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Monograph Reduced Box Price: Managing Human–Deer Conflicts

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Order form for HWI monograph, Methods for Managing Human–Deer Conflicts in Urban, Suburban, and Exurban Areas. This monograph identifies challenges and benefits associated with many human–deer conflict mitigation actions as well as methods to monitor the response of deer populations to management actions. Deer exploit urban, suburban, and exurban areas where human populations provide anthropogenic attractants, either intentionally or inadvertently, which often leads to human–deer conflicts. Mitigating actions have varying degrees of efficacy and may not be effective or accepted in every situation. Wildlife and municipal managers must work together to seek methods to reduce attractants, mitigate conflicts, and perpetuate …

Table Of Contents

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the table of contents.

Stakeholder Knowledge And Perceptions Of Free-Roaming Equids And Their Management At A Western U.S. Land-Grant University, Hollee S. Wood, S. Nicole Frey, Terry A. Messmer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The horse (Equus ferus caballus), originally native to North America, became extinct on the continent approximately 10,000 years ago. Horses that migrated from North America to Eurasia across the Bering Strait continued to evolve and were domesticated along with burros (E. asinus). Both species were then transported to the Americas where they were intentionally released or escaped into the wild, forming feral herds. The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 (WFRHBA) provided federal oversight and protection for feral horses and burros (hereafter, free-roaming equids) that inhabited designated areas on public lands in the western …

Hwi Monograph Series

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The HWI Monograph Series includes open access publications on wild pigs, black bears, deer, and a forthcoming title on free-ranging domestic cats.

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Human–Wildlife Interactions

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A Profession That Changes With The Times, S. Nicole Frey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the letter from the editor-in-chief of Volume 16, Issue 3.

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Wildlife Strike Rates In The United States, Dan Parsons, Michael Malouf, Wayne Martin

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted air traffic, industry bodies warned of the potential increase in wildlife strike risk. Prior to the pandemic, wildlife strikes were already a concern to the industry. We sought to evaluate industry warnings using interrupted time series analysis of wildlife strike trends in the United States. Using pre-pandemic wildlife strike trends, we compared a forecast of the expected monthly strike rates through the COVID-19 impact period (March 2020 to December 2020) to the actual wildlife strike rates for the same period. Our results showed an increase in wildlife strike rates in 5 out of the …

Cultivation Of Industrial Hemp On And Near Airports: Implications For Wildlife Use And Risk To Aviation Safety, Bradley F. Blackwell, Page E. Klug, Lee A. Humberg, Zachary T. Brym, Bryan M. Kluever, Jennifer M. Edwards

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Land-use planning on and near airports should consider possible revenue from land covers, associated maintenance costs, and potential for land covers to attract vertebrate species recognized as hazardous to aviation safety. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has expressed interest in recent attention given to industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.; hemp) as a revenue-producing land cover that might be cultivated on or near airports. Our purpose was to better understand the potential production value of hemp as well as its possible role in affecting aviation safety if cultivated on or near airports. Our objectives were to: (1) review the literature …

Industrial Hemp As A Resource For Birds In Agroecosystems: Human–Wildlife Conflict Or Conservation Opportunity?, Emily A. Kotten, Iona Hennessy, Bryan M. Kluever, Zachary T. Brym, Bradley F. Blackwell, Lee A. Humberg, Page E. Klug

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.; hemp) is an emerging crop in the United States with little known about bird use or the potential for birds to become an agricultural pest. We identified birds associated with hemp fields, using repeated visits to oilseed plots in North Dakota, USA (n = 6) and cannabinoid (CBD) plots in Florida, USA (n = 4) from August to November 2020. We did not control for plot area or density; our observations were descriptive only. We observed 10 species in hemp, 12 species flying over hemp, and 11 species both foraging in and …

Evaluation Of The Effect Of Culling On Browse Damage By The Japanese Serow In Gifu Prefecture, Japan, Shiori Ikushima, Naotoshi Kuninaga, Takashi Ikeda, Takuya Okamoto, Makoto Asano, Masatsugu Suzuki

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus; serow) is a protected territorial ungulate native to Japan. However, locally overabundant serow populations can damage forest plantations and agriculture through browsing. Despite government permitted annual culling of serows on forest lands of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, browse damage continues to be reported in hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa; cypress) plantations. Sika deer (Cervus nippon; deer), which are co-located with serows can also browse cypress, but their impacts have never been evaluated. The objective of our research was to evaluate the involvement of each species in browse damage and to establish …

The Economic Contribution Of Utah's Energy And Mining Industries, Tanner J. Mccarty, Zuyi Wang, Man-Keun Kim, James Evans

Geosciences Faculty Publications

Utah’s abundant energy and mineral resources are used to heat homes, drive industry, and keep the lights on. Effectively managing these energy and mineral resources and their associated supply chains requires knowledge of their economic value and how they currently contribute to Utah’s economy. This report calculates the total economic contribution of Utah’s energy and mining industries for 2019 and 2020. Each industry makes substantial contributions to Utah’s gross domestic product, employment, and tax base. Table 1 displays each industry’s economic contribution to Utah’s economy.

Collectively, these industries contributed over 10% to Utah's total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), supported over …

Goosenecks Of The San Juan Satellite Image, Ellie Leydsman Mcginty, R. D. Ramsey

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

As a contribution to the Utah as Art collection created by UtahView, a member of the AmericaView consortium (https://americaview.org/), this image of the Goosenecks of the San Juan River, Utah is intended to act as an educational resource to increase interest in the contributions of remote sensing satellites as an aid to Earth resource management. The Goosenecks are deeply entrenched meanders of the San Juan River located in southeastern Utah. The San Juan River drains a high semi-arid region of the Colorado Plateau and is a major tributary of the Colorado River. During the Neogene Period, the river gradually became …

Utah Lake Satellite Image, Ellie Leydsman Mcginty, R. D. Ramsey

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

As a contribution to the Utah as Art collection created by UtahView, a member of the AmericaView consortium (https://americaview.org/), this image of Utah Lake, Utah is intended to act as an educational resource to increase interest in the contributions of remote sensing satellites as an aid to Earth resource management. Utah Lake is a large, shallow freshwater lake adjacent to the Provo-Orem metropolitan area in Utah County and is the third largest lake in Utah. Water from the lake is used for irrigation, recreation, industry, and wildlife. Utah Lake is approximately 23 miles long, 13 miles wide, and maximum depth …

Far-Red Photography For Measuring Plant Growth: A Novel Approach, Cole Webb, F. Mitchell Westmoreland, Bruce Bugbee, Xiaojun Qi

Techniques and Instruments

A critical part of agricultural studies is determining plant stress and growth rate. Modern computer vision provides a series of tools that can be applied to derive this data. In this paper, we will show our findings, analyze their accuracy, and define a system capable of deriving this data with near-human accuracy in a fraction of the time. Denoising techniques applicable to this system will be discussed, as will our discoveries and findings. Finally, suggestions for further research opportunities will be provided.

Changing Age Segregation In The Us: 1990 To 2010, Debasree Das Gupta, David W. S. Wong

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Age segregation adversely impacts health and wellbeing. Prior studies, although limited, report increasing age segregation of the US. However, these studies are dated, do not comprehensively examine the spatiotemporal patterns and the correlates of intergenerational segregation, or suffer from methodological limitations. To address these gaps, we assess the spatiotemporal patterns of age segregation between 1990 and 2010 using census-tract data to compute the dissimilarity index (D) at the national, state, and county levels. Results contradict previous findings providing robust evidence of decreasing age segregation for most parts of the country and across geographical levels. We also examine factors explaining adult-older …

Pace Oci Short-Wave Infrared Detection Assembly Optical System Design, Alignment, And Environmental Test, James Champagne, Roy Esplin, Trent Newswander, James Peterson, Kenneth Squire, Jacob Hedelius, Joe Thomes, Eric Gorman, Ulrik Gliese, D. Brent Mott, Emily Kan, Luis Ramos-Izquierdo

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

The Ocean Color Instrument (OCI), which will be integrated with the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite, will collect science data that will be used to monitor the health of Earth’s oceans and atmosphere. The Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) Detection Assembly (SDA), built and characterized by Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), is a subsystem of OCI consisting of 32 channels covering seven discrete optical bands of interest. A total of 16 SWIR Detection Subassemblies (SDSs) compose the SDA and house the cold optical system. The science data optical input for each SDS is supplied by a 0.22 NA …

Rapid Discrete Planning For Satellite Constellation Imaging Missions, Konnor Andrews, James Swedeen, Greg Droge

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Autonomous satellite control is becoming increasingly important as the number satellites and their respective missions increase in complexity. This paper develops and evaluates three rapid planning techniques used to aid the scheduling of satellites in performing an earth imaging mission. A mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) solver from previous work is used both as motivation and comparison. Previous results suggest that the optimal solution produced by the MILP solver is very similar to a longest path, even though the constraints disallow the longest path solution. Thus, a greedy modification to a longest path search is used as a means to rapidly …

A Two-Layer Constellation Scheduling Approach For Imaging And Communication, Skylar Cox, Justin Whitaker, John Humble, Greg Droge

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Spacecraft constellations continue to grow in numbers, capability, and sophistication, requiring in creased levels of automation to properly cooperate in achieving their objectives. This paper develops a constellation scheduling capability for collecting images of points of interest (POI) and communicating the imagery data through the constellation to established ground station terminals. Various levels of coordination are considered. First, satellites coordinate to avoid duplicate efforts for imaging POIs; second, ground stations only service a single satellite at a time for downlinking; and third, satellites may crosslink data within the constellation to enable a more timely delivery of high-valued information as well …

Enhancing Stakeholder Engagement To Achieve The Sustainable Management Of Free-Roaming Equids, Celeste Carlisle, Dan Adams

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wild horse (Equus caballus) and burro (E. asinus; WHB) stakeholders in the American West are divergent in their views of free-roaming equids on public lands. Management authority for free-roaming equids on designated public lands was given to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in 1971 by U.S. Congress with the passing of the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFRHBA). In 1976, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) mandated the BLM to manage public lands for multiple-uses, which included livestock grazing, energy development, recreation, and timber harvest. …

Wyoming’S Wild Horse Ranch: History And Description Of A Socio-Ecological Experiment, Alex Sas-Jaworsky, John Derek Scasta

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The growing population of free-roaming horses (Equus ferus caballus) on western public rangelands has necessitated that federal agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service, develop novel approaches to curb growth including reproduction management. However, bureaucracy has hindered effective research and application of horse management on public lands and examples on private lands may present new solutions. Here we present the history and current population management strategy for the Wild Horse Ranch (WHR) located in southeastern Wyoming, USA, as an example of an ongoing private entity managing horses. Prior to 1985, this ~6,000-ha …

New Research And Wild Horse And Burro Management, David Jenkins

Human–Wildlife Interactions

In the United States, the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFRHBA) gave the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service the statutory obligation to manage and protect free-roaming equids (i.e., wild horses [Equus ferus] and burros [E. asinus]) on designated management areas on public land. The WFRHBA was intended to ensure that wild horses and burros on the public lands exist in self-sustaining herds in perpetuity, alongside other congressionally mandated, multiple uses of public lands. The BLM recently published a strategic research plan for their wild horse and burro program. The research …

Feral Horses, Feral Asses, And Professional Politicians: Broodings From A Beleaguered Biologist, Vernon C. Bleich

Human–Wildlife Interactions

As a member of National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board, I gained insight into several aspects of feral equid management that previously had been somewhat cryptic. Foremost in my experience, though, was the dedication and professionalism of the board members with whom I served. During my tenure, the professional approach to management and the frustration faced by employees within the Horse and Burro Program became increasingly apparent. Further came the realization that the effectiveness of the board and program can be improved substantially, if (1) the board is provided the opportunity to rebut or counter incorrect or misleading information …

Healthy Western Lands: A Proposal For Healthy Rangelands, Wildlife, And Free-Roaming Horses And Burros, James S. Sedinger, Rebekah Stetson

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The Coalition for Healthy Nevada Lands, Wildlife and Free-roaming Horses (CHNL) is dedicated to proper management of free-roaming horses (Equus caballus) and burros (E. asinus) so rangelands are healthy, which benefits wildlife and the horses and burros themselves. The CHNL proposes the rapid reduction of horses and burros on designated public lands to achieve appropriate management levels (AML). After these reductions, the use of fertility control, supplemented with some gathers and adoption of gathered horses, should allow the Bureau of Land Management to economically maintain horse and burro populations at AML. The CHNL believes this approach …

Cover, Editorial Staff, Journal Information

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This includes the cover, editorial staff, and journal information.

Texas Hunters’ Perceptions Regarding The Acceptability Of Toxicants To Control Wild Pig Populations, Keith M. Carlisle, Sophie Mckee, Hailey E. Ellis, Lauren M. Jaebker, John M. Tomeček, Alan D. Bright, Rachael L. Connally, Maureen G. Frank, Stephanie A. Shwiff

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species in the United States. They damage agriculture, degrade water quality and ecological communities, and host a number of viruses, parasites, and bacteria transmissible to humans and animals. In states such as Texas, USA, where wild pigs cause extensive damage to agriculture and property, officials have considered allowing for the use of toxicants to control wild pig populations. To provide decision-makers with information regarding stakeholders’ perceptions of the use of toxicants to control wild pigs, we surveyed Texas hunters in 2019 to assess the level of acceptance of a hypothetical wild …

Mitigating Bighorn Sheep–Vehicle Collisions And Habitat Fragmentation With Overpasses And Adaptive Mitigation, Jeffrey W. Gagnon, Chad D. Loberger, Kari S. Ogren, Scott C. Sprague, Susan R. Boe, Raymond E. Schweinsburg

Human–Wildlife Interactions

As transportation infrastructure expands to accommodate increasing human population growth, wildlife–vehicle conflicts (WVCs) are a growing concern for motorist safety and wildlife populations. In the case of large ungulates, minimal information exists on successful mitigation of WVCs involving bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) and habitat fragmentation. Too address this void, we evaluated the effectiveness of 3 new wildlife overpasses, 3 culverts, 2 bridges, and ungulate exclusionary fencing as potential desert bighorn sheep (O. c. nelsoni; sheep) crossing opportunities along US Highway 93 in Arizona, USA. We evaluated sheep movements using global positioning system (GPS) radio-transmitter collars and …

Bear-Caused Human Fatalities In Yellowstone National Park: Characteristics And Trends, Kerry A. Gunther

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Three fatal bear (Ursus spp.) attacks in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), USA, from 2011 to 2015 were a catalyst for YNP managers to evaluate the circumstances of bear-caused fatalities as well as the bear safety messages it distributes to park visitors. I reviewed records of all fatal bear attacks that occurred in YNP from 1872 to 2018. Seven of the 8 fatalities were caused by grizzly bears (U. arctos horribilis). The per capita risk of being killed by a grizzly bear was 1 fatality for every 26.2 million park visits. Most fatal bear attacks in YNP involved …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Aviation-Wildlife Strikes Across Europe, Isabel C. Metz, Marta Giordano, Dionysios Ntampakis, Marianna Moira, Anneke Hamann, Rosanne Blijleven, Jürgen J. Ebert, Alessandro Montemaggiori

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Collisions between aircraft and wildlife (i.e., wildlife strikes) pose a serious threat toward the safety of aircraft, its crew, and passengers. The effects of COVID-19 related travel restrictions on wildlife strikes are unknown. With this study, we aim to address this information gap by assessing the changes of wildlife hazard management performance across European airports during the lockdown period (e.g., period of reduced operations and borders closure in spring 2020). We also sought to raise awareness of the importance of wildlife strike prevention in times of reduced operations. The objective of our study was to compare wildlife strike data before …

Symbiotic Relationship Between Local People And Asiatic Black Bears, Jangchuk Gyeltshen

Human–Wildlife Interactions

There are 8 species of bears (Ursidae) in the world; of these, 6 species are known to occur in Asia. However, in Bhutan, there are only 2 species: the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) and the sloth bear (Melursus ursinus). The Asiatic black bear is legally protected by the Forest and Nature Conservation Act of Bhutan 1995. The bear is categorized as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and also included under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Human–bear conflicts are prevalent in Bhutan, especially at the village …

A Call For Ethical And Responsible Treatment Of Invasive Species By Recreational Anglers, Kevin A. Adeli

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Invasive species pose a prominent threat to global biodiversity, with aquatic ecosystems being particularly susceptible. In an effort to limit the spread of aquatic invasive species, numerous public awareness programs have been launched, and several regions have enacted “must-kill” angling regulations, which prohibit the live release of invasive fish species when captured. Many education programs, however, demonize invasive species and lack any instruction for humane euthanasia. This unbalanced approach has translated into widespread mistreatment of invasive species among recreational anglers. This piece addresses these concerns by discussing their significance and providing recommendations for how education programs can adopt a more …