Digital Commons Network^™

Causes Of Pneumonia Epizootics Among Bighorn Sheep, Western United States, 2008–2010, Thomas E. Besser, Margaret A. Highland, Katherine Baker, E. Frances Cassirer, Neil J. Anderson, Jennifer M. Ramsey, Kristin Mansfield, Darren L. Bruning, Peregrine Wolff, Joshua B. Smith, Jonathan A. Jenks

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Epizootic pneumonia of bighorn sheep is a devastating disease of uncertain etiology. To help clarify the etiology, we used culture and culture-independent methods to compare the prevalence of the bacterial respiratory pathogens Mannheimia haemolytica, Bibersteinia trehalosi, Pasteurella multocida, and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in lung tissue from 44 bighorn sheep from herds affected by 8 outbreaks in the western United States. M. ovipneumoniae, the only agent detected at significantly higher prevalence in animals from outbreaks (95%) than in animals from unaffected healthy populations (0%), was the most consistently detected agent and the only agent that exhibited single strain …

Environmental And Demographic Determinants Of Avian Influenza Viruses In Waterfowl Across The Contiguous United States, Matthew Farnsworth, Ryan S. Miller, Kerri Pedersen, Mark W. Lutman, Seth R. Swafford, Philip D. Riggs, Colleen T. Webb

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Outbreaks of avian influenza in North American poultry have been linked to wild waterfowl. A first step towards understanding where and when avian influenza viruses might emerge from North American waterfowl is to identify environmental and demographic determinants of infection in their populations. Laboratory studies indicate water temperature as one determinant of environmental viral persistence and we explored this hypothesis at the landscape scale. We also hypothesized that the interval apparent prevalence in ducks within a local watershed during the overwintering season would influence infection probabilities during the following breeding season within the same local watershed. Using avian influenza virus …

Weak Polygyny In California Sea Lions And The Potential For Alternative Mating Tactics, Ramona Flatz, Manuela González-Suárez, Julie K. Young, Claudia J. Hernández-Camacho, Aaron J. Immel, Leah R. Gerber

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Female aggregation and male territoriality are considered to be hallmarks of polygynous mating systems. The development of genetic parentage assignment has called into question the accuracy of behavioral traits in predicting true mating systems. In this study we use 14 microsatellite markers to explore the mating system of one of the most behaviorally polygynous species, the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus). We sampled a total of 158 female-pup pairs and 99 territorial males across two breeding rookeries (San Jorge and Los Islotes) in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Fathers could be identified for 30% of pups sampled at …

Home Ranges Of The Nilgai Antelope (Boselaphus Tragocamelus) In Texas, Jonathan D. Moczygemba, David G. Hewitt, Tyler A. Campbell, J. Alfonso Ortega-S., Justin Feild, Mickey W. Hellickson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Information related to home ranges of the nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) was needed to estimate spread of cattle-fever ticks (Riphicephalus microplus and R. annulatus) and to develop management protocols. We captured, placed telemetry collars on, and monitored 10 male and 12 female nilgai antelopes during February 2006–May 2008. We detected no difference between size of home ranges of males and females and determined maximum axes of home ranges of 16.3 and 13.8 km, respectively. The combination of large home ranges and large axes of home range indicates that if cattle-fever ticks are being maintained on nilgai …

Three Pathogens In Sympatric Populations Of Pumas, Bobcats, And Domestic Cats: Implications For Infectious Disease Transmission, Sarah N. Bevins, Scott Carver, Erin E. Boydston, Lisa M. Lyren, Mat Alldredge, Kenneth A. Logan, Seth P. D. Riley, Robert N. Fisher, T. Winston Vickers, Walter Boyce, Mo Salman, Michael R. Lappin, Kevin R. Crooks, Sue Vandewoude

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Anthropogenic landscape change can lead to increased opportunities for pathogen transmission between domestic and non-domestic animals. Pumas, bobcats, and domestic cats are sympatric in many areas of North America and share many of the same pathogens, some of which are zoonotic. We analyzed bobcat, puma, and feral domestic cat samples collected from targeted geographic areas. We examined exposure to three pathogens that are taxonomically diverse (bacterial, protozoal, viral), that incorporate multiple transmission strategies (vector-borne, environmental exposure/ ingestion, and direct contact), and that vary in species-specificity. Bartonella spp., Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), and Toxoplasma gondii IgG were detected in all three …

Box Traps For Feral Swine Capture: A Comparison Of Gate Styles In Texas, David B. Long, Tyler A. Campbell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Many different types of traps have been developed to increase feral swine (Sus scrofa) capture efficiency. Though not previously compared, gate styles may influence capture success. Our objectives were to report feral swine capture data from 31 trapping campaigns conducted in 17 counties from 2005 to 2011 in Texas, USA, compare capture rates by demographic category between side-swing and rooter gates, and evaluate influences of moisture, using the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), on juvenile capture rates. We trapped feral swine during all months of the year. Our trap configurations were identical with the exception of gate style. Traps had …

Biology Of Invasive Monk Parakeets In South Florida, Michael L. Avery, Eric A. Tillman, Kandy L. Keacher, John E. Arnett, Kelli J. Lundy

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Monk Parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) have been in Florida for >40 yrs, having been imported by the thousands for the pet trade. This conspicuous, charismatic species is now widely established, but relatively little is known about its population biology outside South America. We examined 845 parakeets from 385 nests from nest removals and collections by utility company personnel in 2003/2004 and 2006/2007 to document body size and aspects of reproductive biology and primary molt. Body measurements confirm Monk Parakeets in south Florida belong to the monachus subspecies. Adult males averaged 1.5 to 3.5% larger than females, but the body …

Influence Of Forest Structure On The Abundance Of Snowshoe Hares In Western Wyoming, Nathan D. Berg, Eric M. Gese, John Squires, Lise M. Aubry

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) are a primary prey species for Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) in western North America. Lynx management plans require knowledge of potential prey distribution and abundance in the western United States. Whether even-aged regenerating forests or multi-storied forests contain more snowshoe hares is currently unknown. During 2006–2008, we estimated snowshoe hare density in 3 classes of 30–70-year-old lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and 4 classes of late seral multi-storied forest with a spruce (Picea engelmannii)-fir (Abies lasiocarpa) component in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming. We recorded physiographic variables …

Exploiting Avian Vision With Aircraft Lighting To Reduce Bird Strikes, Bradley F. Blackwelll, Travis L. Devault, Thomas W. Seamans, Steven L. Lima, Patrice Baumhardt, Esteban Fernández-Juricic

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

1. Bird–aircraft collisions (bird strikes) represent a substantial safety concern and financial burden to civil aviation world-wide. Despite an increase in the rate of damaging bird strikes, necessary steps to develop a mitigation method outside of the airport environment have not been empirically tested.
2. We assessed whether use of aircraft lighting might enhance detection of and reaction to the approach of an aircraft in flight by Canada geese Branta canadensis Linnaeus, a species responsible for a high rate of damaging bird strikes. We used a novel approach by estimating the visibility to the goose visual system of a standard …

Identification And Analysis Of The First 2009 Pandemic H1n1 Influenza Virus From U.S. Feral Swine, A. Clavijo, Amir Nikooienejad, M. S. Esfahani, Richard P. Metz, Scott Schwartz, Esmaeli Atashpaz-Gargari, Thomas J. Deliberto, M. W. Lutman, Kerri Pedersen, L. R. Bazan, L. G. Koster, M. Jenkins-Moore, S. L. Swenson, M. Zhang, T. Beckham, Charles D. Johnson, Mohammad Bounpheng

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The first case of pandemic H1N1 influenza (pH1N1) virus in feral swine in the United States was identified in Texas through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services’ surveillance program. Two samples were identified as pandemic influenza by reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Full-genome Sanger sequencing of all eight influenza segments was performed. In addition, Illumina deep sequencing of the original diagnostic samples and their respective virus isolation cultures were performed to assess the feasibility of using an unbiased whole-genome linear target amplification method and multiple sample sequencing in a single Illumina GAIIx lane. Identical sequences were obtained …

Environmental Temperatures, Physiology And Behavior Limit The Range Expansion Of Invasive Burmese Pythons In Southeastern Usa, Elliott L.R. Jacobson, David G. Barker, Tracy M. Barker, Richard Mauldin, Michael L. Avery, Richard M. Engeman, Stephen Secor

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A well-established population of Burmese pythons resides in the Everglades of southern Florida. Prompted in part by a report that identified much of southern USA as suitable habitat for expansion or establishment of the Burmese python, we examined the plausibility of this snake to survive winters at sites north of the Everglades. We integrated daily low and high temperatures recorded from October to February from 2005–2011 at Homestead, Orlando and Gainesville, Florida; and Aiken, South Carolina, with minimum temperatures projected for python digestion (16 °C), activity (5 °C) and survival (0 °C). Mean low and high temperatures decreased northward from …

Quantitative Pcr Estimates Angiostrongylus Cantonensis (Rat Lungworm) Infection Levels In Semi-Slugs (Parmarion Martensi), Susan I. Jarvi, Margaret E.M. Farias, Kay Howe, Steven Jacquier, Robert Hollingsworth, William Pitt

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The life cycle of the nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis involves rats as the definitive host and slugs and snails as intermediate hosts. Humans can become infected upon ingestion of intermediate or paratenic (passive carrier) hosts containing stage L3 A. cantonensis larvae. Here, we report a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay that provides a reliable, relative measure of parasite load in intermediate hosts. Quantification of the levels of infection of intermediate hosts is critical for determining A. cantonensis intensity on the Island of Hawaii. The identification of high intensity infection ‘hotspots’ will allow for more effective targeted rat and slug control measures. qPCR …

Detection Probabilities Of Two Introduced Frogs In Hawaii: Implications For Assessing Non-Native Species Distributions, Christina A. Olson, Karen H. Beard, David N. Koons, William C. Pitt

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Two nonnative Caribbean frogs, the Puerto Rican coqui and the Cuban greenhouse frog, recently invaded Hawaii. Because of its louder breeding call, management efforts have focused on the coqui, while little has been done to address the more cryptic greenhouse frog, even though it may be as widespread and have similar ecological impacts. The goal of this research was to determine the distribution and detection probability of both species on the island of Hawaii. We conducted a breeding call presence/absence survey at 446 sites every 2 km along major road networks. We re-surveyed 125 sites twice to determine detection and …

Potential Influences Of Climate And Nest Structure On Spotted Owl Reproductive Success: A Biophysical Approach, Jeremy T. Rockweit, Alan B. Franklin, George S. Bakken, R. J. Gutierrez

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Many bird species do not make their own nests; therefore, selection of existing sites that provide adequate microclimates is critical. This is particularly true for owls in north temperate climates that often nest early in the year when inclement weather is common. Spotted owls use three main types of nest structures, each of which are structurally distinct and may provide varying levels of protection to the eggs or young. We tested the hypothesis that spotted owl nest configuration influences nest microclimate using both experimental and observational data. We used a wind tunnel to estimate the convective heat transfer coefficient ( …

Evaluation Of Remote Delivery Of Passive Integrated Transponder (Pit) Technology To Mark Large Mammals, W. David Walter, Charles W. Anderson, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Methods to individually mark and identify free-ranging wildlife without trapping and handling would be useful for a variety of research and management purposes. The use of Passive Integrated Transponder technology could be an efficient method for collecting data for mark-recapture analysis and other strategies for assessing characteristics about populations of various wildlife species. Passive Integrated Transponder tags (PIT) have unique numbered frequencies and have been used to successfully mark and identify mammals. We tested for successful injection of PIT and subsequent functioning of PIT into gelatin blocks using 4 variations of a prototype dart. We then selected the prototype dart …

Beyond Use Versus Availability: Behaviour-Explicit Resource Selection, Ryan R. Wilson, Lynne Gilbert-Norton, Eric M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Resource selection studies are common in the wildlife ecology literature and typically rely on the comparison of locations used by wildlife and locations assumed to be available for use but where use was not observed. While standard use availability designs are helpful for establishing general patterns of species occurrence, they are limited in their ability to help researchers understand the underlying behavioral mechanisms that lead to observed space-use patterns. Based on spatially-explicit behavioral observations from coyotes Canis latrans in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, we estimated resource selection for specific behaviors (i.e. predatory, laying and travelling) and for all used locations …

An Assessment Of Seedling Damage By Wild House Mice (Mus Musculus) And Wild Deer Mice (Peromyscus Spp.), Gary W. Witmer, Nathan P. Snow, Rachael S. Moulton, Jenna L. Swartz

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Although it is known that voles will damage seedlings, we do not know the extent to which deer mice (Peromyscus spp.) and house mice (Mus musculus Linnaeus, 1758) damage seedlings. Knowing this information can assist resource managers in better targeting problem species and implementing appropriate management actions. We planted and monitored ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex Lawson & C. Lawson) and narrow-leaf cottonwood (Populus angustifolia E. James) seedlings in metal stock tanks occupied by deer mice or house mice to assess the potential for damage by these rodents. Both species damaged leaves and stems of …

Long-Term Effects Of Immunocontraception On Wild Boar Fertility, Physiology And Behaviour, Giovanna Massei, Dave P. Cowan, Julia Coats, Fiona Bellamy, Roger Quy, Stephane Pietravalle, Matthew Brash, Lowell A. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Context. Fertility control appears as a publicly acceptable alternative to lethal methods for limiting population growth in wildlife. Recently developed single-dose immunocontraceptive vaccines have induced infertility in several mammals. However, the potential side-effects and the long-term effectiveness of these contraceptives have been poorly investigated.

Aims. We tested the long-term effectiveness and potential side-effects of the single-dose gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) vaccine GonaCon^TM on captive female wild boar.

Methods.Wecarried out two sequential trials: Trial 1 (n = 6 GonaConTM -treated and 6 control wild boar) and Trial 2 which started two years later and replicated Trial 1. We assessed the effectiveness …

Summer And Migrational Movements Of Satellite-Marked Doublecrested Cormorants From A Breeding Colony Managed By Egg-Oiling In Lake Ontario, Usa, Brian S. Dorr, Jimmy D. Taylor Ii, Scott J. Werner, D. Tommy King, James F. Farquhar, Irene M. Mazzocchi, Russell D. Mccullough

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A two-year satellite telemetry study was initiated in May 2000 at a Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) breeding colony on Little Galloo Island (LGI) in eastern Lake Ontario, New York, USA, which is managed by egg-oiling. The objective was to describe cormorant (N = 26/year) movements, specifically during the period of reproductive management by egg-oiling and seasonally (breeding, migration and wintering). Egg-oiling at two-week intervals resulted in a hatch success on LGI of 5.7% for 2000 and 2001, combined. The majority (97%) of core use areas of marked cormorants contained LGI throughout three egg-oiling treatments (six weeks), and 71% …

Towards Optimized Population Control Efficiency In Space And Time: A Modelling Framework Adapted To A Colonial Waterbird, Alban Guillaumet, Brian S. Dorr, Guiming Wang

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The double-crested cormorant is a native North American waterbird that recently underwent a dramatic population expansion. Population control efforts in the USA and Canada attempt to mitigate cormorant damages to natural resources and aquaculture. However, there is currently no coordination among the various stakeholders involved in management activities as well as no attempt to optimize population control efficiency. In this paper, we present for the first time a spatially explicit stage-structured metapopulation model parameterized for the cormorant. We developed simulation tools to get insights into the efficiency gain that can be expected from a better planning of management activities in …

The Role Of A Generalized Ultraviolet Cue For Blackbird Food Selection, Scott J. Werner, Shelagh K. Tupper, James C. Carlson, Susan E. Pettit, Jeremy W. Ellis, George M. Linz

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Birds utilize ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths for plumage signaling and sexual selection. Ultraviolet cues may also be used for the process of avian food selection. The aim of our study was to investigate whether a UV cue and a postingestive repellent can be used to condition food avoidance in red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus). We found that birds conditioned with an UV-absorbent, postingestive repellent subsequently avoided UV-absorbent food. Thus, the UV-absorbent cue (coupled with 0–20% of the conditioned repellent concentration) was used to maintain avoidance for up to 18 days post-conditioning. Similarly, birds conditioned with the UV-absorbent, postingestive repellent subsequently …

Chapter 4: Top-Predators As Biodiversity Regulators: Contemporary Issues Affecting Knowledge And Management Of Dingoes In Australia, Benjamin L.R. Allen, Peter J.S. Fleming, Matt Hayward, Lee R. Allen, Richard M. Engeman, Guy Ballard, Luke K.-P. Leung

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

1. Introduction

Large predators have an indispensable role in structuring food webs and maintaining ecological processes for the benefit of biodiversity at lower trophic levels. Such roles are widely evident in marine and terrestrial systems [1, 2]. Large predators can indirectly alleviate predation on smaller (and often threatened) fauna and promote vegetation growth by interacting strongly with sympatric carnivore and herbivore species (e.g. [3-5]). The local extinction of large predators can therefore have detrimental effects on biodiversity [6], and their subsequent restoration has been observed to produce positive biodiversity outcomes in many cases [7]. Perhaps the most well-known example of …

Crow Pellets From Winter Roosts In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Mary Annala, Eric A. Tillman, Gregory A. Backus, Kandy L. Keacher, Michael L. Avery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Although crows cast pellets, there is little quantitative information on pellets from Corvus brachyrhynchos (American Crow), and none from C. ossifragus (Fish Crow). During a study of crow roost dispersal in Lancaster, PA, we collected samples of pellets from several locations. By mass, pellets consisted mostly of grit and other fi ne inorganic material, various seeds (principally Toxicodendron radicans [Poison Ivy] and Celtis occidentalis [Common Hackberry]), and vegetation remnants. Six pellets contained small-mammal bones. Because the Lancaster winter crow population included many Fish Crows, the source of the pellets was not certain. To clarify this, we compared the size of …

Colony Connectivity Of Pacific Coast Double-Crested Cormorants Based On Post-Breeding Dispersal From The Region’S Largest Colony, Karen N. Courtot, Daniel D. Roby, Jessica Y. Adkins, Donald E. Lyons, D. Tommy King, R. Scott Larsen

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

To reduce conflicts with fish resources, other colonial waterbirds, and damage to habitats, double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) are currently controlled (lethally and non-lethally) throughout much of their range. Concerns are growing over the Pacific Coast’s largest double-crested cormorant colony at East Sand Island (ESI), Oregon near the mouth of the Columbia River, where cormorants forage on juvenile salmonids, many of which are listed under the United States Endangered Species Act. Management of this colony is currently under consideration and may call for a redistribution of a portion of this colony numbering more than 12,000 breeding pairs in 2009. …

Pond-Level Risk Factors Associated With Columnaris Disease On Mississippi Commercial Catfish Farms, Fred L. Cunningham, Skip W. Jack, David Hardin, Robert W. Wills

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A large commercial catfish enterprise encompassing over 500 food fish ponds from five farms covering multiple counties in the Mississippi Delta was included in this analysis of columnaris risk factors. A gram-negative bacterium, Flavobacterium columnare, is the cause of columnaris disease and is considered the second-most prevalent bacterial disease in farm-raised catfish. The objective of this study was to determine if pond-level risk factors reported by farm personnel were associated with columnaris disease mortalities. To identify risk factors affecting susceptibility of farm-raised channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus to columnaris disease, a Catfish Management database was developed. Logistic regression was used …

Airports Offer Unrealized Potential For Alternative Energy Production, Travis L. Devault, Jerrold L. Belant, Bradley F. Blackwell, James A. Martin, Jason A. Schmidt, Loren Wes Burger Jr, James W. Patterson Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Scaling up for alternative energy such as solar, wind, and biofuel raises a number of environmental issues, notably changes in land use and adverse effects on wildlife. Airports offer one of the few land uses where reductions in wildlife abundance and habitat quality are necessary and socially acceptable, due to risk of wildlife collisions with aircraft. There are several uncertainties and limitations to establishing alternative energy production at airports, such as ensuring these facilities do not create wildlife attractants or other hazards. However, with careful planning, locating alternative energy projects at airports could help mitigate many of the challenges currently …

Antibodies To Avian Influenza Viruses In Canada Geese (Branta Canadensis): A Potential Surveillance Tool?, Whitney M. Kistler, David E. Stallknecht, Thomas J. Deliberto, Seth Swafford, Kerri Pedersen, Kyle Van Why, Paul C. Wolf, Jerry A. Hill, Darren L. Brunning, James C. Cumbee, Randall M. Mickley, Carl W. Betsill, Adam R. Randall, Roy D. Berghaus, Michael J. Yabsley

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Traditionally, the epidemiology of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in wild birds has been defined by detection of virus or viral RNA through virus isolation or reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Our goals were to estimate AIV antibody prevalence in Canada geese (Branta canadensis) and measure effects of age and location on these estimates. We collected 3,205 samples from nine states during June and July 2008 and 2009: Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Washington, and West Virginia. Serum samples were tested for AIV antibodies with the use of a commercial blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Overall, 483 …

What Do We Know? A Literature Review Of The Eastern Coyote, Lauren L. Mastro, Eric M. Gese, Julie K. Young, John A. Shivik

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Coyotes (Canis latrans) have expanded into the eastern United States over the last 100 years. Increases in their distribution and abundance have been documented and concerns about their presence in urban areas and their impact on both native wildlife and domestic livestock are growing. These effects require further investigation and may require changes to management strategies. Two documents, a book and a technical bulletin, provide general overviews of the biology of eastern coyotes. However, these documents are not comprehensive, and are either not readily available or were published >15 years ago. We provide a comprehensive review of the …

Boiga Irregularis (Brown Treesnake), Tom Mathies, William C. Pitt, Joseph A. Rabon

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

DIET. The invasive Boiga irregularis, having decimated most of the native species it preyed on in Guam, now preys heavily on other invasive vertebrates. Eleutherodactylus planirostris (Greenhouse Frog), which has recently become established on Guam (Christy et al. 2007. Pac. Sci. 61:469-483), may provide the snake with an additional food source because the frogs are active nocturnally and can attain high densities (12,500 frogs ha^-1 in Hawaii; Olson 2011. Unpubl. dissertation. Utah State University, Logan. 116 pp.). Boiga irregularis consume E. planirostris in captivity (unpubl. data in Christy et al. 2007. Pac. Sci. 61 :469-483), but it is …

The Role Of The National Wildlife Disease Program In Wildlife Disease Surveillance And Emergency Response, Kerri Pedersen, John A. Baroch, Dale L. Nolte, Tom Gidlewski, Thomas J. Deliberto

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The National Wildlife Disease Program (NWDP), overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (WS), was established in 2003 to develop a nationally coordinated wildlife disease surveillance and emergency response system. Since its inception, the NWDP has developed collaborations with over 200 national and international partners. The national partners include state, tribal, federal, and private organizations. These partnerships have resulted in surveillance and management of over 100 pathogens, toxins, and disease syndromes affecting wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. Several of these pathogens, including avian influenza, plague, tularemia, bluetongue, and 10 pathogens carried by …