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United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

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Movements Of Urban Canada Geese: Implications For Nicarbazin Treatment Programs, Kurt C. Vercauteren, David R. Marks Sep 2004

Movements Of Urban Canada Geese: Implications For Nicarbazin Treatment Programs, Kurt C. Vercauteren, David R. Marks

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Resident Canada goose (Branta canadensis) and human populations in North America are increasing rapidly. Consequently, human-goose conflicts also are increasing. A potential approach to manage Canada goose populations is the use of orally delivered reproductive inhibitors. Nicarbazin, when ingested daily, is a reproductive inhibitor that has the potential to reduce the hatchability of Canada goose eggs. To successfully employ reproductive inhibition, managers must understand the behavior of local Canada goose populations, primarily springtime movements, nesting, and habitat use to develop effective methods for delivering necessary doses. We monitored movement, habitat use, and nesting of 51 resident Canada geese, …

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Increasing Acceptance And Efficacy Of Zinc Phosphide Rodenticide Baits Via Modification Of The Carbohydrate Profile, J. J. Johnston, D. L. Nolte, B. A. Kimball, K. R. Perry, J. C. Hurley Sep 2004

Increasing Acceptance And Efficacy Of Zinc Phosphide Rodenticide Baits Via Modification Of The Carbohydrate Profile, J. J. Johnston, D. L. Nolte, B. A. Kimball, K. R. Perry, J. C. Hurley

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Toxicant coated grain-based baits are widely used to control rodent pests throughout the world, but where alternative food sources are available, bait acceptance and efficacy are often less than optimal. In an attempt to develop baiting strategies to increasebait acceptance and efficacy of zinc phosphide-coated baits, a sugar-enhanced rolled oat based zinc phosphide bait was evaluated. With pre-baiting, 100 and 60% mortality was achieved for California and Belding’s ground squirrels, respectively. A series of two choice tests with a variety of potential bait matrices indicated that rolled oats was a desirable base matrix for both species but the lecithin sticker …

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Use Of Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Measures In Conservation Biology Research: Considerations For Application And Interpretation, Joshua J. Millspaugh, Brian E. Washburn Sep 2004

Use Of Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Measures In Conservation Biology Research: Considerations For Application And Interpretation, Joshua J. Millspaugh, Brian E. Washburn

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite analyses are increasingly being used by a variety of scientists (e.g., conservation biologists, animal scientists) to examine glucocorticoid (i.e., stress hormone) secretion in domestic and wild vertebrates. Adrenocortical activity (i.e., stress response) is of interest to conservation biologists because stress can alter animal behavior, reduce resistance to disease, and affect population performance. The noninvasiveness of fecal-based assessments is attractive, particularly when studying endangered species, because samples can often be obtained without disturbing the animal. Despite such advantages, many confounding factors inhibit the utility of this technique in addressing conservation problems. In particular, interpretation of fecal glucocorticoid metabolite …

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Avian Perching Deterrents On Ultrasonic Sensors At Airport Wind-Shear Alert Systems, Michael L. Avery, Ann C. Genchi Sep 2004

Avian Perching Deterrents On Ultrasonic Sensors At Airport Wind-Shear Alert Systems, Michael L. Avery, Ann C. Genchi

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Preventing birds from perching on the sensor units of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Low Level Wind-shear Alert System (LLWAS) is crucial to its successful operation. In this study we evaluated, under controlled conditions, responses of brownheaded cowbirds (Molothrus ater), fish crows (Corvus ossifragus), great horned owls (Bubo virginianus), barred owls (Strix varia), and black vultures (Coragyps atratus) to several anti-perching devices. No device was totally successful against every species. Of the 5 original test devices, the most effective perching deterrent was a set of 17 stout spikes (“AgSpikes”) secured to the central portion of the sensor unit that point up …

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Emergency Wildlife Management Response To Protect Evidence Associated With The Terrorist Attack On The World Trade Center, New York City, Richard B. Chipman, Richard A. Dollbeer, Kenneth J. Pruesser, Daniel P. Sullivan, Erin D. Losito, Allen L. Gosser, Thomas W. Seamans Sep 2004

Emergency Wildlife Management Response To Protect Evidence Associated With The Terrorist Attack On The World Trade Center, New York City, Richard B. Chipman, Richard A. Dollbeer, Kenneth J. Pruesser, Daniel P. Sullivan, Erin D. Losito, Allen L. Gosser, Thomas W. Seamans

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

At the request of the New York City Police Department, the PoIt Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, a team of USDA APHIS Wildlife Services (WS) biologists mobilized in less than 24 hours to assist federal, state and local law enforcement officials in managing birds and rodents impacting the recovey of evidence as a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. During the 10-month recovery effort fiom September 2001 to June 2002, more than 1.7 million tons of debris was shipped fiom "Ground Zero" …

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What Can Birds Hear?, Robert C. Beason Sep 2004

What Can Birds Hear?, Robert C. Beason

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

For bids, hearing is second in importance only to vision for monitoring the world around them. ./\vim hearing is most sensitive to sounds from about 1 to 4 kHz, although they can hear higher and lower frequencies. No species of bird has shown sensitivity to ultrasonic frequencies (>20 kHz). Sensitivity to frequencies below 20 Hz (dasound) has not received much attention; however, pigeons and a few other species have shown behavioral and physiological responses to these low frequencies. In general, frequency discrimination in birds is only about one-half or one-third as good it is for humans within the 1 …

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Rodent Ecology And Plague In North America , Gary W. Witmer Aug 2004

Rodent Ecology And Plague In North America , Gary W. Witmer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Complex rodent communities occupy the western United States. These communities are susceptible to the exotic disease, plague, that has become enzootic in the region since 1899. Weather conditions, the susceptibility of rodent species to plague, population dynamics, and the intra-specific interactions between populations of mammals and their flea associates all contribute to the periodic outbreaks of plague. Understanding these ecological relationships allows managers to generate predictions and to intervene in plague situations so as to reduce the negative effects on ecosystems and to reduce the risk of plague to humans.

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The E!Ect Of Trap Spacing On The Capture Of Brown Tree Snakes On Guam, Richard M. Engeman, Michael A. Linnell Aug 2004

The E!Ect Of Trap Spacing On The Capture Of Brown Tree Snakes On Guam, Richard M. Engeman, Michael A. Linnell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Trapping is central to the integrated control program to deter brown tree snakes from entering the outbound cargo 1ow from Guam. Trapping brown tree snakes is effective, but labor intensive. Increasing inter-trap spacings without loss of e3cacy could substantially increase the e3ciency of efforts to prevent dispersal of this species. Inter-trap spacings of 20, 30 and 40 m along perimeter trap lines were compared using recaptures of tagged brown tree snakes. No differences were found among the different spacing distances for the distribution of recapture times. The results indicate that for some situations, snake trapping may be extended or made …

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Ex Post Economic Analysis Of Reproduction-Monitoring And Predator-Removal Variables Associated With Protection Of The Endangered California Least Tern, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Ray T. Sterner, John W. Turman, Brian D. Foster Aug 2004

Ex Post Economic Analysis Of Reproduction-Monitoring And Predator-Removal Variables Associated With Protection Of The Endangered California Least Tern, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Ray T. Sterner, John W. Turman, Brian D. Foster

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Important nest sites for the endangered California least tern remain at the U.S. Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, CA; these terns comprise approximately 17% of the state’s breeding population. This paper presents an empirical analysis of annual, fixed-cost budgets expended for reproduction-monitoring and predator-removal activities to protect this shorebird. The ex post study covered the inclusive 7-year period between 1995 and 2001. Separate regression analyses were computed using 15 biological (XB), economic (XE), and meteorological (XM) variables. In separate analyses, 14 of these variables served as independent variables to predict each of four dependent tern observation variables (i.e., Ynests, Yeggs, …

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Crocodylia, Alligator Mississippiensis (American Alligator): Homing And Site Fidelity, John W. Woolard, Richard M. Engeman, Henry T. Smith, Mark Nelson Aug 2004

Crocodylia, Alligator Mississippiensis (American Alligator): Homing And Site Fidelity, John W. Woolard, Richard M. Engeman, Henry T. Smith, Mark Nelson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Crocodylia, Alligator mississippiensis (American Alligator): Homing and Site Fidelity

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Gnrh Immunocontraception Of Male Cats, Julie K. Levy, Lowell A. Miller, P. Cynda Crawford, Jerry W. Ritchey, Megan K. Ross, Kathleen A. Fagerstone Jul 2004

Gnrh Immunocontraception Of Male Cats, Julie K. Levy, Lowell A. Miller, P. Cynda Crawford, Jerry W. Ritchey, Megan K. Ross, Kathleen A. Fagerstone

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The development of non-surgical contraceptives for cats may facilitate population control of the species. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of GnRH for immunocontraception of male cats. Male cats (n ¼ 12) were divided into groups of three and were immunized once with 0 (sham), 50, 200, or 400 mg synthetic GnRH coupled to keyhole limpet hemocyanin and combined with a mycobacterial adjuvant to enhance immunogenicity. GnRH antibody titer, serum testosterone concentration, and scrotal size were determined monthly. At 6 months, semen was collected by electroejaculation and testes were examined histologically. GnRH antibodies were detected in …

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Double-Crested Cormorant Movements In Relation To Aquaculture In Eastern Mississippi And Western Alabama, Brian Dorr, D. Tommy King, Mark E. Tobin, J. Brent Harrel, Patrick L. Smith Jul 2004

Double-Crested Cormorant Movements In Relation To Aquaculture In Eastern Mississippi And Western Alabama, Brian Dorr, D. Tommy King, Mark E. Tobin, J. Brent Harrel, Patrick L. Smith

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Concomitant with increasing numbers of the Double-crested Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax auritus ), catfish producers in eastern Mississippi and western Alabama have reported damage caused by cormorant predation. VHF telemetry was used to document movements of 25 cormorants from all known night roosts in the aquaculture producing areas of eastern Mississippi and western Alabama, January-April 1998. A total of 193 day locations and 396 night roost locations of the cormorants were obtained. Each cormorant was found in the study area for 57 ± 4 (SE) days. Each cormorant averaged three night roosts (range: 1-8) and spent 20 (±2) days at each …

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Factors Related To Fecal Estrogens And Fecal Testosterone In California Spotted Owls, Brian E. Washburn, Douglas J. Tempel, Joshua J. Millspaugh, R.J. Gutierrez, Mark E. Seamans Jul 2004

Factors Related To Fecal Estrogens And Fecal Testosterone In California Spotted Owls, Brian E. Washburn, Douglas J. Tempel, Joshua J. Millspaugh, R.J. Gutierrez, Mark E. Seamans

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We estimated concentrations of fecal reproductive steroid metabolites in free-ranging California Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis occidentalis) during the breeding season. We collected fresh fecal samples (n= 142) from 65 individual owls in the Sierra Nevada during April–August of 2001. We developed and validated radioimmunoassay procedures to quantify fecal estrogen metabolites and fecal testosterone metabolites. We used an information- theoretic approach to identify factors that might influence fecal estrogen (E), fecal testosterone (T), and fecal estrogen:testosterone ratio (E:T ratio) levels during the owl’s breeding season. We hypothesized that factors related to sampling procedures, owl characteristics (sex, reproductive …

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The Effects Of Lactation On Seedling Damage By Mountain Beaver, Wendy M. Arjo, Dale L. Nolte, Julie L. Harper, Bruce A. Kimball Jun 2004

The Effects Of Lactation On Seedling Damage By Mountain Beaver, Wendy M. Arjo, Dale L. Nolte, Julie L. Harper, Bruce A. Kimball

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The mountain beaver is a semi-fossorial rodent of the Pacific Northwest and is among a variety of herbivores that retard plant growth and cause tree seedling deformities and mortality. Douglas-61 seedlings are planted in the Pacific Northwest from February through March, a period coinciding with mountain beaver parturition. Previous research suggested that in spring, lactating females depend more on conifers than do non-lactating females and males. We conducted experiments to determine if female reproductive condition influenced seedling damage, and if physiological stage of the seedling affected damage. Dormant and flushing trees were offered to 6 pregnant and 6 non-pregnant females …

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Assessing The Efficacy Of Chlorophacinone For Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia Rufa) Control, Wendy M. Arjo, Dale L. Nolte, Thomas M. Primus, Dennis J. Kohler Jun 2004

Assessing The Efficacy Of Chlorophacinone For Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia Rufa) Control, Wendy M. Arjo, Dale L. Nolte, Thomas M. Primus, Dennis J. Kohler

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The mountain beaver is a fossorial rodent species endemic to the Pacific Northwest and portions of California. This herbivore is managed as a pest species because of the impact it has on newly planted Douglas-fir seedlings. Currently, managers are limited to trapping for population control; however, in Washington trapping has been further curtailed by anti-trapping legislation. Presently there are no registered underground toxicants for mountain beaver control. We have documented the efficacy of chlorophacinone, presented in daily doses, as a possible alternative for mountain beaver control. Daily baiting would be unreasonable and costly alternative for timber managers, so we conducted …

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Exposure Time Of Oral Rabies Vaccine Baits Relative To Baiting Density And Raccoon Population Density, Bradley F. Blackwell, Thomas W. Seamans, Randolph J. White, Zachary J. Patton, Rachel M. Bush, Jonathon D. Cepek Jun 2004

Exposure Time Of Oral Rabies Vaccine Baits Relative To Baiting Density And Raccoon Population Density, Bradley F. Blackwell, Thomas W. Seamans, Randolph J. White, Zachary J. Patton, Rachel M. Bush, Jonathon D. Cepek

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Oral rabies vaccination (ORV) baiting programs for control of raccoon (Procyon lotor) rabies in the USA have been conducted or are in progress in eight states east of the Mississippi River. However, data specific to the relationship between raccoon population density and the minimum density of baits necessary to significantly elevate rabies immunity are few. We used the 22-km2 US National Aeronautics and Space Administration Plum Brook Station (PBS) in Erie County, Ohio, USA, to evaluate the period of exposure for placebo vaccine baits placed at a density of 75 baits/km2 relative to raccoon population density. …

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Diet Composition Of Coyotes In The Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, Jonathon D. Cepek Jun 2004

Diet Composition Of Coyotes In The Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, Jonathon D. Cepek

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The diet and food habits of coyotes (Canis latrans) in Ohio's Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) were examined by analyzing 50 scat samples collected during coyote population surveys between February 199*-March 1999. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park, a 13,770-hectare public-use park surrounded by residential communities, is located between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio. The park had over 3 million visitors in 1999, and is suffering from the pressures of increased urbanization in surrounding areas. Coyotes were first documented in the CVNP during the 1980s, and since then public interactions with coyotes have increased. The coyote is the top predator …

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Exposure Time Of Oral Rabies Vaccine Baits Relative Tobaiting Density And Raccoon Population Density , Bradley F. Blackwell Jun 2004

Exposure Time Of Oral Rabies Vaccine Baits Relative Tobaiting Density And Raccoon Population Density , Bradley F. Blackwell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Oral rabies vaccination (ORV) baiting programs for control of raccoon (Procyorl lotor) rabies in the USA have been conducted or are in progress in eight states east of the Mississippi River. However, data specific to the relationship between raccoon population density and the minimum density of baits necessary to significantly elevate rabies im~nunitya re few. We used the 22-km2 US National Aerorlautics and Space Administration Plum Brook Station (PBS) in Erie County, Ohio, USA, to evaluate the period of exposure for placebo vaccine baits placed at a density of 75 baits/km2 relative to raccoon population density. Our objectives were to …

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Effectiveness Of Twenty, Twenty-Five Diazacholesterol, Avian Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone, And Chicken Riboflavin Carrier Protein For Inhibiting Reproduction In Coturnix Quail, C.A. Yoder, W.F. Andelt, L.A. Miller, J.J. Johnston, M.J. Goodall May 2004

Effectiveness Of Twenty, Twenty-Five Diazacholesterol, Avian Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone, And Chicken Riboflavin Carrier Protein For Inhibiting Reproduction In Coturnix Quail, C.A. Yoder, W.F. Andelt, L.A. Miller, J.J. Johnston, M.J. Goodall

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Contraception may provide a useful nonlethal management tool when it is desirable to reduce populations of birds. We tested the efficacy of 20,25 diazacholesterol, and immunization with avian gonadotropin-releasing hormone (AGnRH-I) and chicken riboflavin carrier protein (cRCP) as contraceptives and investigated their modes of action in Coturnix quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Females that were paired with males treated with 20,25 diazacholesterol produced lower percentages of eggs that were fertile and hatched. Females treated with 20,25 diazacholesterol and paired with control males laid fewer eggs, and lower percentages of their eggs were fertile and hatched. Treatment with 20,25 diazacholesterol …

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Assessing The Efficacy Of Registered Underground Baiting Products For Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia Rufa) Control , Wendy M. Arjo, Dale L. Nolte May 2004

Assessing The Efficacy Of Registered Underground Baiting Products For Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia Rufa) Control , Wendy M. Arjo, Dale L. Nolte

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) is a fossorialrodent species endemic to the Pacific Northwest and portions of California. This herbivore inflicts millions of dollars of damage annually to forest seedling plantations. Currently, extensive trapping prior to planting is the most reliable method for reducing damage. With increasing restrictions placed on trapping, forest resource managers need alternative tools to minimize forest damage. This study assessed the potential of four toxicants registered for underground use to controlmountain beaver; zinc phosphide, diphacinone, chlorophacinone, and strychnine. Zinc phosphide and strychnine are acute toxicants, whereas diphacinone and chlorophacinone are anticoagulants. Anticoagulants prevent the recycling of …

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Chromatographic Analysis Of Sagebrush Monoterpenes In Blood Plasma, Bruce A. Kimball, Luthando E. Dziba, John J. Johnston, Frederick D. Provenza May 2004

Chromatographic Analysis Of Sagebrush Monoterpenes In Blood Plasma, Bruce A. Kimball, Luthando E. Dziba, John J. Johnston, Frederick D. Provenza

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

An analytical method is required for the analysis of monoterpenes in animal plasma to support a pharmacokinetic study. Monoterpenes common to sagebrush are extracted from sheep plasma by employing solid-phase extraction (SPE), followed by analysis of the extracts by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. The analytes are quantitated versus an external standard and by comparison with a surrogate standard added to the sample prior to extraction. In addition to comparing the two quantitative methods, the storage stability of the analytes in plasma and SPE columns is evaluated. Both methods employed for quantitation yield precision suitable for pharmacokinetic studies. However, …

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West Nile Virus And Wildlife, Peter P. Marra, Sean Griffing, Carolee Caffrey, A. Marm Kilpatrick, Robert Mclean, Christopher Brand, Emi Saito, Alan P. Dupuis, Laura Kramer, Robert Novak May 2004

West Nile Virus And Wildlife, Peter P. Marra, Sean Griffing, Carolee Caffrey, A. Marm Kilpatrick, Robert Mclean, Christopher Brand, Emi Saito, Alan P. Dupuis, Laura Kramer, Robert Novak

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

West Nile virus (WNV) has spread rapidly across North America, resulting in human deaths and in the deaths of untold numbers of birds, mammals, and reptiles. The virus has reached Central America and the Caribbean and may spread to Hawaii and South America. Although tens of thousands of birds have died, and studies of some bird species show local declines, few region-wide declines can be attributed to WNV. Predicting future impacts of WNV on wildlife, and pinpointing what drives epidemics, will require substantial additional research into host susceptibility, reservoir competency, and linkages between climate, mosquitoes, and disease. Such work will …

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Adult Male Emigration And A Female-Based Social Organization In Swift Foxes, Vulpes Velox, Jan F. Kamler, Warren B. Ballard, Eric M. Gese, Robert L. Harrison, Seija Karki, Kevin Mote Apr 2004

Adult Male Emigration And A Female-Based Social Organization In Swift Foxes, Vulpes Velox, Jan F. Kamler, Warren B. Ballard, Eric M. Gese, Robert L. Harrison, Seija Karki, Kevin Mote

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Members of the family Canidae are distinguished from other carnivore families by pair bonding and male care of the young. Because of the importance of food provisioning and territorial defiance by males, social structure among canids is shared or even dominated by males. However, small, insectivorous species of canids show little male parental care, although whether social structure differs from other canids is unknown. We combined data from three independent research projects on a small canid, the swift fox, to help elucidate the social organization of this species. Based on data on movements of 35 adult mated pairs and the …

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Embryonic Responses To Variation In Oviductal Oxygen In The Lizard Sceloporus Undulatus From New Jersey And South Carolina, Usa, Scott L. Parker, Robin M. Andrews, Tom Mathies Apr 2004

Embryonic Responses To Variation In Oviductal Oxygen In The Lizard Sceloporus Undulatus From New Jersey And South Carolina, Usa, Scott L. Parker, Robin M. Andrews, Tom Mathies

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Viviparity in reptiles is hypothesized to evolve in cold climates at high latitudes and high elevations through selection for progressively longer periods of egg retention. Oxygen consumption of embryos increases during development and therefore longer periods of egg retention should be associated with maternal or embryonic features that enhance embryonic oxygen availability. We tested the hypotheses that embryos of the oviparous lizard Sceloporus undulatus from a high-latitude population in New Jersey are oviposited at more advanced developmental stages and have a higher growth rate at low oxygen partial pressures (pO2) than embryos from a low-latitude population …

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Management Of Vegetation To Reduce Wildlife Hazards At Airports, Brian E. Washburn, Thomas W. Seamans Apr 2004

Management Of Vegetation To Reduce Wildlife Hazards At Airports, Brian E. Washburn, Thomas W. Seamans

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications


Wildlife-aircraft collisions (wildlife strikes) pose a serious safety risk to aircraft. Wildlife strikes cost civil and military aviation at least S490 million annually in the United States (Cleary et al. [I]). Over 46,500 wildlife strikes with civil aircraft were reported to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) during 1990-2002 (Cleary et al. 111). Aircraft collisions with birds accounted for 97% of the reported strikes, whereas strikes with mammals and reptiles were 3% and Larus spp.), waterfowl such as Canada geese (Branta canadensis), raptors (hawks and owls), and blackbirds (Ictennae)/starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are the species presently of …

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Coyote Depredation Management: Current Methods And Research Needs, Brian R. Mitchell, Michael M. Jaeger, Reginald H. Barrett Mar 2004

Coyote Depredation Management: Current Methods And Research Needs, Brian R. Mitchell, Michael M. Jaeger, Reginald H. Barrett

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

This paper examines the severity of livestock depredation by coyotes (Canis latrans), reviews evidence implicating breeding (or “alpha”) coyotes in the majority of incidents, evaluates currently used depredation control techniques, and suggests directions for future research. Nonlethal control ranges from varied animal husbandry practices to coyote behavioral modification or sterilization. These methods show significant promise but have not been proven effective in controlled experiments. Therefore, many livestock producers rely on lethal control, and most employ nonselective strategies aimed at local population reduction. Sometimes this approach is effective; other times it is not. This strategy can fail because the …

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Efficacy Of Aircraft Landing Lights In Stimulating Avoidance Behavior In Birds, Bradley F. Blackwell, Glen E. Burnhardt Mar 2004

Efficacy Of Aircraft Landing Lights In Stimulating Avoidance Behavior In Birds, Bradley F. Blackwell, Glen E. Burnhardt

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Aircraft collisions with wildlife (primarily birds) are costly in terms of injury or loss of human life, loss of the animals involved, damage to property and business, and the use of lethal control of wildlife at airports worldwide. One potential nonlethal technique to reduce bird–aircraft collisions—pulsed white and wavelength-specific aircraft-mounted light—has been considered for nearly 3 decades, but the efficacy of the technique has not been evaluated quantitatively. We tested the hypothesis that during daylight, captive birds exposed to an approaching ground-based vehicle exhibiting pulsing 250-W white aircraft landing lights would initiate avoidance behavior more quickly than birds experiencing an …

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Proximate Cues For Ovarian Recrudescence And Ovulation In The Brown Treesnake (Boiga Irregularis) Under Laboratory Conditions, Tom Mathies, Elizabeth A. Franklin, Lowell A. Miller Mar 2004

Proximate Cues For Ovarian Recrudescence And Ovulation In The Brown Treesnake (Boiga Irregularis) Under Laboratory Conditions, Tom Mathies, Elizabeth A. Franklin, Lowell A. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The reproductive biology of the brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis), an invasive tropical species known primarily for the extensive ecological damage it has caused on the island of Guam (Savidge 1987), is poorly understood. This is not for lack of sampling effort by researchers-it is simply because reproduction apparently occurs in all months of the year (Rodda et al. 1999) and periodic sampling in such systems cannot detect the phenology of major reproductive events (e.g., ovarian recrudescence, ovulation, oviposition) and other important life history attributes (e.g., frequency of reproduction). In such systems, repeated observations of individuals may be the …

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The Amount And Economic Cost Of Feral Swine Damage To The Last Remnant Of A Basin Marsh System In Florida, Richard M. Engeman, Henry T. Smith, Robert Severson, Mary Ann Severson, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Bernice Constantin, Daniel Griffin Mar 2004

The Amount And Economic Cost Of Feral Swine Damage To The Last Remnant Of A Basin Marsh System In Florida, Richard M. Engeman, Henry T. Smith, Robert Severson, Mary Ann Severson, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Bernice Constantin, Daniel Griffin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Swine (Sus scrofa) have been introduced into many natural habitats throughout the world, and they have adversely affected the environment in most of those places. Basin marshes are unique, but dwindling ecosystems in Florida that are especially vulnerable to damage by feral swine. We estimated the amount of swine damage to the last remnant of a basin marsh system in Savannas Preserve State Park (SPSP), and to ecotones within the marsh. We also applied an economic valuation method for the swine damage that was based on the dollar amounts that wetland regulators have allowed permit applicants to spend …

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Determination Of Acetaminophen Residues In Whole Body Brown Treesnakes, Thomas M. Primus, Dennis J. Kohler, Carol A. Furcolow, Margaret J. Goodall, John J. Johnston, Peter J. Savarie Mar 2004

Determination Of Acetaminophen Residues In Whole Body Brown Treesnakes, Thomas M. Primus, Dennis J. Kohler, Carol A. Furcolow, Margaret J. Goodall, John J. Johnston, Peter J. Savarie

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Acetaminophen was extracted from brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) and analyzed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Acetaminophen was quantified by UV absorbance at 250 nm. Recoveries were determined by analyzing acetaminophen-fortified blank homogenized tissue. The mean recovery of acetaminophen in whole body brown treesnakes was 87.9% + 5.9% and 92.2% + 5.8% for the fortification levels of 20 and 2400mg/g, respectively. The method’s limit of detection (MLOD) with UV detection was 0.70mg/g.

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