Corrigan

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

Fifteen species of native chipmunks of the genus Eutamias and one of the genus Tamias are found in North America. The eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) and the least chipmunk (Eutamias minimas), discussed here, are the two most widely distributed and notable species. Behavior and damage is similar among all species of native chipmunks. Therefore, damage control recommendations are similar for all species.
The eastern chipmunk is a small, brownish, ground-dwelling squirrel. It is typically 5 to 6 inches (13 to 15 cm) long and weighs about 3 ounces (90 g). It has two tan and five blackish longitudinal stripes on …

Pocket Gophers, Ronald M. Case, Bruce A. Jasch

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

Thirty-four species of pocket gophers, represented by five genera, occupy the western hemisphere. In the United States there are 13 species and three genera. The major features differentiating these genera are the size of their forefeet, claws, and front surfaces of their chisel-like incisors.
Thomomys have smooth-faced incisors and small forefeet with small claws. Northern pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides) are typically from 6 1/2 to 10 inches (17 to 25 cm) long. Their fur is variable in color but is often yellowish brown with pale underparts. Botta’s (or valley) pocket gophers (Thomomys bottae) are extremely variable in size and color. …