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United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

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Influence Of Vitamin K-Rich Plant Foods On Anticoagulant Baiting Efficacy In Wild House Mice, Wild Norway Rats, And Wild Black Rats, G. W. Witmer, P. W. Burke Jan 2009

Influence Of Vitamin K-Rich Plant Foods On Anticoagulant Baiting Efficacy In Wild House Mice, Wild Norway Rats, And Wild Black Rats, G. W. Witmer, P. W. Burke

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rodents introduced to islands have caused the extinction of many species of animals. Anticoagulant rodenticides are relied on to eradicate rodents from these islands, but if the rodents are eating plant materials that contain high amounts of vitamin K (the antidote to anticoagulants) anticoagulant rodenticides may not be effective. In a laboratory trial, individually caged Noway Rats Rattus norvegicus, Black Rats R. raffus and House Mice Mus musculus were fed fresh plant material high in vitamin K (Collards [0.62 mg vitamin K per 100 g] and Brussels Sprouts [0.19 mg vitamin K per 100 g]) for a period of …

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Prevalence Of Antibodies To West Nile Virus And Other Arboviruses Among Crested Caracaras (Caracara Cheriway) In Florida, Nicole M. Nemeth, James F. Dwyer, Joan L. Morrison, James D. Fraser Jan 2009

Prevalence Of Antibodies To West Nile Virus And Other Arboviruses Among Crested Caracaras (Caracara Cheriway) In Florida, Nicole M. Nemeth, James F. Dwyer, Joan L. Morrison, James D. Fraser

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We documented the antibody prevalence to three arboviruses, St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV), eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), and West Nile virus (WNV), in Crested Caracaras (Caracara cheriway; n = 80) in Florida from 2007 to 2008. Antibody prevalence to WNV was higher (9%) than for the other viruses. Most seropositive birds were adults (≥3 yr of age), with 55% of adults testing positive for antibodies to at least one virus. Adults were significantly more likely to have antibodies to WNV than nonadults (P<0.001). Prevalence of SLEV and EEEV antibodies among Crested Caracaras was 3% for each virus, and three adult caracaras had indistinguishable anti-flavivirus antibodies. The susceptibility of Crested Caracaras to adverse effects of WNV, SLEV, or EEEV infection remains unknown; however, we observed that some free-ranging individuals survived infection and successfully fledged young. Knowledge of arboviral infection among Florida’s Crested Caracara, which is both state and federally threatened, is valuable considering increasing pressure on this population from rapid and extensive habitat alterations.

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Enhancing The Perceived Threat Of Vehicle Approach To Deer, Bradley F. Blackwell, Thomas W. Seamans Jan 2009

Enhancing The Perceived Threat Of Vehicle Approach To Deer, Bradley F. Blackwell, Thomas W. Seamans

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In North America and Europe, deer (Cervidae)–vehicle collisions (DVCs) are common and result not only in injury and death to the animals involved, but also human injury and property damage. Given that most DVCs occur during crepuscular periods, we questioned whether the perceived threat to deer posed by vehicle approach could be enhanced. We hypothesized that a vehicle-based lighting system that better complements peak visual capabilities of deer at night relative to standard tungsten-halogen (TH) lighting alone would elicit a greater flight-initiation distance (FID) by free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Our lighting system comprised 2 TH lamps and …

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Avian Visual System Configuration And Behavioural Response To Object Approach, Bradley F. Blackwell, Esteban Fernandez-Juricic, Thomas W. Seamans, Tracy Dolan Jan 2009

Avian Visual System Configuration And Behavioural Response To Object Approach, Bradley F. Blackwell, Esteban Fernandez-Juricic, Thomas W. Seamans, Tracy Dolan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Antipredator behaviour theory provides a framework to understand the mechanisms behind human– wildlife interactions; however, little is known about the role of visual systems in the responses to humans. We quantified responses of brown-headed cowbirds, Molothrus ater (Boddaert), and mourning doves, Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus), to object approach (a ground-based vehicle) and vehicle lighting regimen, and we examined two visual properties (visual acuity and visual fields) that could influence antipredator behaviour. Brown-headed cowbird groups exposed to vehicle approach and constant illumination of the vehicle-mounted lamp showed alert behaviour earlier than did groups exposed to pulsating treatments or no lamp. Interestingly, light …

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Regional Assessment On Influence Of Landscape Configuration And Connectivity On Range Size Of White-Tailed Deer, W. David Walter, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Henry Campa Iii, William R. Clark, Justin W. Fischer, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Nancy E. Mathews, Clayton K. Nielsen, Eric M. Schauber, Timothy R. Van Deelen, Scott R. Winterstein Jan 2009

Regional Assessment On Influence Of Landscape Configuration And Connectivity On Range Size Of White-Tailed Deer, W. David Walter, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Henry Campa Iii, William R. Clark, Justin W. Fischer, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Nancy E. Mathews, Clayton K. Nielsen, Eric M. Schauber, Timothy R. Van Deelen, Scott R. Winterstein

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Variation in the size of home range of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has broad implications for managing populations, agricultural damage, and disease spread and transmission. Size of home range of deer also varies seasonally because plant phenology dictates the vegetation types that are used as foraging or resting sites. Knowledge of the landscape configuration and connectivity that contributes to variation in size of home range of deer for the region is needed to fully understand differences and similarities of deer ecology throughout the Midwest. We developed a research team from four Midwestern states to investigate how size of …

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Identification Of 24 Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers For The Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax Auritus), Jennifer A. Fike, Travis L. Devault, Olin E. Rhodes Jr. Jan 2009

Identification Of 24 Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers For The Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax Auritus), Jennifer A. Fike, Travis L. Devault, Olin E. Rhodes Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Twenty-four polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed for the double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus). The number of alleles ranged from two to 13 and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.032 to 0.871. The use of these loci should enable researchers and biologists to learn more about the population structure and ecology of this species.

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Avian Visual System Configuration And Behavioural Response To Object Approach, Bradley F. Blackwelll, Esteban Fernández-Juricic, Thomas W. Seamans, Tracy Dolan Jan 2009

Avian Visual System Configuration And Behavioural Response To Object Approach, Bradley F. Blackwelll, Esteban Fernández-Juricic, Thomas W. Seamans, Tracy Dolan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Antipredator behavior theory provides a framework to understand the mechanisms behind human–wildlife interactions; however, little is known about the role of visual systems in the responses to humans. We quantified responses of brown-headed cowbirds, Molothrus ater (Boddaert), and mourning doves, Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus), to object approach (a ground-based vehicle) and vehicle lighting regimen, and we examined two visual properties (visual acuity and visual fields) that could influence antipredator behavior. Brown-headed cowbird groups exposed to vehicle approach and constant illumination of the vehicle-mounted lamp showed alert behavior earlier than did groups exposed to pulsating treatments or no lamp. Interestingly, light treatments …

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Use Of Infrared Thermography To Detect Thermographic Changes In Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus) Experimentally Infected With Foot-And-Mouth Disease, Mike R. Dunbar, Shylo R. Johnson, Jack C. Ryan, Matt Mccollum Jan 2009

Use Of Infrared Thermography To Detect Thermographic Changes In Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus) Experimentally Infected With Foot-And-Mouth Disease, Mike R. Dunbar, Shylo R. Johnson, Jack C. Ryan, Matt Mccollum

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Infrared thermography (IRT) measures the heat emitted from a surface, displays that information as a pictorial representation called a thermogram, and is capable of being a remote, noninvasive technology that provides information on the health of an animal. Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) caused by FMD virus (FMDV) is a severe, highly communicable viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals, including both domestic and wild ruminants. Early detection of the disease may reduce economic loss and loss of susceptible wildlife. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of IRT to detect possible heat changes associated with sites of infection with FMDV …

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Selective Foraging For Anthropogenic Resources By Black Bears: Minivans In Yosemite National Park, Stewart W. Breck, Nathan Lance, Victoria Seher Jan 2009

Selective Foraging For Anthropogenic Resources By Black Bears: Minivans In Yosemite National Park, Stewart W. Breck, Nathan Lance, Victoria Seher

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Black bears (Ursus americanus) forage selectively in natural environments. To determine if bears also forage selectively for anthropogenic resources we analyzed data on vehicles broken into by bears from Yosemite National Park, California. We classified vehicles into 9 categories based on their make and model and collected data on use (2001–2007) and availability (2004–2005). From 2001 to 2007 bears broke into 908 vehicles at the following rates: minivan (26.0%), sport–utility vehicle (22.5%), small car (17.1%), sedan (13.7%), truck (11.9%), van (4.2%), sports car (1.7%), coupe (1.7%), and station wagon (1.4%). Only use of minivans (29%) during 2004–2005 was …

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Dogs Gone Wild: Feral Dog Damage In The United States, David Bergman, Stewart W. Breck, Scott Bender Jan 2009

Dogs Gone Wild: Feral Dog Damage In The United States, David Bergman, Stewart W. Breck, Scott Bender

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral dogs have been documented in all 50 states and estimates of damage in the U.S. from these animals amount to >$620 million annually. In Texas alone, it is estimated that over $5 million in damage to livestock annually can be attributed to feral dogs. We reviewed national statistics on feral dog damage reported to USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services for a 10-year period from 1997 through 2006. Damage by feral dogs crossed multiple resource categories (e.g., agriculture, natural resources); some examples of damage include killing and affecting the behavior and habitat use of native wildlife; killing and maiming livestock; and …

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No Adverse Effects Of Simultaneous Vaccination With The Immunocontraceptive GonaconTm And A Commercial Rabies Vaccine On Rabies Virus Neutralizing Antibody Production In Dogs, Scott C. Bender, David L. Bergman, Krista M. Wenning, Lowell A. Miller, Charles E. Rupprecht, Dennis Slate, Felix R. Jackson Jan 2009

No Adverse Effects Of Simultaneous Vaccination With The Immunocontraceptive GonaconTm And A Commercial Rabies Vaccine On Rabies Virus Neutralizing Antibody Production In Dogs, Scott C. Bender, David L. Bergman, Krista M. Wenning, Lowell A. Miller, Charles E. Rupprecht, Dennis Slate, Felix R. Jackson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Parenteral vaccination campaigns are integral to the elimination of canine rabies. To maximize herd immunity in dogs, immunocontraception provided at the time of rabies vaccination should reduce fecundity and dog abundance. GonaConTM has been used successfully as an immunocontraceptive in a variety of mammals, and by inference, the dog would be an ideal candidate for testing. As an initial step in evaluating a combination-vaccination program, we assessed the effects of GonaConTM on rabies virus neutralizing antibody production in dogs after administration of a veterinary rabies vaccine. Eighteen feral/free ranging dogs were included in this initial study: six were …

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Spatial Partitioning Of Predation Risk In A Multiple Predator–Multiple Prey System, Todd C. Atwood, Eric Gese, Kyran Kunkel Jan 2009

Spatial Partitioning Of Predation Risk In A Multiple Predator–Multiple Prey System, Todd C. Atwood, Eric Gese, Kyran Kunkel

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Minimizing risk of predation from multiple predators can be difficult, particularly when the risk effects of one predator species may influence vulnerability to a second predator species. We decomposed spatial risk of predation in a 2-predator, 2-prey system into relative risk of encounter and, given an encounter, conditional relative risk of being killed. Then, we generated spatially explicit functions of total risk of predation for each prey species (elk [Cervus elaphus] and mule deer [Odocoileus hemionus]) by combining risks of encounter and kill. For both mule deer and elk, topographic and vegetation type effects, along with …

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Sapro-Zoonotic Risks Posed By Wild Birds In Agricultural Landscapes, Larry Clark Jan 2009

Sapro-Zoonotic Risks Posed By Wild Birds In Agricultural Landscapes, Larry Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

There are over 1400 catalogued human pathogens, with approximately 62% classified as zoonotic (Taylor et al., 2001). Most evidence of direct transmission of pathogens to humans involves domestic and companion animals, whereas the reservoir for most zoonoses is wildlife; yet there are relatively few well-documented cases for the direct involvement of transmission from wildlife to humans (Kruse et al., 2004). In part, this absence of evidence reflects the mobility of wildlife, the difficulty accessing relevant samples, and the smaller number of studies focused on characterizing wildlife pathogens relative to the human and veterinary literature (McDiarmid, 1969; Davis et al., 1971; …

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Spatial Ecologyand Social Interactions Of Jaguars (Panthera Onca) In The Southern Pantanal, Brazil, Sandra M. C. Cavalcanti, Eric M. Gese Jan 2009

Spatial Ecologyand Social Interactions Of Jaguars (Panthera Onca) In The Southern Pantanal, Brazil, Sandra M. C. Cavalcanti, Eric M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Pantanal of Brazil is an important area for the conservation of jaguars (Panthera onca). As the size of traditional large ranches in the Pantanal decreases, human access to jaguar habitat increases, resulting in human-altered landscapes that may influence patterns of resource selection and space use by jaguars. We used global positioning system radiocollars to study jaguars in the southern Pantanal. We radiocollared 10 jaguars (6 males and 4 females), obtained 11,787 locations, and examined their space use, movement rates, and social interactions between October 2001 and April 2004. Estimates of 90% kernel home ranges varied among animals …

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Influence Of Exogenous Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone On Seasonal Reproductive Behavior Of The Coyote (Canis Latrans), D. A. Carlson, E. M. Gese Jan 2009

Influence Of Exogenous Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone On Seasonal Reproductive Behavior Of The Coyote (Canis Latrans), D. A. Carlson, E. M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wild Canis species such as the coyote (C. latrans) express a suite of reproductive traits unusual among mammals, including perennial pair-bonds and paternal care of the young. Coyotes also are monestrous, and both sexes are fertile only in winter; thus, they depend upon social and physiologic synchrony for successful reproduction. To investigate the mutability of seasonal reproduction in coyotes, we attempted to evoke an out-of-season estrus in October using one of two short-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agents: (1) a GnRH analogue, deslorelin (6-D-tryptophan-9-(N-ethyl-L-prolinamide)-10-deglycinamide), 2.1 mg pellet sc; or (2) gonadorelin, a GnRH (5-oxoPro-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Arg-Pro-GlyNH2) porcine hypothalamic extract, …

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Las Enfermedades Del Venado Cola Blanca En Norteamérica: Situación Actual Y Desafíos., Tyler A. Campbell Jan 2009

Las Enfermedades Del Venado Cola Blanca En Norteamérica: Situación Actual Y Desafíos., Tyler A. Campbell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Desde hace mucho tiempo, los administradores de vida silvestre han buscado conocer acerca de la ecología de las enfermedades y parásitos que afectan al venado cola blanca (Odocoileus virginianus ) (por ejemplo vea Whitlock 1939). Este es un importante campo de estudio porque las enfermedades y parásitos pueden afectar nocivamente las poblaciones de venados, otros animales silvestres, el ganado y humanos (Davidson et al. 1981).

El venado cola blanca ha recibido mucha atención en la literatura acerca de sus enfermedades y parásitos y tratados completos se han dedicado al tema (por ejemplo, vea Davidson et al. 1981). Los avances …

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Feral Swine Damage And Damage Management In Forested Ecosystems, Tyler A. Campbell, David B. Long Jan 2009

Feral Swine Damage And Damage Management In Forested Ecosystems, Tyler A. Campbell, David B. Long

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive feral swine (Sus scrofa) cause deleterious impacts to ecosystem processes and functioning throughout their worldwide distribution, including forested ecosystems in the United States. Unfortunately, many feral swine damage management programs are conducted in a piecemeal fashion, are not adequately funded, and lack clearly stated or realistic objectives. This review paper identifies damage caused by feral swine to forest resources and presents techniques used to prevent and control feral swine damage. Concluding points related to planning a feral swine damage management program are: (1) the value of using a variety of techniques in an integrated fashion cannot be …

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Feral Swine Contact With Domestic Swine: A Serologic Survey And Assessment Of Potential For Disease Transmission, A. Christy Wyckoff, Scott E. Henke, Tyler A. Campbell, David G. Hewitt, Kurt C. Vercauteren Jan 2009

Feral Swine Contact With Domestic Swine: A Serologic Survey And Assessment Of Potential For Disease Transmission, A. Christy Wyckoff, Scott E. Henke, Tyler A. Campbell, David G. Hewitt, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are present in 38 of the 50 United States, and their populations continue to expand. Domestic swine are widely regarded as vulnerable to diseases harbored by feral swine. Our objectives were to determine antibody prevalence for selected pathogens in Texas feral swine populations and identify contact events between feral and domestic swine. Overall prevalence of antibodies against brucellosis and pseudorabies virus was 11% and 30%, respectively. Antibodies to porcine reproductive and respiratory disease virus were detected in 3% of feral swine from southern Texas. All samples tested negative for antibodies to classical swine fever …

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Evaluation Of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate As A Blackbird Wetting Agent, Robert Byrd, John Cummings, Shelagh Tupper, John D. Eisemann Jan 2009

Evaluation Of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate As A Blackbird Wetting Agent, Robert Byrd, John Cummings, Shelagh Tupper, John D. Eisemann

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

New and improved strategies are needed for managing overabundant blackbird (Icteridae spp.) populations in some areas of the United States. From 2004 to 2007, we evaluated sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) as a wetting agent during controlled outdoor cage and flight pen tests in Colorado and small-scale field tests at urban blackbird roosts in Missouri. In the outdoor cage tests (ambient temperature -5 to 2° C), mortality of male red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) sprayed with 1, 2, and 5 ml of SLS on the back feathers only, on the breast feathers only, or on both breast and back …

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Protein Hydrolysates Are Avoided By Herbivores But Not By Omnivores In Two-Choice Preference Tests, Kristin L. Field, Alexander Bachmanov, Julie A. Mennella, Gary K. Beauchamp, Bruce A. Kimball Jan 2009

Protein Hydrolysates Are Avoided By Herbivores But Not By Omnivores In Two-Choice Preference Tests, Kristin L. Field, Alexander Bachmanov, Julie A. Mennella, Gary K. Beauchamp, Bruce A. Kimball

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: The negative sensory properties of casein hydrolysates (HC) often limit their usage in products intended for human consumption, despite HC being nutritious and having many functional benefits. Recent, but taxonomically limited, evidence suggests that other animals also avoid consuming HC when alternatives exist.

Methodology/Principal Findings: We evaluated ingestive responses of five herbivorous species (guinea pig, mountain beaver, gopher, vole, and rabbit) and five omnivorous species (rat, coyote, house mouse, white-footed mouse, and deer mouse; N = 16–18/species) using solid foods containing 20% HC in a series of two-choice preference tests that used a nonprotein, cellulose-based alternative. Individuals …

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“Species Pollution” In Florida: A Cross-Section Of Invasive Vertebrate Issues And Management Responses, Richard M. Engeman, Bernice Constantin, Scott Hardin, Henry Smith, Walter Meshaka Jr. Jan 2009

“Species Pollution” In Florida: A Cross-Section Of Invasive Vertebrate Issues And Management Responses, Richard M. Engeman, Bernice Constantin, Scott Hardin, Henry Smith, Walter Meshaka Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The state of Florida as among the two worst invasive species problems in the USA. Besides the sheer numbers of established exotic species in Florida, many present novel difficulties for management, or have other characteristics making effective management extremely challenging. Moreover, initiation of management action requires more than recognition by experts that a potentially harmful species has become established. It also requires the political will along with concomitant resources and appropriate personnel to develop effective methods and apply them. We illustrate various aspects of the situation in Florida with examples of invasive vertebrates, the problems they pose(d), and management approaches …

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Working Dogs: The Last Line Of Defense For Preventing Dispersal Of Brown Treesnakes From Guam, Daniel S. Vice, Richard M. Engeman, Marc A. Hall, Craig S. Clark Jan 2009

Working Dogs: The Last Line Of Defense For Preventing Dispersal Of Brown Treesnakes From Guam, Daniel S. Vice, Richard M. Engeman, Marc A. Hall, Craig S. Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The inadvertent introduction of the brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) to Guam resulted in unprecedented losses to the island’s fragile ecology and economy. A primary management objective is preventing the spread of brown treesnakes to other locations via Guam’s transportation network. To achieve this, snake populations are suppressed in and around port and cargo staging areas through an integrated wildlife damage management approach, with the last line of defense for preventing their entrance into the outbound cargo flow inspection by trained snake detector dogs. The efficacy of working dogs on Guam has been evaluated from a variety of aspects.

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Biomphalaria Havanensis Identified As A Potential Intermediate Host For The Digenetic Trematode Bolbophoms Damnificus, Marlena Yost, Linda Pote, David J. Wise, Brian Dorr, Terry Richardson Jan 2009

Biomphalaria Havanensis Identified As A Potential Intermediate Host For The Digenetic Trematode Bolbophoms Damnificus, Marlena Yost, Linda Pote, David J. Wise, Brian Dorr, Terry Richardson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The digenetic trematode Bolbophorus damnificus has been associated with mortalities in commercial channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus in the Mississippi Delta. In the life cycle of B. damnificus, the only confirmed first intermediate host is the ram's horn snail Planorbella trivolvis. Recently, the exotic snail Biomphalaria havanensis has been isolated in several channel catfish ponds in the Mississippi Delta. The aim of this study was to determine whether this invasive snail species could also serve as a fist intermediate host in the B. damnificus life cycle. Bolbophorus damnificus ova were collected from an American white pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos that …

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Experimental Bolbophorus Damnificus (Digenea: Bolbophoridae) Infections In Piscivorous Birds, Cynthia M. Doffitt, Linda M. Pote, D. Tommy King Jan 2009

Experimental Bolbophorus Damnificus (Digenea: Bolbophoridae) Infections In Piscivorous Birds, Cynthia M. Doffitt, Linda M. Pote, D. Tommy King

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In order to determine potential definitive hosts of the digenetic trematode, Bolbophorus damnificus, two American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), two Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), two Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias), and two Great Egrets (Ardea alba) were captured, treated with praziquantel, and fed channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) infected with B. damnificus metacercariae. Patent infections of B. damnificus, which developed in both American White Pelicans at 3 days post-infection, were confirmed by the presence of trematode ova in the feces. Mature B. damnificus trematodes were recovered from the intestines …

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Field Test Of A Single-Injection Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Immunocontraceptive Vaccine In Female White-Tailed Deer, James P. Gionfriddo, John D. Eisemann, Kevin J. Sullivan, Ronald S. Healey, Lowell A. Miller, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Richard M. Engeman, Christi A. Yoder Jan 2009

Field Test Of A Single-Injection Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Immunocontraceptive Vaccine In Female White-Tailed Deer, James P. Gionfriddo, John D. Eisemann, Kevin J. Sullivan, Ronald S. Healey, Lowell A. Miller, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Richard M. Engeman, Christi A. Yoder

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The development and use of safe, effective and practical wildlife contraceptive agents could reduce reproduction in locally overabundant deer populations in situations where traditional management tools such as regulated hunting cannot be employed. GonaCon Immunocontraceptive Vaccine (the commercial name for a particular gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-based emulsion) was tested in adult female white-tailed deer in a fenced herd near Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. Observations of udder condition were used to identify does that had become pregnant. Necropsy observations, histopathology and serum concentrations of anti-GnRH antibodies, luteinising hormone and progesterone were used to compare health and reproductive status of treated (n = …

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Evaluation Of Attractants To Improve Trapping Success Of Nutria On Louisiana Coastal Marsh, Susan Jojola, Gary W. Witmer, Patrick Burke Jan 2009

Evaluation Of Attractants To Improve Trapping Success Of Nutria On Louisiana Coastal Marsh, Susan Jojola, Gary W. Witmer, Patrick Burke

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Nutria (Myocastor coypus) are an important part of the Louisiana (USA) fur industry, but high densities of nutria cause extensive damage to coastal marsh ecosystems. Hence, there is a need to develop improved methods for targeted management of nutria. We screened 14 olfactory cues as potential lures for nutria, first in controlled settings and then in the field, to see if nutria capture rates using foothold traps would increase. In Y-maze trials, nutria most frequently selected olfactory cues of a synthetic formulation of nutria anal-gland secretion and nutria fur extract. We examined the 3 most selected attractants in …

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Experimental Inoculation Of Coyotes With Mycobacterium Bovis Susceptibility And Shedding, Shylo R. Johnson, Mike R. Dunbar, Lorene Martinez, Robert L. Jones, Richard Bowen, Paul Gordy Jan 2009

Experimental Inoculation Of Coyotes With Mycobacterium Bovis Susceptibility And Shedding, Shylo R. Johnson, Mike R. Dunbar, Lorene Martinez, Robert L. Jones, Richard Bowen, Paul Gordy

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Several wildlife species have tested positive for bovine tuberculosis in Michigan and may potentially transmit the disease to other animals. Coyotes have the highest known prevalence in the endemic area and thus, our objective was to investigate the shedding of Mycobacterium bovis by coyotes. Four coyotes were orally inoculated with 1 ml of 1 x 105 CFU/ml of M. bovis. Oral and nasal swabs, and feces were collected regularly and tested by culture. Fecal samples were also tested by exposing guinea pigs to the coyotes' feces. All animals were necropsied to determine if infection occurred. All swabs, feces …

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Sperm Competition Selects Beyond Relative Testes Size In Birds, Stefan Lupold, George M. Linz, James W. Rivers, David F. Westneat, Tim R. Birkhead Jan 2009

Sperm Competition Selects Beyond Relative Testes Size In Birds, Stefan Lupold, George M. Linz, James W. Rivers, David F. Westneat, Tim R. Birkhead

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Sperm morphology varies considerably across taxa, and postcopulatory sexual selection is thought to be one of the main forces responsible for this diversity. Several studies have investigated the effects of the variation in sperm design on sperm function, but the consequences of variation in sperm design on testis morphology have been overlooked. Testes size or architecture may determine the size of the sperm they produce, and selection for longer sperm may require concomitant adaptations in the testes. Relative testes size differs greatly between species and is often used as an index of sperm competition, but little is known about whether …

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Sperm Design And Variation In The New World Blackbirds (Icteridae), Stefan Lüpold, George M. Linz, Tim R. Birkhead Jan 2009

Sperm Design And Variation In The New World Blackbirds (Icteridae), Stefan Lüpold, George M. Linz, Tim R. Birkhead

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Post-copulatory sexual selection (PCSS) is thought to be one of the evolutionary forces responsible for the rapid and divergent evolution of sperm design. However, whereas in some taxa particular sperm traits are positively associated with PCSS, in other taxa, these relationships are negative, and the causes of these different patterns across taxa are poorly understood. In a comparative study using New World blackbirds (Icteridae), we tested whether sperm design was influenced by the level of PCSS and found significant positive associations with the level of PCSS for all sperm components but head length. Additionally, whereas the absolute length of sperm …

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White-Tailed Deer Herbivory And Timber Harvesting Rates: Implications For Regeneration Success, Brad F. Miller, Tyler A. Campbell, Benjamin R. Laseter, W. Mark Ford, Karl V. Miller Jan 2009

White-Tailed Deer Herbivory And Timber Harvesting Rates: Implications For Regeneration Success, Brad F. Miller, Tyler A. Campbell, Benjamin R. Laseter, W. Mark Ford, Karl V. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Herbivory by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can affect forest regeneration. Typical measures to ensure forest regeneration have included physical barriers or direct manipulation of deer densities. However, altering silvicultural practices to provide abundant deer forage has not been tested thoroughly. We examined browse species preferences and changes in herbivory rates in 1–6 year old regeneration areas from 2001 to 2004 in the central Appalachians on the MeadWestvaco Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Forest in West Virginia. Woody vegetation reached the maximum plot coverage by the 4th growing season. However, the establishment of less abundant woody species, such as northern …

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