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United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

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

Coyote Depredation Management: Current Methods And Research Needs, Brian R. Mitchell, Michael M. Jaegar, 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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Wildlife Conservation Sunflower Plots As A Dual-Purpose Wildlife Management Strategy, George M. Linz, Dionn A. Schaaf, Philip Mastrangelo, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry, William J. Bleier Feb 2004

Wildlife Conservation Sunflower Plots As A Dual-Purpose Wildlife Management Strategy, George M. Linz, Dionn A. Schaaf, Philip Mastrangelo, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry, William J. Bleier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The National Sunflower Association has identified blackbird damage as a key reason for growers to abandon sunflower. In the 1980s, National Wildlife Research Center scientists showed that "decoy" p1antings of sunflower can significantly reduce bird damage to nearby commercial sunflower fields. For a variety of reasons, largely logistical and economic in nature, decoy sunflower fields did not become wide-spread. Over the last decade, new federal farm programs have placed more emphasis on wildlife conservation. Thus, decoy sunflower fields planted to ameliorate blackbird damage and establish habitat for wildlife might gamer broad support from both agricultural and conservation groups. We present …

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Coyotes (Canis Latrans) Are Definitive Hosts Of Neospora Caninum, Luis F.P. Gondim, Milton M. Mcallister, William C. Pitt, Doris E. Zemlicka Feb 2004

Coyotes (Canis Latrans) Are Definitive Hosts Of Neospora Caninum, Luis F.P. Gondim, Milton M. Mcallister, William C. Pitt, Doris E. Zemlicka

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Four captive-raised coyote pups consumed tissues from Neospora caninum-infected calves. Feces were examined from 4 days before to 28 days after infection. One pup shed N. caninum-like oocysts, which tested positive for N. caninum and negative for Hammondia heydorni using PCR tests. Coyotes are the second discovered definitive host of N. caninum, after dogs. In North America, the expanding coyote ranges and population increase the probability of contact with domestic livestock. To reduce the risk of transmission of N. caninum to intensively farmed cattle, we recommend protection of feedstuffs using canid-proof fences, and careful disposal of dead …

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Effects Of Aerial Lines On Red-Winged Blackbird Nesting, William H. Clark, George M. Linz, William J. Bleier Feb 2004

Effects Of Aerial Lines On Red-Winged Blackbird Nesting, William H. Clark, George M. Linz, William J. Bleier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications


The Red-winged blackbird (RWBL) is one of the most abundant birds in all of North America (Dolbeer 1980, Beletsky 1996). Red-winged blackbird damage to crops continues to be a dilemma in localized areas of the United States (Dolbeer 1980). In addition to economic losses, bird damage may intensify conflicts between agricultural interests and the enforcement of laws defending wildlife and their habitats (Stone et al. 1984). When chemicals are shown to be environmentally harmful or when public unease grows over the mass killing of wildlife, new methods of repelling blackbirds need to be evaluated. A more humane and less hazardous …

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Large-Scale Climate And Land Cover Influences On Blackbird Populations In The Prairie Pothole Region Of The United States And Canada, George M. Forcey, George M. Linz, William J. Bleier Feb 2004

Large-Scale Climate And Land Cover Influences On Blackbird Populations In The Prairie Pothole Region Of The United States And Canada, George M. Forcey, George M. Linz, William J. Bleier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Blackbirds are ubiquitous members of the avian fauna in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States and Canada. Their abundance combined with their food habitats make blackbirds significant agricultural pests on sunflower. Cost estimates for blackbird damage to sunflower in the northern Great Plains range from 4-11 million dollars per year. Because of their economic impact on agriculture, it is imperative to understand the environmental factors that influence their abundance. This study attempts to quantify the effects of landscape-level climatic and land use patterns on blackbird population dynamics in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States and Canada.

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Optimization Of Ordered Distance Sampling, Ryan M. Nielson, Robert T. Sugihara, Thomas J. Boardman, Richard M. Engeman Jan 2004

Optimization Of Ordered Distance Sampling, Ryan M. Nielson, Robert T. Sugihara, Thomas J. Boardman, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Ordered distance sampling is a point-to-object sampling method that can be labor-efficient for demanding field situations. An extensive simulation study was conducted to find the optimum number, g, of population members to be encountered from each random starting point in ordered distance sampling. Monte Carlo simulations covered 64 combinations of four spatial patterns, four densities and four sample sizes. Values of g from 1 to 10 were considered for each case. Relative root mean squared error (RRMSE) and relative bias were calculated for each level of g, with RRMSE used as the primary assessment criterion for finding the …

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Livestock Depredations By Black Vultures And Golden Eagles, Michael L. Avery, J. L. Cummings Jan 2004

Livestock Depredations By Black Vultures And Golden Eagles, Michael L. Avery, J. L. Cummings

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Black Vulture: The available evidence suggests that black vultures act as typical predators by seeking and disabling vulnerable animals prior to overwhelming and killing them (Gluesing et al., 1980). These birds take the path of least resistance and eat carrion when it is available. Black vultures are opportunists, however, and when the chance arises, they will attack and eat defenseless live animals. Defenseless does not necessarily mean sick or injured. Healthy newborn livestock are defenseless, especially if the mother is exhausted or otherwise not able to care for and protect the offspring. In assessing the role of black vultures as …

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Propane Exploders And Electronic Guards Were Ineffective At Reducing Deer Damage In Cornfields, Jason M. Gilsdorf, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Erin E. Blankenship, Richard M. Engeman Jan 2004

Propane Exploders And Electronic Guards Were Ineffective At Reducing Deer Damage In Cornfields, Jason M. Gilsdorf, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Erin E. Blankenship, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) cause millions of dollars of damage to agricultural crops annually. We tested the effectiveness of propane exploders and Electronic Guards (Pocatello Supply Depot, Pocatello, Id.) for reducing deer damage in cornfields during the silking–tasseling stage of growth. Track-count indices (F2,7=0.70, P=0.532), corn yields (F2,6=0.14, P=0.873), and estimated damage levels (F2,12=1.45 P=0.272) did not differ between experimental and control fields. The size (F2,11=0.08, P=0.924), location (F2,9=0.30, P=0.750), and percent overlap (F2,9=0.46, P=0.644) of use-areas of radiomarked female deer in the vicinity of experimental fields did not differ among before, during, and after 18-day treatment periods. In a …

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Prevalence Of Neurotoxic Clostridium Botulinum Type C In The Gastrointestinal Tracts Of Tilapia (Oreochromis Mossambicus) In The Salton Sea, P. P. Nol, T. E. Rocke, K. Gross, T. M. Yuill Jan 2004

Prevalence Of Neurotoxic Clostridium Botulinum Type C In The Gastrointestinal Tracts Of Tilapia (Oreochromis Mossambicus) In The Salton Sea, P. P. Nol, T. E. Rocke, K. Gross, T. M. Yuill

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) have been implicated as the source of type C toxin in avian botulism outbreaks in pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) at the Salton Sea in southern California (USA). We collected sick, dead, and healthy fish from various sites throughout the Sea during the summers of 1999 through 2001 and tested them for the presence of Clostridium botulinum type C cells by polymerase chain reaction targeting the C1 neurotoxin gene. Four of 96 (4%), 57 of 664 (9%), and five of 355 (1%) tilapia tested were positive for C. botulinum type C …

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Solutions Through Science: Protecting Sunflowers From Blackbirds Jan 2004

Solutions Through Science: Protecting Sunflowers From Blackbirds

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In late summer, large flocks of blackbirds gather in the northern Great Plains to prepare for their strenuous migration to southern wintering grounds in the United States and Mexico. The birds acquire energy for their trip by feasting on energy-rich seeds and berries. Unfortunately for farmers, many of those seeds come from agricultural crops. Red-winged blackbirds, common grackles, and yellow-headed blackbirds cause most of the damage to commercial crops. Sunflower producers in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota suffer millions of dollars’ worth of losses annually due to blackbirds.

Reducing blackbird damage to sunflower crops continues to be a challenge …

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Responses Of Captive Fish Crows (Corvus Ossifragus) To Acetaminophen Baits And Bait Stations For Brown Tree Snake (Boiga Irregularis) Control On Guam, Michael L. Avery, Eric A. Tillman, Peter J. Savarie Jan 2004

Responses Of Captive Fish Crows (Corvus Ossifragus) To Acetaminophen Baits And Bait Stations For Brown Tree Snake (Boiga Irregularis) Control On Guam, Michael L. Avery, Eric A. Tillman, Peter J. Savarie

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

One component of brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) management on Guam is the use of a toxic bait that consists of acetaminophen tablets inserted into a dead neonatal mouse (DNM), which in turn is placed within a cylindrical polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bait station suspended above ground. Whereas this technique is effective in killing snakes, possible hazards to nontarget species, especially the Mariana crow (Corvus kubaryi), are of concern. We used the fish crow (C. ossifragus) as a surrogate for the Mariana crow to evaluate (1) oral toxicity of acetaminophen, (2) behavior of crows exposed to DNM containing acetaminophen tablets, and …

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Feasibility Of Localized Management To Control White-Tailed Deer In Forest Regeneration Areas, Tyler A. Campbell, Benjamin R. Laseter, W. Mark Ford, Karl V. Miller Jan 2004

Feasibility Of Localized Management To Control White-Tailed Deer In Forest Regeneration Areas, Tyler A. Campbell, Benjamin R. Laseter, W. Mark Ford, Karl V. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The deleterious effects of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on forest regeneration are well documented in many forested systems, but potential solutions to these problems on remote landholdings are limited in number and scope. Localized management proposes that a persistent area (<2 km2) of low density can be created by removing all individuals within matriarchal social groups of white-tailed deer. Our objective was to assess the feasibility of using localized management as a tool within forest regeneration areas. We present a comparison of seasonal home-range and core-area size and site fidelity of 148 radiomonitored female white-tailed deer in a forested landscape of the central Appalachians of West Virginia. We also characterized seasonal movements and dispersal. Adult female winter home-range size exceeded those of summer and autumn. Female deer displayed high fidelity, with home-range and core-area overlap being less in autumn than in summer or winter. Dispersal occurred in 1 of 28 (3.6%) female fawns and no deer >1 year old dispersed. Female white-tailed deer on our study site meet the a priori assumptions of localized management. We assert that experimental manipulations based on localized management concepts are prudent.

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Ninebanded Armadillo (Dasypus Novemcinctus), Michael T. Mengak Jan 2004

Ninebanded Armadillo (Dasypus Novemcinctus), Michael T. Mengak

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Scientists classify armadillos with anteaters and sloths. This tells us that they have poorly developed teeth and limited mobility. In fact, armadillos have small, peg-like teeth that are useful for grinding their food but of little value for capturing prey. No other mammal in Georgia has bony skin plates or a “shell”, which makes the armadillo easy to identify. Just like a turtle, the shell is called a carapace. Armadillos are common in central and southern Georgia and are moving northward. Only one species of armadillo lives in Georgia and the southeastern U.S. However, 20 recognized species are found throughout …

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Use Of Roadkill Data To Index And Relate Raccoon Activity At A Heavily Predated, High-Density Marine Turtle Nesting Beach, Richard M. Engeman, Henry T. Smith, William J.B. Miller Jan 2004

Use Of Roadkill Data To Index And Relate Raccoon Activity At A Heavily Predated, High-Density Marine Turtle Nesting Beach, Richard M. Engeman, Henry T. Smith, William J.B. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Four years of data from a high-density marine turtle nesting beach at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, Florida were examined along with data on raccoon road-kills from adjacent roads, and data on park attendance (as an index of local traffic) to make inferences about raccoon activity patterns relative to turtle nesting. Raccoon road-klls were found to diminish substantially during turtle nesting, even though local traffic was constant or increasing. Opossums, the only other mammal consistently found as road-kills, did not show a decrease during turtle nesting season, but they are not known as a primary predator of turtle nests. …

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Monetary Valuation Of Rare Species And Imperiled Habitats As A Basis For Economically Evaluating Conservation Approaches , Richard M. Engeman, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Henry T. Smith, Bernice Constantin Jan 2004

Monetary Valuation Of Rare Species And Imperiled Habitats As A Basis For Economically Evaluating Conservation Approaches , Richard M. Engeman, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Henry T. Smith, Bernice Constantin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Management actions directed towards the conservation of species or habitats are usually measured in resource improvement. Nevertheless, the decision to select and carry out such actions are rooted in the available funding. Therefore, to truly evaluate the benefit/costs of a conservation-directed management action, the resource improvement should be in the same metric as the expenditures. To this end, we describe here a variety of methods for attaching monetary values to rare species and habitats. We also give examples of applications with which we have been involved to demonstrate how such species and habitat valuations have allowed economic analyses of conservation …

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Bird Depredation, James F. Glahn, D. Tommy King Jan 2004

Bird Depredation, James F. Glahn, D. Tommy King

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A survey of catfish producers by the United States Department of Agriculture, Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health (CEAH) in 1996 indicated that the two primary sources of catfish losses in commercial operations were disease (45%) and wildlife (37%) (CEAH 1997a). A variety of avian and mammalian predators are amracred to aquaculture facilities in the United States (Parkhurs: er al. 1992) because ponds and open raceways provide a constant and readily accessible food supply for these animals. However, the mere presence of these predators arcund aquaculture faciliries does not necessarily mean that significant depredation problems are occurring. At catfish farms, …

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Functional Feeding Responses Of Coyotes, Canis Latrans, To Fl Uctuating Prey Abundance Inthe Curlew Valley, Utah, 1977–1993 , Rebecca A. Bartel, Frederick F. Knowlton Jan 2004

Functional Feeding Responses Of Coyotes, Canis Latrans, To Fl Uctuating Prey Abundance Inthe Curlew Valley, Utah, 1977–1993 , Rebecca A. Bartel, Frederick F. Knowlton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We investigated interactions between coyotes (Canis latrans Say, 1823) and prey in the Curlew Valley, Utah, by comparing prey abundances with prey consumption rates. Previous studies reported a cyclic trend in black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus Gray, 1837) density with a period of 10 years and >150-fold amplitude, as well as short-term fl uctuations among some rodent species that exceeded an 8-fold difference in amplitude over 2 years. Our results suggest changes in coyote diets mainly refl ect the fl uctuations in jackrabbit abundance. Prey switching to rodents during periods of low jackrabbit abundance also was evident. We used the initial …

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Seasonal Activity Areas Of Coyotes In The Bear River Mountains Of Utah And Idaho, Glen F. Gantz, Frederick F. Knowlton Jan 2004

Seasonal Activity Areas Of Coyotes In The Bear River Mountains Of Utah And Idaho, Glen F. Gantz, Frederick F. Knowlton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We studied the seasonal movement patterns and dispersal of coyotes (Canis latrans) in the Bear River Mountains of northern Utah and southern Idaho to determine whether coyotes in this montane region exhibit an altitudinal migration on a seasonal basis. We used 3 locational parameters to assess whether a seasonal altitudinal migration was evident, including overlap in seasonal activity areas, distance between harmonic mean centers of activity, and seasonal differences in mean elevations of locations. Winter and summer activity areas of every mature coyote overlapped, with mean distances between harmonic centers of seasonal activity of 1.5 km (range = 0.4–3.3 km). …

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Pest Control: Rodents, Mark E. Tobin, Michael W. Fall Jan 2004

Pest Control: Rodents, Mark E. Tobin, Michael W. Fall

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rodents are an important and ubiquitous group of mammals that occur as indigenous or introduced species throughout the world. The populations of a relatively few species that live in close association with humans sometimes cause economic damage or become threats to the health of humans or domestic animals. When rodent control efforts are contemplated, the type of problem and the objectives of these efforts should be carefully defined. Successful management of rodent problems depends upon correct identification of the rodent species involved and on obtaining information on the biology, ecology, and behavior of the species in the ecological setting where …

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Coyote And Wolf Habitat Use In Northwestern Montana, Wendy M. Arjo, Daniel H. Peltscher Jan 2004

Coyote And Wolf Habitat Use In Northwestern Montana, Wendy M. Arjo, Daniel H. Peltscher

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Being a habitat generalist is an adaptation suategy that has allowed the coyote to expand its range. As wolves reestablish, or are reintroduced, resident populations of coyotes may change habitat use. We compared habitat use between coyotes and wolves in Glacier National Park after successful recolonization by wolves. Two wolf oacks and nine coyotes were monitored from June 1994 throueh June 1997 to determine habitat use in northwestern Montana. Wolves used habitat types within their home ranges in proportion to availability during the winter, but not the summer when more open areas and burned forests were used. Most coyotes used …

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Evaluating Population Management Scenarios: Crunching The Numbers Before Going To The Field, Bradley F. Blackwell, Brian E. Washburn, Michael J. Begier Jan 2004

Evaluating Population Management Scenarios: Crunching The Numbers Before Going To The Field, Bradley F. Blackwell, Brian E. Washburn, Michael J. Begier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Effolts to mitigate wildlife-human conflicts tpically involve management of unacceptably abundant populations. Increasingly, however, reduction of dense or increasing populations of certain wild species evokes both support and contention kom the public. Management decisions involving population reduction, particularly those directed at highly visible species, should therefore be based on quantitative evaluation of potential outcomes prior to implementation. The purpose of th~sp aper is to revisit a call for use of population modeling in management decisions by reviewing basic aspects of population analysis and the use of publicly available long-term data sets in environmental assessments and impact statements. Our objectives are …

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Managing Wolf Depredation In The United States: Past, Present, And Future, Stewart W. Breck, Tom Meier Jan 2004

Managing Wolf Depredation In The United States: Past, Present, And Future, Stewart W. Breck, Tom Meier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

With the successful recolonization and reintroduction of wolves (Canis lupus) in parts of the western United States (Bangs and Fritts, 1996; Bangs et al., 1998) and the natural expansion of wolves in the upper Midwest (Fuller et al., 1992; Thiel, 2001), managing conflicts between wolves and livestock is a growing issue for livestock producers, resource professionals, and the general public (Mech, 1996). Unlike the coyote, (Canis latrans) where a great deal is known regarding the biology and ecology of depredation and methods for managing it (Knowlton et al., 1999), very little is known regarding patterns and processes of wolves preying …

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Relationship Of Raccoon Road-Kill Data To High-Density Marine Turtle Nesting, Richard M. Engeman, Henry T. Smith, William J.B. Miller Jan 2004

Relationship Of Raccoon Road-Kill Data To High-Density Marine Turtle Nesting, Richard M. Engeman, Henry T. Smith, William J.B. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Four ycars of data from a hiyh-density n~arine turtle nesting hcach at John D. MacArthur Beach Statc Park, Florida wcrc examined along with data on raccoon (Procyon lotor.) ruad-kills from adjaccnt roads, and data on park attendance (as an index of local traffic) to make infcrcnces about raccoon activity patterns relative to turtle ncsting. Raccoon road-kills were found Lo diminish subsiantially during turtle nesting, even though local traffic was constant or increasing. Opossums (Didelphis virginiana). the only other maminal consistcntly foluid as road-kills, did not show a decrease during ti~rtlen esting season, but they are not known as a primary …

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Using Geographic Information System (Gis) Software To Predict Blackbird Roosting Locations In North Dakota, Ryan L. Wimberly, Tony A. Slowik, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry Jan 2004

Using Geographic Information System (Gis) Software To Predict Blackbird Roosting Locations In North Dakota, Ryan L. Wimberly, Tony A. Slowik, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Cattail stands provide roosting and staging areas for large congregations of blackbirds in North Dakota in late summer and early fall. Since 1991, the U.S. Depamnent of Agriculture, Ammal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (WS) program has conducted a cattail management program in North Dakota to alleviate blackbird damage to ripening sunflower. To extend the capabilities of the program, a geographical mformation system (GIS) will be incorporated to help WS personnel find blackbird roosts more effectively. We will use the GIs to construct field maps showing the association between areas of moderate to hgh sunilower damage (>5%) …

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Evaluation Of A Deer-Activated Bioacoustic Frightening Device For Reducing Deer Damage In Cornfields, Jason M. Gildorf, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Greg M. Clements, Erin E. Blankenship, Richard M. Engeman Jan 2004

Evaluation Of A Deer-Activated Bioacoustic Frightening Device For Reducing Deer Damage In Cornfields, Jason M. Gildorf, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Greg M. Clements, Erin E. Blankenship, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Deer (Odocoileus spp.) can cause substantial damage to agricultural crops, resulting in economic losses for producers. We developed a deer-activated bio-acoustic frightening device to reduce white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) damage in agricultural fields. The device consisted of an infrared detection system that activated an audio component which broadcast recorded distress and alarm calls of deer. We tested the device against unprotected controls in cornfields during the silking–tasseling stage of growth in July 2001. The device was not effective in reducing damage: track-count indices (F1,4=0.02, P=0.892), corn yield (F1,9=1.27, P=0.289), and estimated damage levels (F1,10=0.87, P=0.374) did not differ between experimental …

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Predacides For Canid Predation Management, K. A. Fagerstone, J. J. Johnston, P. J. Savarie Jan 2004

Predacides For Canid Predation Management, K. A. Fagerstone, J. J. Johnston, P. J. Savarie

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Throughout the livestock industry in the western United States, control of canid predators was considered to be of considerable importance to the livestock industry, especially to sheep producers, who sufkred high losses from coyotes and wolves. In the 19th century, the demand for predator control was communicated to Congress and the western state assemblies, with the result that predator control was provided in western states by the Fedcral Bureau of Biological Survey in cooperation with state agencies, and by trappers hired by stockmen. Steel traps and poisons were the principal methods used for predator control during the early years of …

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Safety Of Brucella Abortus Strain Rb51 In Black Bears, Steven C. Olsen, Jack Rhyan, T. Gidlewski, Jesse Goff, W. C. Stoffregen Jan 2004

Safety Of Brucella Abortus Strain Rb51 In Black Bears, Steven C. Olsen, Jack Rhyan, T. Gidlewski, Jesse Goff, W. C. Stoffregen

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In two studies conducted from October 1999 to March 2000 and December 2000 to April 2001, adult black bears (Ursus americanus) were orally inoculated with 1.4–3.1X1010 colony-forming units (CFU) of Brucella abortus strain RB51 (SRB51, n=12) or 2 ml of 0.15 M NaCl solution (saline, n=11). We did not detect a difference (P>0.05) in antibody titers to SRB51 in serum obtained before vaccination, at 8 wk after vaccination, or at necropsy at 21 or 23 wk after vaccination between SRB51-vaccinated and nonvaccinated bears. The SRB51 vaccine strain was recovered from tissues obtained at …

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Live Capture Of Denning Mammals Using An Improved Box-Trap Enclosure: Kit Foxes As A Test Case, Adam J. Kozlowski, Tim J. Bennett, Eric M. Gese, Wendy M. Arjo Dec 2003

Live Capture Of Denning Mammals Using An Improved Box-Trap Enclosure: Kit Foxes As A Test Case, Adam J. Kozlowski, Tim J. Bennett, Eric M. Gese, Wendy M. Arjo

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The ability to capture and recapture animals efficiently is ,In integral part of many wildlife studies. For many species of small terrestrial carnivores, the baited box trap has been a staple of live-capture trapping efforts. Combined with an enclosure, the box trap is especially effective on species with a den or refuge that can be encircled. However, increased trapping success of these enclosure designs often is offset by increased cost, labor, and awkwardness of transporting and establishing the enclosure trap. We describe a new enclosure design, the tunnel trap, which improves on the mobility and effectiveness of previous enclosure designs. …

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Coyote (Canis Latrans), Marc Bekoff, Eric M. Gese Dec 2003

Coyote (Canis Latrans), Marc Bekoff, Eric M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Coyotes

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A Review Of Color Vision In White-Tailed Deer, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Pipas Dec 2003

A Review Of Color Vision In White-Tailed Deer, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Pipas

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A better understanding of the color vision abilities of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) helps to determine how these animals interpret their environment. We review and summarize the literature related to the color vision abilities of white-tailed deer. Physiological measurements using advanced techniques such as molecular genetics, electroretinography, and electron microscopy have demonstrated conclusively that whitetailed deer possess the anatomical requisites for color vision. Operant conditioning techniques employed in pen studies using trained cervids confirm that deer see color. The eyes of white-tailed deer are characterized by 3 classes of photopigments: a short-wavelengthsensitive cone mechanism, a middle-wavelength-sensitive cone mechanism, …

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