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United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

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Evaluation Of An Electrified Mat As A White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Barrier, Thomas W. Seamans, David A. Helon Jan 2008

Evaluation Of An Electrified Mat As A White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Barrier, Thomas W. Seamans, David A. Helon

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) pose economic and safety problems for agricultural and transportation industries. We tested an electronic mat to determine if it would reduce deer crossing through fence openings. We measured deer intrusions and corn consumption at five sites with charged mats and five sites with non-charged mats. Weekly intrusions at treated sites decreased an average of 95% from pre-treatment. Weekly intrusions at control sites were reduced 60% during weeks 1 and 2 and increased to 10% reduction by week 6. Weekly corn consumption at treated sites decreased from pretreatment through all treatment weeks. Weekly corn consumption …

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Comparison Of Electrified Mats And Cattle Guards To Control White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Access Through Fences, Thomas W. Seamans, David Helon Jan 2008

Comparison Of Electrified Mats And Cattle Guards To Control White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Access Through Fences, Thomas W. Seamans, David Helon

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

White-tailed deer pose economic and safety concerns for agricultural and transportation industries that may be addressed by reducing their access to areas of concern. Here, we review research findings relative to the efficacy of an electric mat and cattle guard as means to reduce deer access to protected areas. Intrusions of deer across a prototype electronic mat were reduced an average of 95% from pretreatment levels. Deer intrusions across a simulated cattle guard were reduced by at least 88% from pretreatment levels. Comparisons of other cattle guard studies show that when flat material is used instead of rounded for cross …

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Oral Rabies Vaccination Of A Northern Ohio Raccoon Population: Relevance Of Population Density And Prebait Serology, Paul Ramey, Bradley F. Blackwell, Robert Gates, Richard Slemons Jan 2008

Oral Rabies Vaccination Of A Northern Ohio Raccoon Population: Relevance Of Population Density And Prebait Serology, Paul Ramey, Bradley F. Blackwell, Robert Gates, Richard Slemons

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Ohio’s oral rabies vaccination (ORV) program was established to prevent the westward spread of the raccoon (Procyon lotor) rabies virus (Lyssavirus, Rhabdoviridae) in Ohio, USA. The program, which targets raccoons, distributes vaccine-bait units (VBU) at a target density of 75 units/km2. Few studies have examined the relationship of VBU density and target population density to the prevalence of rabies virus-neutralizing antibodies (RVNA). We conducted experimental VBU distributions in August 2003 and August 2004, 150 km west of the ORV zone where there was no history of raccoon rabies. We measured change in RVNA titers in blood …

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Bird Use Of Stormwater-Management Ponds: Decreasing Avian Attractants On Airports, Bradley F. Blackwell, Laurence Schafer, David Helon, Michael Linnell Jan 2008

Bird Use Of Stormwater-Management Ponds: Decreasing Avian Attractants On Airports, Bradley F. Blackwell, Laurence Schafer, David Helon, Michael Linnell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Characteristics of stormwater-management ponds that contribute to avian hazards to aviation at airports have not been quantified. We selected 30 stormwater-management ponds (average 0.1 ha), approximately 50km from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, as surrogates to on-airport facilities. We conducted 46 weeks of avian surveys (between 14 February 2005 and 17 February 2006) and evaluated model fit of 6 a priori models relative to pond use by an avian group via Kullback–Leibler information. Our full model, composed of pond surface area (sa), ratio of area of open water to area of emergent and woody vegetation (ow:ew), perimeter irregularity, and geographic isolation, was …

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The Single-Shot Gnrh Immunocontraceptive Vaccine (GonaconTm ) In White-Tailed Deer: Comparison Of Several Gnrh Preparations, Lowell A. Miller, James P. Gionfriddo, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Jack C. Rhyan, Gary J. Killian Jan 2008

The Single-Shot Gnrh Immunocontraceptive Vaccine (GonaconTm ) In White-Tailed Deer: Comparison Of Several Gnrh Preparations, Lowell A. Miller, James P. Gionfriddo, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Jack C. Rhyan, Gary J. Killian

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Problem: An effective, single-injection, multi-year, GnRH contraceptive agent is needed to control reproduction in overabundant white-tailed deer populations.

Method of study: Two GnRH conjugates, GonaConTM (GnRH–KLH) and GonaCon-BTM (GnRH–blue protein), were prepared in emulsion form as one-injection and two-injection immunocontraceptive vaccine formulations. In addition, the GnRH–KLH protein conjugate was lyophilized and suspended in AdjuVacTM adjuvant to produce a fifth vaccine formulation. Each formulation was administered to a group of five captive adult female white-tailed deer. Reproductive performance of treated female deer was monitored for 5 years to determine the comparative efficacy of the various treatments.

Results: The …

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An Integrated Vehicle-Mounted Telemetry System For Vhf Telemetry Applications, Jason Gilsdorf, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Scott E. Hygnstrom, W. David Walter, Justin Boner, Greg Clements Jan 2008

An Integrated Vehicle-Mounted Telemetry System For Vhf Telemetry Applications, Jason Gilsdorf, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Scott E. Hygnstrom, W. David Walter, Justin Boner, Greg Clements

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We designed and developed a vehicle-mounted very high frequency–based telemetry system that integrated an on-board antenna, receiver, electronic compass, Global Positioning System, computer, and Geographic Information System. The system allows users to accurately and quickly obtain fixes, estimate and confirm locations of radiomarked animals, and immediately record data into an electronic spreadsheet or database. The total cost of materials to build the system was $7,349 (United States currency). Mean error angle of 2.63 ± 12.18 (SD; range =-33.7–42.2°) and mean location error distance of 128 ± 91.3 m (SD; range = 0–408 m) suggested precision and accuracy of our system …

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An Integrated Vehicle-Mounted Telemetry System For Vhf Telemetry Applications, Jason Gilsdorf, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Scott E. Hygnstrom, W. David Walter, Justin Boner, Greg Clements Jan 2008

An Integrated Vehicle-Mounted Telemetry System For Vhf Telemetry Applications, Jason Gilsdorf, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Scott E. Hygnstrom, W. David Walter, Justin Boner, Greg Clements

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We designed and developed a vehicle-mounted very high frequency–based telemetry system that integrated an on-board antenna, receiver, electronic compass, Global Positioning System, computer, and Geographic Information System. The system allows users to accurately and quickly obtain fixes, estimate and confirm locations of radio-marked animals, and immediately record data into an electronic spreadsheet or database. The total cost of materials to build the system was $7,349 (United States currency). Mean error angle of 2.63 ± 12.1° (SD; range =-33.7–42.2°) and mean location error distance of 128 ± 91.3 m (SD; range = 0–408 m) suggested precision and accuracy of our system …

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Efficacy Of Oral And Parenteral Routes Of Mycobacterium Bovis Bacille Calmette-Guerin Vaccination Against Experimental Bovine Tuberculosis In White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus): A Feasibility Study, P. Nol, M. V. Palmer, W. R. Waters, F. E. Aldwell, B. M. Buddle, J. M. Triantis, L. M. Linke, G. E. Phillips, T. C. Thacker, J. C. Rhyan, M. D. Salman, M. R. Dunbar Jan 2008

Efficacy Of Oral And Parenteral Routes Of Mycobacterium Bovis Bacille Calmette-Guerin Vaccination Against Experimental Bovine Tuberculosis In White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus): A Feasibility Study, P. Nol, M. V. Palmer, W. R. Waters, F. E. Aldwell, B. M. Buddle, J. M. Triantis, L. M. Linke, G. E. Phillips, T. C. Thacker, J. C. Rhyan, M. D. Salman, M. R. Dunbar

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We investigated the efficacy of oral and parenteral Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin Danish strain 1331 (BCG) in its ability to protect white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) against disease caused by M. bovis infection. Twenty-two white-tailed deer were divided into four groups. One group (n=5) received 109 colony-forming units (cfu) BCG via a lipid-formulated oral bait; one group (n=5) received 109 cfu BCG in culture directly to the oropharynx, one group (n=6) was vaccinated with 106 cfu BCG subcutaneously, and one group served as a control and received culture media directly to the oropharynx (n=6). All animals were challenged 3 …

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Non-Lethal Management To Reduce Conflicts With Winter Urban Crow Roosts In New York: 2002 - 2007, Richard B. Chipman, Travis L. Devault, Dennis Slate, Kenneth J. Preusser, Mark S. Carrara, Joshua W. Friers, Timothy P. Algeo Jan 2008

Non-Lethal Management To Reduce Conflicts With Winter Urban Crow Roosts In New York: 2002 - 2007, Richard B. Chipman, Travis L. Devault, Dennis Slate, Kenneth J. Preusser, Mark S. Carrara, Joshua W. Friers, Timothy P. Algeo

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

American crow populations have increased steadily since 1966 in many parts of the U.S. Large winter congregations of crows in urban environments have resulted in an increased number of requests for assistance in managing nocturnal roosts in New York. In 2002, the USDA APHIS Wildlife Services program initiated a large-scale non-lethal winter roost dispersal program in Troy, New York. Since that time, similar programs have been implemented in 4 other cities in New York to manage crow roosts ranging in size from 8,000 - 63,000 individuals. The goals of the programs were to minimize noise, accumulations of crow feces around …

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Anatomy Of The Cape Cod Oral Rabies Vaccination Program, Timothy P. Algeo, Richard B. Chipman, Brian M. Bjorklund, Monte D. Chandler, Xingtai Wang, Dennis Slate, Charles E. Rupprecht Jan 2008

Anatomy Of The Cape Cod Oral Rabies Vaccination Program, Timothy P. Algeo, Richard B. Chipman, Brian M. Bjorklund, Monte D. Chandler, Xingtai Wang, Dennis Slate, Charles E. Rupprecht

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rabies remains a globally significant zoonotic disease, but rabies control is achievable under certain circumstances. Canine rabies has been eliminated from the U.S.; however, approximately 55,000 humans die annually worldwide from the disease. In the U.S., economic losses continue to be substantial and the risk to humans and domestic animals has not been eliminated. As an example of the complexity of rabies management, we describe a local rabies control program and efforts to restore Cape Cod, MA to terrestrial rabies-free status, after a 2004 oral rabies vaccination (ORV) barrier breach following 10 years of rabies-free status. The emergence of raccoon …

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Downside Risk Of Wildlife Translocation, R. Chipman, D. Slate, C. Rupprecht, M. Mendoza Jan 2008

Downside Risk Of Wildlife Translocation, R. Chipman, D. Slate, C. Rupprecht, M. Mendoza

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Translocation has been used successfully by wildlife professionals to enhance or reintroduce populations of rare or extirpated wildlife, provide hunting or wildlife viewing opportunities, farm wild game, and reduce local human-wildlife conflicts. However, accidental and intentional translocations may have multiple unintended negative consequences, including increased stress and mortality of relocated animals, negative impacts on resident animals at release sites, increased conflicts with human interests, and the spread of diseases. Many wildlife professionals now question the practice of translocation, particularly in light of the need to contain or eliminate high profile, economically important wildlife diseases and because using this technique may …

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Evaluation Of An Integrated Non-Lethal Canada Goose Management Program In New York (2004 - 2006), Stacy E. Preusser, Tom W. Seamans, Allen L. Gosser, Richard B. Chipman Jan 2008

Evaluation Of An Integrated Non-Lethal Canada Goose Management Program In New York (2004 - 2006), Stacy E. Preusser, Tom W. Seamans, Allen L. Gosser, Richard B. Chipman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

New York State has an estimated population of 249,702 resident Canada geese. Human-goose conflicts are increasing, including unacceptable accumulation of goose feces in public parks, overgrazing of landscaped lawns, noise, and aggressive behavior of individual geese. An integrated Canada goose management program was conducted and evaluated at 8 sites in Orange County, New York from 2004 to 2006. The program, conducted from March through November each year, consisted of egg oiling (300-470 eggs oiled a year), hazing to reduce local goose populations using multiple techniques, public outreach/education, and program monitoring. The monitoring component included goose movement and population surveys using …

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Evaluation Of Remote Trap Monitors Dec 2007

Evaluation Of Remote Trap Monitors

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Can trap monitors save Wildlife Services (WS) specialists time and money by increasing the efficiency of trap checks? To find out, WS scientists and field specialists evaluated the use of remote trap monitors. In 2006, WS personnel evaluated the effectiveness of two remote monitoring devices to alert wildlife specialists when an animal is captured in a trap. The devices, which can be used with any type of trap, consist of small radio transmitters that emit unique pulse rates when an animal is captured. WS personnel tested the device on a variety of wildlife species using several different types of traps …

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Rats Dying For Mice: Modeling The Competitor Release Effect, Stephane Caut, Jorge G. Casanovas, Emilio Virgos, Jorge Lozano, Gary W. Witmer, Franck Courchamp Nov 2007

Rats Dying For Mice: Modeling The Competitor Release Effect, Stephane Caut, Jorge G. Casanovas, Emilio Virgos, Jorge Lozano, Gary W. Witmer, Franck Courchamp

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Introduced vertebrate predators are one of the most important threats to endemic species throughout a range of ecosystems, in particular on islands in biodiversity hot spots. Consequently, the reduction of predator numbers is considered a key conservation action in the management of many native vertebrates vulnerable to predators. It is now established that control attempts may affect non-target species through trophic interactions, but little is known concerning their consequences on competitive relationships. We study a mathematical model mimicking the effects of controlling introduced species in the presence of their competitors. We used two competing rodents to illustrate our study: black …

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Anti-Prion Activity Generated By A Novel Vaccine Formulation, John Pilon, Christina Loiacono, Danelle Okeson, Sharon Lund, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Jack Rhyan, Lowell Miller Nov 2007

Anti-Prion Activity Generated By A Novel Vaccine Formulation, John Pilon, Christina Loiacono, Danelle Okeson, Sharon Lund, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Jack Rhyan, Lowell Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) of domestic and wild cervids in North America. To address possible prevention regimens for CWD, we have used a mouse model system and the Rocky Mountain Laboratory (RML) mouse-adapted scrapie prion strain to screen efficacy of potential vaccine candidates. Three peptides derived from the primary amino acid sequence of the prion protein were conjugated to blue carrier protein (BCP) and formulated in an adjuvant containing M. avium subsp. avium. CL57/BL6 mice were vaccinated and boosted with 50 µg of the carrier protein–peptide conjugate formulation; all vaccines produced a humoral …

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Changes In Kit Fox-Coyote-Prey Relationships In The Great Basin Desert, Utah, Wendy M. Arjo, Eric M. Gese, Tim J. Bennett, Adam J. Kozlowski Oct 2007

Changes In Kit Fox-Coyote-Prey Relationships In The Great Basin Desert, Utah, Wendy M. Arjo, Eric M. Gese, Tim J. Bennett, Adam J. Kozlowski

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Variation in kit fox (Vulpes macroiis) population parameters can be influenced by vegetative cover and the distribution and abundance of other predator and prey species. Dramatic changes to Great Basin Desert habitats, which can potentially impact mammalian species, have occurred in some areas in Utah. We examined kit Fox demographics and prey populations from 1999 to 2001 on Dugway Proving Ground (DPG), a U.S. Army facility in Utah, and compared some parameters to historical levels (1956-1958, 1966-1969). Adult survival rates were fairly consistent between 1999 and 2000 and between 1999 and 2001; however, survival was greater in 2001 …

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Elk Use Of Wallows And Potential Chronic Wasting Disease Transmission, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Patrick W. Burke, Gregory W. Phillips, Justin W. Fischer, Nathan W. Seward, Bruce A. Wunder, Michael J. Lavelle Oct 2007

Elk Use Of Wallows And Potential Chronic Wasting Disease Transmission, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Patrick W. Burke, Gregory W. Phillips, Justin W. Fischer, Nathan W. Seward, Bruce A. Wunder, Michael J. Lavelle

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Deposition of prions into the environment by infected animals may contribute to transmission and spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) among free-ranging cervids, and identification of such environmental sources may provide an avenue for managing CWD. We evaluated the role that wallow use by elk (Cervus elaphus) may play in CWD transmission by monitoring wallows with animal-activated cameras throughout their period of use. We monitored 39 wallows from 5 August 2005 to 14 October 2005. Elk visited 20 sites; we recorded 22 events when only male elk wallowed and 374 additional events when male and female elk had …

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Ecology And Management Of Rodents In No-Till Agriculture In Washington, Usa, Gary W. Witmer, Rodney Sayler, David Huggins, Jason Capelli Oct 2007

Ecology And Management Of Rodents In No-Till Agriculture In Washington, Usa, Gary W. Witmer, Rodney Sayler, David Huggins, Jason Capelli

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

No-till farming is an important approach to sustainable agriculture because it can conserve soil and water resources. Unfortunately, rodent populations can thrive under no-till conditions because burrow systems are not disrupted by annual plowing and plant residues build-up on the surface, providing cover and insulation. This can result in substantial crop damage. We assessed rodent populations, habitat use, food habits, and crop damage in a no-till cropping system in Washington, USA. We also conducted preliminary trials of methods to reduce rodent populations and crop damage. In the fall, many more rodents were captured in fields with unharvested crops than in …

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Effects Of Coyote Population Reduction On Swift Fox Demographics In Southeastern Colorado, Seija M. Karki, Eric M. Gese, Mead L. Klavetter Oct 2007

Effects Of Coyote Population Reduction On Swift Fox Demographics In Southeastern Colorado, Seija M. Karki, Eric M. Gese, Mead L. Klavetter

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The distribution and abundance of swift foxes (Vulpes velox) has declined from historic levels. Causes for the decline include habitat loss and fragmentation, incidental poisoning, changing land use practices, trapping, and predation by other carnivores. Coyotes (Canis latrans) overlap the geographical distribution of swift foxes, compete for similar resources, and are a significant source of mortality amongst many swift fox populations. Current swift fox conservation and management plans to bolster declining or recovering fox populations may include coyote population reduction to decrease predation. However, the role of coyote predation in swift fox population dynamics is not …

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Do Herbivores Associate Flavors With Specific Consequences In Flavor Aversion Learning?, Bruce A. Kimball, Vida Billings Oct 2007

Do Herbivores Associate Flavors With Specific Consequences In Flavor Aversion Learning?, Bruce A. Kimball, Vida Billings

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Goats were first offered a novel, maple-flavored diet paired with either lithium chloride (LiCl) or oxalic acid (OA) delivered intraruminally. Aversion to maple diet persisted for 6 days, regardless of toxin. Following a 10-day intermission, aversion to maple diet was reacquired (spontaneous recovery) among subjects previously dosed with LiCl but not for subjects receiving OA. All subjects were then offered two diets: the maple diet previously paired with LiCl or OA and a novel grape-flavored diet. Immediately following consumption of both diets, all subjects were dosed with LiCl. Preference for maple and grape diets was assessed by two-choice test. Goats …

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Determination Of Sulfadimethoxine Residues In Skunk Serum By Hplc, Thomas M. Primus, Susan M. Jojola, Stacie J. Robinson, John J. Johnston Oct 2007

Determination Of Sulfadimethoxine Residues In Skunk Serum By Hplc, Thomas M. Primus, Susan M. Jojola, Stacie J. Robinson, John J. Johnston

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Sulfadimethoxine (SDM) was extracted from skunk serum and isolated by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. SDM was detected by ultra-violet absorbance at 270 nm and quantified by comparison to an external calibration standard. Recovery data were determined by analyzing SDM fortified control serum. The overall mean recovery with relative standard deviations of SDM in fortified skunk serum samples was 99±7%. The recovery for 0.38, 5.2, and 14.2 μg/mL SDM was 96.0±7.5%, 102±6.1%, and 97.3±5.1%, respectively. The method limit of detection for SDM in skunk serum ranged from 0.032 to 0.057 μg/mL SDM with a mean value of 0.040 mg/mL SDM. …

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Does Interference Competition With Wolves Limit The Distribution And Abundance Of Coyotes?, Kim Murray Berger, Eric M. Gese Oct 2007

Does Interference Competition With Wolves Limit The Distribution And Abundance Of Coyotes?, Kim Murray Berger, Eric M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

1. Interference competition with wolves Canis lupus is hypothesized to limit the distribution and abundance of coyotes Canis latrans, and the extirpation of wolves is often invoked to explain the expansion in coyote range throughout much of North America.

2. We used spatial, seasonal and temporal heterogeneity in wolf distribution and abundance to test the hypothesis that interference competition with wolves limits the distribution and abundance of coyotes. From August 2001 to August 2004, we gathered data on cause-specific mortality and survival rates of coyotes captured at wolf-free and wolf-abundant sites in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), Wyoming, USA, …

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An Extraordinary Patch Of Feral Hog Damage In Florida Before And After Initiating Hog Removal, Richard M. Engeman, John Woolard, Henry T. Smith, Jean Bourassa, Bernice U. Constantin, Daniel Griffin Oct 2007

An Extraordinary Patch Of Feral Hog Damage In Florida Before And After Initiating Hog Removal, Richard M. Engeman, John Woolard, Henry T. Smith, Jean Bourassa, Bernice U. Constantin, Daniel Griffin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral hogs (Sus scrofa) are a particularly destructive exotic species in the United States (U.S. Department of Agriculture 1999), including Florida, which, along with Hawaii, is one of 2 states cited as having the most severe invasive species problems (U.S. Congress 1993) in the country. First introduced to North America by the European colonists (Conover 2007) hogs were one of the first invasive exotic species to take hold in Florida. They can transmit disease to livestock (Hartin et al. 2007) and humans (Conover and Vail 2007). They impose a variety of negative environmental impacts, including habitat degradation and …

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Comparison Of Immune And Adverse Effects Induced By Adjuvac And Freund's Complete Adjuvant In New Zealand White Rabbits (Oryctolagus Cuniculus), Jenny G. Powers, Paul B. Nash, Jack C. Rhyan, Christi A. Yoder, Lowell A. Miller Oct 2007

Comparison Of Immune And Adverse Effects Induced By Adjuvac And Freund's Complete Adjuvant In New Zealand White Rabbits (Oryctolagus Cuniculus), Jenny G. Powers, Paul B. Nash, Jack C. Rhyan, Christi A. Yoder, Lowell A. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Though Freund's complete adjuvant effectively increases immune response to vaccines in various species, its potentially severe inflammatory effects have led many animal researchers to seek alternative immunological adjuvants. In a study of New Zealand white rabbits, the authors compared the immune and adverse effects of Freund's complete adjuvant with the effects of two formulations of AdjuVac, an immunological adjuvant previously developed by their group. ALL three adjuvants improved humoral immune response but also caused inflammation. Inflammatory reactions caused by AdjuVac, however, tended to be Less severe than those caused by Freund's complete adjuvant.

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Does Interference Competition With Wolves Limit The Distribution And Abundance Of Coyotes?, Kim Murray Berger, Eric M. Gese Oct 2007

Does Interference Competition With Wolves Limit The Distribution And Abundance Of Coyotes?, Kim Murray Berger, Eric M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

1. Interference competition with wolves Canis lupus is hypothesized to limit the distribution and abundance of coyotes Canis latrans, and the extirpation of wolves is often invoked to explain the expansion in coyote range throughout much of North America.

2. We used spatial, seasonal and temporal heterogeneity in wolf distribution and abundance to test the hypothesis that interference competition with wolves limits the distribution and abundance of coyotes. From August 2001 to August 2004, we gathered data on cause-specific mortality and survival rates of coyotes captured at wolf-free and wolf-abundant sites in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), Wyoming, USA, …

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Population Biology And Monitoring Of The Cuban Hutia At Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Gary W. Witmer, Martin Lowney Sep 2007

Population Biology And Monitoring Of The Cuban Hutia At Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Gary W. Witmer, Martin Lowney

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Cuban hutia (Capromys pilorides) is the largest native mammal occurring in Cuba. Endemic to the West Indies, most species of hutia are rare or extinct because of over-harvesting, exotic species introductions, and habitat modifications by humans. An exception is Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the Cuban hutia is very common and is responsible for a variety of damage and conflicts, including damage to landscaping, gnawing through cables, damage to vehicles, the accumulation of large amounts of feces in residential areas, and damage to native vegetation, with little subsequent regeneration of many plant species. Current management focuses on population …

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National Wildlife Research Center: Research Update Summer 2007 Sep 2007

National Wildlife Research Center: Research Update Summer 2007

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife Services: Vision and Strategic Goals
Spotlight on NWRC Rice Research
Blackbird Damage
History of Rice Research
NWRC Realigns Research Programs
WS Partners with Chinese Scientists to Study Role of Wildlife as Carriers of Avian Influenza
Rodent Control Collaboration at Army Training Area
NWRC Field Station Assists University of Hawaii Anthropology Department
Developing Methods & Providing Wildlife Services
EPA Registers Oral Contraceptive for Pigeons
New DRC-1339 “Take” Models Available for Use
Oregon and Washington Register a New Forest Pest Management Tool
Researchers Present Method for Permitted Take of Migratory Birds
New HPCL Analytical Method Developed for Warfarin
WS Begins Efforts …

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Intrafield Patterns Of Wildlife Damage To Corn And Soybeans In Northern Indiana, Travis L. Devault, James C. Beasley, Lee A. Humberg, Brian J. Macgowan, Monica I. Retamosa, Olin E. Rhodes Jr. Sep 2007

Intrafield Patterns Of Wildlife Damage To Corn And Soybeans In Northern Indiana, Travis L. Devault, James C. Beasley, Lee A. Humberg, Brian J. Macgowan, Monica I. Retamosa, Olin E. Rhodes Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Management programs aimed at reducing wildlife damage to row crops rely on information concerning the spatial nature of wildlife damage at local and landscape scales. In this study we explored spatial patterns of wildlife damage within individual corn and soybean fields by describing relationships between specific locations where wildlife damage was recorded and distances from such locations to various habitat types that presumably influenced animal abundance and movements in our study area. Using stratified random sampling, we conducted depredation surveys of 100 corn fields and 60 soybean fields from May through October both in 2003 and 2004 and recorded the …

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Daytime Cover, Diet And Space-Use Of Golden Jackals (Canis Aureus) In Agro-Ecosystems Of Bangladesh, Michael M. Jaeger, Emdadul Haque, Parvin Sultana, Richard L. Bruggers Sep 2007

Daytime Cover, Diet And Space-Use Of Golden Jackals (Canis Aureus) In Agro-Ecosystems Of Bangladesh, Michael M. Jaeger, Emdadul Haque, Parvin Sultana, Richard L. Bruggers

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Golden jackals are locally common in Bangladesh despite intensive cultivation and high human densities. We studied the relative importance of seasonal flooding, rodent prey-base, and daytime cover on the occurrence of golden jackals in the two major agro-ecosystems in Bangladesh, one with annual monsoon flooding and the other without. Jackals were less common throughout the year where floodwaters occurred that would have excluded them for 1–3 months during their pup-rearing season. Diets of jackals were similar in the two agro-ecosystems. Rodents were the most common food type in scats throughout the year. The occurrence of burrowing rats in scats peaked …

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Distribution And Disease Prevalence Of Feral Hogs In Missouri, R. Edwin Hartin, Mark R. Ryan, Tyler A. Campbell Sep 2007

Distribution And Disease Prevalence Of Feral Hogs In Missouri, R. Edwin Hartin, Mark R. Ryan, Tyler A. Campbell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

No attempts have been made to document the distribution of feral hogs (Sus scrofa) in Missouri. Also, antibody prevalence for pseudorabies virus and swine brucellosis have not been reported from Missouri. Our objectives were to characterize the current distribution of feral hogs in Missouri and to determine prevalence and distribution of feral hogs with antibodies against selected important diseases. We collected feral hog sighting data both from the public and Missouri Wildlife Services and Missouri Department of Conservation wildlife biologists. We determined prevalence of antibodies against pseudorabies virus, swine brucellosis, tularemia, and classical swine fever. From 2000 to …

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