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Isolation And Genetic Characterization Of Toxoplasma Gondii From Mute Swan (Cygnus Olor) From The Usa, J. P. Dubey, S. Choudhary, O. C. H. Kwok, L.R. Ferreira, S. Oliveira, S.K. Verma, D.R. Marks, K. Pedersen, R.M. Mickley, A.R. Randall, D. Asnoe, C. Su

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Little is known of the genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii circulating in wildlife. In the present study, antibodies to T. gondii were determined in serum samples from 632 mute swans (Cygnus olor) collected from different areas of the USA. Sera were tested by T. gondii modified agglutination test; 54 (8.5%) of 632 samples were seropositive with titers of 25 in 28 sera, 50 in 22 sera, 100 in three samples, and 200 or higher in one swan. Hearts from 14 seropositive swans were bioassayed in mice and viable T. gondii (designated TgSwanUs1–3) were isolated from the hearts of …

Wildlife In Airport Environments: Chapter 2 Behavior And Physiologyin The Development And Application Of Visual Deterrents At Airports, Bradley F. Blackwell, Esteban Fernandez-Juricic

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the first major treatise on the science of wildlife damage management, Conover (2002) dedicated a short review of visual stimuli used to deter wildlife from specific areas or resources. The brevity of the review reflects the fact that these techniques have traditionally been developed over short periods and used to confront an immediate problem, generally through trial and error. Because humans perceive visual stimuli differently than other animals (Schwab 2012), deterrents based on human perception likely fall short in saliency of the stimuli (Le., how well the stimuli stand out against a background). However, assessment of visual stimuli (both …

Wildlife In Airport Environments: Chapter 14 Avian Survey Methods For Use At Airports, Bradley F. Blackwell, Paige M. Schmidt, James A. Martin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Adverse effects and damage caused by interactions between humans and wildlife are increasing (DeStephano and DeGraaf 2003). To manage wildlife effectively- whether to mitigate damage, to enhance safety, or to reach conservation goals-wildlife biologists must identify hazards posed by or to members of a particular species (Le., a population) or guild, and then prioritize management goals and specific actions. We examine the special problem of managing birds to reduce hazards to aviation, particularly those species known to cause structural damage to aircraft when struck and that pose problems to airport facilities (Dolbeer et al. 2000, Cleary and Dolbeer 2005, DeVault …

Wildlife In Airport Environments: Chapter 3 Effectiveness Of Chemical Repellents In Managing Birds At Airports, Larry Clark, Michael L. Avery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Repellents include methods and devices used to manipulate behavior of animals to reduce damage or nuisance. Critical to the design and success of repellents is understanding how sensory modalities mediate perception of signals, and how ecological context and sensory inputs influence animal learning. A repellent's success is tied to the axiom of using the proper tool for the proper job. When repellents "fail," it is almost always because wildlife managers have not appropriately matched signal, receiving systems, message, and context. Reconciling such considerations can be a complex process. In this chapter we review components and processes essential for the successful …

Surveillance And Movements Of Virginia Opossum (Didelphis Virginiana) In The Bovine Tuberculosis Region Of Michigan, W. D. Walter, J. W. Fischer, C. W. Anderson, D. R. Marks, T. J. Deliberto, S. Robbe-Austerman, K. C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife reservoir hosts of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) include Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) and brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) in the UK and New Zealand, respectively. Similar species warrant further investigation in the northern lower peninsula of Michigan, USA due to the continued presence of bTB on cattle farms. Most research in Michigan, USA has focused on interactions between white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and cattle (Bos taurus) for the transmission of the infectious agent of bTB, Mycobacterium bovis, due to high deer densities and feeding practices. However, limited data are available on medium-sized mammals …

A Framework For Managing Airport Grasslands And Birds Amidst Conflicting Priorities, Bradley F. Blackwell, Thomas W. Seamans, Paige M. Schmidt, Travis L. Devault, Jerrold L. Belant, Mark J. Whittingham, James A. Martin, Esteban Fernández-Juricic

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Management of modern airports is a task beset by conflicting priorities. Airports are vital to the global market economy, but impose costly environmental disturbances including habitat loss, noise, reduced air quality, erosion, introduction of invasive organisms, and polluted storm-water runoff (Blackwell et al. 2009). Airport environments also attract some wildlife hazardous to aviation safety, namely species involved in wildlife-aircraft collisions or ‘strikes’ (ICAO 2001, Blackwell et al. 2009, DeVault et al. 2011). Since 1912 at least 276 human lives have been lost due to bird strikes (Thorpe 2010), and from 1990 to 2010, more than 106 000 bird strikes involving …

Evolutionary Characterization Of The Pandemic H1n1/ 2009 Influenza Virus In Humans Based On Non-Structural Genes, Chengmin Wang, Yanyu Zhang, Bin Wu, Shelan Liu, Ping Xu, Yanmin Lu, Jing Luo, Dale L. Nolte, Thomas J. Deliberto, Mingxing Duan, Hong Zhang, Hongxuan He

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The 2009 influenza pandemic had a tremendous social and economic impact. To study the genetic diversity and evolution of the 2009 H1N1 virus, a mutation network for the non-structural (NS) gene of the virus was constructed. Strains of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza A virus could be divided into two categories based on the V123I mutation in the NS1 gene: G1 (characterized as 123 Val) and G2 (characterized as 123 Ile). Sequence homology analysis indicated that one type of NS sequence, primarily isolated from Mexico, was likely the original type in this pandemic. The two genotypes of the virus presented …

Comparison Of Two Models For Estimating Mortality From Baitings With Compound Drc-1339 Concentrate Avicide, H. Jeffrey Homan, Randal S. Stahl, George M. Linz

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the U.S., DRC-1339 baitings for blackbirds (Icteridae) are generally done under the pesticide label, Compound DRC-1339 Concentrate ‒ Staging Areas. DRC-1339 is a slow-acting avicide and gives the birds enough time to leave the baiting sites. Carcass searches and other forms of onsite counts are ineffective. Instead, linear models (LM) are used. The LM are based on esophageal analyses of several blackbird species collected while feeding at staging area bait sites. Biases and large variances can occur with this type of sampling. As an alternative to the LM, we developed a semi-mechanistic model (SM) that combined mechanistic modeling of …

Use Of A Gnrh Vaccine, Gonacontm, For Prevention And Treatment Ofadrenocortical Disease (Acd) In Domestic Ferrets, Lowell A. Miller, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Robert A. Wagner, Mark Finkler

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Adrenocortical disease (ACD) is a common problem in surgically sterilized, middle-aged to old ferrets (Mustela putorius furo). The adrenal tissues of these ferrets develop hyperplasia, adenomas, or adenocarcinomas, which produce steroid hormones including estradiol, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, and androstenedione. Major clinical signs attributable to overproduction of these hormones are alopecia (hair loss) in both sexes and a swollen vulva in females. Pruritus, muscle atrophy, hind limb weakness, and sexual activity or aggression are also observed in both sexes. Males can develop prostatic cysts, prostatitis, and urethral obstruction. ACD is thought to be linked to continuous and increased LH secretion, due …

The Cost Of Canine Rabies On Four Continents, A. M. Anderson, S. A. Shwiff

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We estimated the economic impacts of canine rabies in Latin America, Africa and Asia. Direct and indirect costs of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, dog vaccination and control, rabies diagnostic testing and cattle mortality-related costs were accounted for. The number of human deaths was updated from previous estimates based on population growth, and the costs associated with the risk of human mortality were incorporated. We accounted for uncertainty associated with the parameter estimates using a Monte Carlo simulation and estimated that the global burden of canine rabies is approximately $124 billion annually. This result illustrates the potential benefits that could be realized …

Rethinking Airport Land-Cover Paradigms: Agriculture, Grass, And Wildlife Hazards, Travis L. Devault, Michael J. Begier, Jerrold L. Belant, Bradley F. Blackwell, Richard A. Dolbeer, James A. Martin, Thomas W. Seamans, Brian E. Washburn

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The various habitats that compose airport property, particularly undeveloped lands, inherently contribute in some measure to attraction of wildlife and, subsequently, the risk of wildlife–aircraft collisions. Many airports control large tracts of land outside airoperations areas for safety and security and to mitigate noise pollution. In the contiguous United States, the average size of airports that are approved for regularly scheduled passenger traffic (i. e., certificated) by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is 761 ha (DeVault et al. 2012). Although airports operate under numerous constraints when selecting land covers (Federal Aviation Administration 2012), turf grasses (managed, domesticated grass varieties) and …

Wiidiife Translocation As A Management Alternative At Airports, Paul D. Curtis, Jonathon D. Cepek, Rebecca Mihalco, Thomas W. Seamans, Scott R. Craven

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife in urban settings may be a welcome sight for many, but negative interactions between people and various wild species are increasing (Conover et a!. 1995, Conover 2002). Wildlife populations are commonly managed in part to reduce these conflicts, particularly in high-risk areas such as roadways and airports (Conover 2002). However, the public often opposes lethal control or management methods perceived as causing harm to nuisance animals (Reiter et al. 1999, Conover 2002, Treves et al. 2006), and attitudes vary considerably depending on the particular wildlife species involved (Kretser et a!. 2009). Consequently, a variety of nonlethal management approaches are …

Report To The Chicago Park District On Conflicts With Ring-Billed Gulls And The 2013 Integrated Ring-Billed Gull Damage Management Project, J. W. Hartmann, T. G. Guerrant, S. F. Beckerman, R. M. Engeman, T. W. Seamans

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The large ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis) population in the City of Chicago has caused various conflicts including general nuisance, property damage, economic losses, and threats to human health and safety. Several studies have shown a relationship between ring-billed gulls and increased levels of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) in nearshore waters. Results of tests for E. coli have led to the issuance of swim advisories at Chicago beaches.

The objectives of the Chicago Ring-billed Gull Damage Management Project were to (1) reduce the local production of ring-billed gulls, (2) reduce the severity of …

Wild Ungulates As Disseminators Of Shiga Toxin- Producing Escherichia Coli In Urban Areas, Alan B. Franklin, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Hugh Maguire, Mary K. Cichon, Justin W. Fischer, Michael J. Lavelle, Amber Powell, J. Jeffrey Root, Elaine Scallan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: In 2008, children playing on a soccer field in Colorado were sickened with a strain of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7, which was ultimately linked to feces from wild Rocky Mountain elk. We addressed whether wild cervids were a potential source of STEC infections in humans and whether STEC was ubiquitous throughout wild cervid populations in Colorado.

Methodology/Principal Findings: We collected 483 fecal samples from Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer in urban and non-urban areas. Samples testing positive for STEC were higher in urban (11.0%) than non-urban (1.6%) areas. Elk fecal samples in urban areas had a …

Immunization With A Synthetic Peptide Vaccine Fails To Protect Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus) From Chronic Wasting Disease, John L. Pilon, Jack C. Rhyan, Lisa L. Wolfe, Tracy R. Davis, Matt P. Mccollum, Katherine I. O'Rourke, Terry R. Spraker, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael W. Miller, Thomas Gidlewski, Tracy A. Nichols, Lowell A. Miller, Pauline Nol

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) adversely affects both wild and captive cervid populations. A vaccine to prevent CWD would be a highly desirable tool to aid in disease management. To this end, we tested in mule deer a combination of CWD vaccines consisting of cervid prion peptide sequences 168-VDQYNNQNTFVHDC-182 and 145- NDYEDRYYRENMYRYPNQ-164 that had previously been shown to delay onset of clinical disease and increase survival in a mouse-adapted scrapie model. Thirteen captive mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) were divided into vaccine (n=7) and control groups (n=6), and given prime and boost vaccinations intramuscularly 5 wk apart. Eight weeks postprime …

References From Landslide Ecology, Lawrence R. Walker, Aaron B. Shiels

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

As Clear As Mud: A Critical Review Of Evidence For The Ecological Roles Of Australian Dingoes, Benjamin L.R. Allen, Peter J.S. Fleming, Lee R. Allen, Richard M. Engeman, Guy Ballard, Luke K.-P. Leung

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Top-predators have been reported to have an important role in structuring food webs and maintaining ecological processes for the benefit of biodiversity at lower trophic levels. This is thought to be achieved through their suppressive effects on sympatric mesopredators and prey. Great scientific and public interest surrounds the potential use of top-predators as biodiversity conservation tools, and it can often be difficult to separate what we think we know and what we really know about their ecological utility. Not all the claims made about the ecological roles of top-predators can be substantiated by current evidence. We review the methodology underpinning …

The Influence Of Trap Type And Cover Status On Capture Rates Of Pocket Gophers In California, Roger A. Baldwin, Daniel B. Marcum, Steve B. Orloff, Stephen J. Vasquez, Cheryl A. Wilen, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Population reduction through trapping is among the most common techniques used to mitigate damage caused by pocket gophers in a variety of crops. A new trap called the Gophinator was recently developed that combined many positive attributes of previous pocket gopher traps. Because efficacy data for this trap was lacking, we compared capture rates of this trap to the Macabee trap, the most commonly used pocket gopher trap in the western U.S. We also addressed factors that may influence the efficacy of traps such as cover status of the trap set, season, gender, and weight of the captured pocket gopher. …

Patterns Of Human–Coyote Conflicts In The Denver Metropolitan Area, Sharon A. Poessel, Stewart W. Breck, Tara L. Teel, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Kevin R. Crooks, Lisa Angeloni

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In many cities throughout North America, human–coyote conflicts are an emerging problem. Little research has described temporal and spatial patterns of human–coyote conflicts, although such information can be an important step in developing and optimizing management efforts. We used reports from 22 entities within the Denver Metropolitan Area (DMA) in Colorado that provided information on coyote observations (signs, sightings, and encounters) and conflicts (incidents, pet-attacks, and human attacks). Our objectives were to 1) define, quantify, and map categories of coyote observations and conflicts, and 2) investigate temporal and spatial patterns of conflicts, particularly related to land cover types and housing …

Influence Of Vegetation Structure On The Small Mammal Community In A Shortgrass Prairie Ecosystem, Craig M. Thompson, Eric M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The structure of vegetation, and how this structure varies across a landscape, is crucial to understanding the distribution of wildlife species. Between 2002 and 2004, we sampled small mammal communities and measured vegetation structure at 185 locations across a range of disturbance regimes in a shortgrass prairie ecosystem in southeastern Colorado, USA. At each sampling location, the local disturbance regime was some combination of varying intensity of livestock grazing, military training activity, and fire. Vegetation structural characteristics measured included percent bare ground, basal cover, litter, shrub density, and mean grass and shrub height. Rodent communities were described by richness, diversity, …

As Clear As Mud: A Critical Review Of Evidence For The Ecological Roles Of Australian Dingoes, Benjamin L. Allen, Peter J.S. Fleming, Lee R. Allen, Richard M. Engeman, Guy Ballard, Luke K.-P. Leung

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Contents

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …

Nonsurgical Fertility Control For Managing Free-Roaming Dog Populations: A Review Of Products And Criteria For Field Applications, Giovanna Massei, Lowell A. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

About 75% of dogs worldwide are free to roam and reproduce, thus creating locally overabundant populations. Problems caused by roaming dogs include diseases transmitted to livestock and humans, predation on livestock, attacks on humans, road traffic accidents, and nuisance behavior. Nonsurgical fertility control is increasingly advocated as more cost-effective than surgical sterilization to manage dog populations and their impact. The aims of this review were to 1) analyze trends in numbers of scientific publications on nonsurgical fertility control for dogs; 2) illustrate the spectrum of fertility inhibitors available for dogs; 3) examine how differences between confined and free-roaming dogs might …

Changes In Grouping Patterns Of Saiga Antelope In Relation To Intrinsic And Environmental Factors In Mongolia, B. B. Buuveibaatar, T. K. Fuller, A. E. Fine, B. Chimeddorj, J. K. Young, J. Berger

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Factors that affect group sizes in large ungulates are generally poorly understood for species from remote regions. Understanding grouping patterns is important for effective species management, but is lacking for the endangered Mongolian saiga (Saiga tatarica mongolica).We studied seasonal changes in the group size and social structure of saigas in relation to environmental and anthropogenic factors in western Mongolia during 2009–2012. To identify group size and composition, we observed saigas monthly while conducting monitoring surveys, and weekly while tracking radio-collared animals. We observed 9268 individuals; median group size was 6.5 (SE = 1.7; range = 1–121), and groups …

The Effect Of Social Hierarchy On Captive Coyote (Canis Latrans) Foraging Behavior, Lynne B. Gilbert-Norton, Ryan R. Wilson, John A. Shivik

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Foraging efficiency of individuals in pack forming species may be influenced by social dynamics within a pack. The effects of social hierarchy in particular may influence individual foraging behavior in canids, such as coyotes (Canis latrans). To examine the impact of social hierarchy on foraging behavior, we tested 16 captive coyotes in eight naturally established dominant–subordinate pairs, using the guesser–knower paradigm. We measured the efficiency of subordinate coyotes to relocate a food resource when alone and then allowed pairs to forage together, such that subordinates had prior knowledge of food location but dominants did not. To determine whether …

Functional Significance Of Ultraviolet Feeding Cues In Wild Turkeys, Scott J. Werner, Richard Buchholz, Shelagh K. Tupper, Susan E. T. Pettit, Jeremy W. Ellis

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Most birds are able to sense ultraviolet (UV) visual signals. Ultraviolet wavelengths are used for plumage signaling and sexual selection among birds. The aim of our study was to determine if UV cues are also used for the process of food selection in wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). We used avoidance conditioning to test the hypothesis that UV feeding cues can be used functionally for foraging behavior in wild turkeys. Female turkeys exhibited no avoidance of untreated food and 75–98% avoidance of food treated with an UV-absorbent, postingestive repellent (0.5–4% anthraquinone; wt./wt.) during repellent exposure. Male turkeys exhibited 78–99% …

Introduction For Landslide Ecology, Lawrence R. Walker, Aaron B. Shiels

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

1. The geological characteristics of landslides and their management as physical hazards are well documented. In contrast, the ecological processes that are initiated by landslides, and their relevance to efforts to restore stability to unstable slopes, have never been synthesized.

2. Landslides can cause intense human suffering and human activities can aggravate natural causes oflandslides. However, we can ameliorate many of the worst effects of landslides through improved prediction and restoration of landslides and adjoining slopes.

3. Landslides initiate many ecological processes at landscape to local scales, including the process of ecological succession. Although landslides have negative effects on the …

Wildlife In Airport Environments: Chapter 1 The History Of Wildlife Strikes And Management At Airports, Richard A. Dolbeer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The first human-powered flight took place in December 1903, when Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully flew their experimental aircraft at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, USA. Birds, which had been practicing powered flight for about 150 million years, suddenly had a new "competitor" for airspace, and the bird-aircraft collision problem (hereafter referred to as bird strikes) began shortly thereafter (Cleary and Dolbeer 2005). On 7 September 1905, the first reported bird strike, as recorded by Orville Wright in his diary, occurred when his aircraft hit a bird over a cornfield near Dayton, Ohio, USA. Flocks of red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) and …

Landslide Ecology, Lawrence R. Walker, Aaron B. Shiels

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Despite their often dangerous and unpredictable nature, landslides provide fascinating templates for studying how soil organisms, plants, and animals respond to such destruction. The emerging field oflandslide ecology helps us to understand these responses, aiding slope stabilization and restoration and contributing to progress made in geological approaches to landslide prediction and mitigation. Summarizing the growing body ofliterature on the ecological consequences of landslides, this book provides a framework for the promotion of ecological tools in predicting, stabilizing, and restoring biodiversity to landslide scars at both local and landscape scales. It explores nutrient cycling; soil development; and how organisms disperse, colonize, …

Oral Rabies Vaccination Variation In Tetracycline Biomarking Among Ohio Raccoons, Timothy P. Algeo, Gary Norhenberg, Robert Hale, Andrew Montoney, Richard B. Chipman, Dennis Slate

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Oral rabies vaccination (ORV) programs have traditionally relied on tetracycline marking as an index to bait uptake. Whether tetracycline serves well in this capacity depends on its deposition affinity and ability to be detected consistently among tissues selected for analysis from target species. We evaluated samples from 760 hunter-harvested raccoons (Procyon lotor) from areas in Ohio where ORV had been conducted during 1998, 1999, and 2001. Tetracycline marking was evaluated within and among first premolar (PM1), second premolar (PM2), and canine (CN) teeth, and mandibular bone (MB) by side (left versus right); and by tissue type. Tetracycline detection ranged from …

Intraguild Relationships Between Sympatric Predators Exposed To Lethal Control: Predator Manipulation Experiments, Benjamin L. Allen, Lee R. Allen, Richard M. Engeman, Luke K.-P. Leung

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Introduction: Terrestrial top-predators are expected to regulate and stabilise food webs through their consumptive and non-consumptive effects on sympatric mesopredators and prey. The lethal control of top-predators has therefore been predicted to inhibit top-predator function, generate the release of mesopredators and indirectly harm native fauna through trophic cascade effects. Understanding the outcomes of lethal control on interactions within terrestrial predator guilds is important for zoologists, conservation biologists and wildlife managers. However, few studies have the capacity to test these predictions experimentally, and no such studies have previously been conducted on the eclectic suite of native and exotic, mammalian and reptilian …