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United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

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Nonlethal Techniques For Managing Predation: Primary And Secondary Repellents, John A. Shivik, Adrian Treves, Peggy Callahan Dec 2003

Nonlethal Techniques For Managing Predation: Primary And Secondary Repellents, John A. Shivik, Adrian Treves, Peggy Callahan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Conservation biology requires the development of practical tools and techniques to minimize conflicts arising from human modification of ecosystems. We applied behavioral theory of primary and secondary repellents to predator management by using aversive stimulus devices (electronic training collars) and disruptive stimulus devices (behavior-contingent audio and visual repellents) in a multipredator (Canis lupus, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Ursus spp. ) study in the United States. We examined fladry and a newly developed disruptive stimulus device contingent upon behavior on six wolf territories in Wisconsin, (US.A.) and determined that the disruptive stimulus device gave the greatest degree of protection from predation. We …

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Wolf Depredation Trends And The Use Of Fladry Barriers To Protect Livestock In Western North America, Marco Musiani, Charles Mamo, Luigi Boitani, Carolyn Callaghan, C. Cormack Gates, Livia Mattei, Elisabetta Visalberghi, Stewart W. Breck, Giulia Volpi Dec 2003

Wolf Depredation Trends And The Use Of Fladry Barriers To Protect Livestock In Western North America, Marco Musiani, Charles Mamo, Luigi Boitani, Carolyn Callaghan, C. Cormack Gates, Livia Mattei, Elisabetta Visalberghi, Stewart W. Breck, Giulia Volpi

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In Alberta, Canada (1982-2001), and in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, United States (1987-2001), wolves (Canis lupus) killed various domestic animals, among which the major prey were sheep in the United States (68%, n = 494) and cattle in Canada (95%; n = 1633). Under recovery programs, the wolf population increased in the United States, and depredation events increased proportionately. In both countries, the number of domestic animals killed each year was correlated with the number of wolves killed by government authorities for depredation management. We tested the ability of anti-wolf barriers made of flags hanging from ropes to impede wolf …

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Acute And Chronic Toxicity Of Compound Drc-1339 (3-Chloro-4-Methylaniline Hydrochloride) To Birds, John D. Eisemann, Patricia A. Pipas, John L. Cummings Nov 2003

Acute And Chronic Toxicity Of Compound Drc-1339 (3-Chloro-4-Methylaniline Hydrochloride) To Birds, John D. Eisemann, Patricia A. Pipas, John L. Cummings

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

DRC-1339( 3-chloro-4-methylaniline hydrochloride) is the only toxicant currently registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for lethal bird control. DRC-1339 was first registered in 1967 for starling control at feedlots It may currently be used to manage blackbirds, rock doves, crows, ravens, magpies, gulls and starlings for purposes of protecting human health and safety, agricultural crops and threatened or endangered species. A large body of toxicity information is available because of the nature of DRC-1339 uses and its 35-year history of use. Laboratory testing has resulted in estimates of median lethal dose (LD50) for 55 species of …

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Amount And Economic Valuation Of Feral Hog Damage To A Unique Basin Marsh Wetland In Florida, Richard M. Engeman, Henry T. Smith, Robert G. Severson, Mary Ann M. Severson, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Bernice Constantin, Daniel Griffin Nov 2003

Amount And Economic Valuation Of Feral Hog Damage To A Unique Basin Marsh Wetland In Florida, Richard M. Engeman, Henry T. Smith, Robert G. Severson, Mary Ann M. Severson, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Bernice Constantin, Daniel Griffin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral hogs (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 hogs. We estimated the amount of hog 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 hog damage that was based on the dollar amounts that wetland regulators have allowed permit applicants to …

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Reducing Blackbird-Human Conflicts In Agriculture And Feedlots: New Methods For An Integrated Management Approach, George M. Linz, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry, Philip Mastrangelo Nov 2003

Reducing Blackbird-Human Conflicts In Agriculture And Feedlots: New Methods For An Integrated Management Approach, George M. Linz, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry, Philip Mastrangelo

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the United States, blackbirds are abundant and widely distributed. with their winter populations estimated to be between 500 million and 1 billion. Annual damage to grain, fruit, and berry crops from blackbirds exceeds $100 million in direct costs. Additional costs, not estimated, include those spent to prevent human health and safety hazards and those from damage abatement efforts. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services (WS) is charged with reducing the magnitude of health. safety, nuisance, agriculture, and feedlot/dairy problems caused by these birds. WS' goal is to improve profitability to agricultural producers, enhance the human health and safety, …

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Dietary Toxicity Test For 2% Drc-1339-Treated Brown Rice On Nontarget Avian Species, John L. Cummings, Darryl L. York, Kirk J. Shively, Patricia A. Pipas, Randal S. Stahl, James E. Davis Jr. Nov 2003

Dietary Toxicity Test For 2% Drc-1339-Treated Brown Rice On Nontarget Avian Species, John L. Cummings, Darryl L. York, Kirk J. Shively, Patricia A. Pipas, Randal S. Stahl, James E. Davis Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In Louisiana and Texas DRC-l339 treated brown rice is used to manage blackbird populations that cause severe damage to newly planted rice. Non-target bird species have been observed on some DRC-1339 bait sites. We conducted dietary toxicity tests to provide additional data on the toxicity of DRC-l339 to the following non-target species observed on DRC-1339 bait sites: savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis), Canada geese (Branta canadensis), snow geese (Chen caerulescens), mourning doves (Zenarda macroura), western meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta), and American tree sparrows (Spizella arborea). During our 5-day DRC-1339 dietary …

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Nontarget Bird Exposure To Drc-1339 During Fall In North Dakota And Spring In South Dakota, Thomas W. Custer, Christine M. Custer, Paul M. Dummer, George M. Linz, Louis Sileo, Randal S. Stahl, John J. Johnston Nov 2003

Nontarget Bird Exposure To Drc-1339 During Fall In North Dakota And Spring In South Dakota, Thomas W. Custer, Christine M. Custer, Paul M. Dummer, George M. Linz, Louis Sileo, Randal S. Stahl, John J. Johnston

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Blackbirds frequently use ripening sunflower (Helianthus annuus)as a food source in the northern Great Plains. In 1999 and 2000, the avicide DRC-1339 (3-chloro-4-methylaniline hydrochloride) was used experimentally on fall-ripening sunflower fields in North Dakota so researchers could evaluate its effectiveness for reducing crop depredations by blackbirds DRC-1339 was applied to rice and broadcast on the ground in a confined area within ripening sunflower fields. One objective of this study was to determine if nontarget birds, birds other than blackbirds, were eating rice and were exposed to DRC 1339. In 1999, 8 of 11(73%) sparrows collected by shotgun in sunflower fields …

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Estimating The Number Of Nonbreeding Male Red-Winged Blackbirds In Central North Dakota, Richard S. Sawin, George M. Linz, Ryan L. Wimberly, Mark W. Lutman, William J. Bleier Nov 2003

Estimating The Number Of Nonbreeding Male Red-Winged Blackbirds In Central North Dakota, Richard S. Sawin, George M. Linz, Ryan L. Wimberly, Mark W. Lutman, William J. Bleier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Red-winged blackbirds (Agelauis phoeniceus) have a polygynous breeding system that results in a group of nonbreeding males (floaters) who are unable to obtain territories. Floaters are often unaccounted for in population estimates during the breeding season because they are difficult to locate. We used a series of removals to estimate the population of non-breeding after-second-year male red-winged blackbirds in two townships in the northern Great Plains. The number of floaters determines the level of competition for vacant territories. In our study population, we estimated there were more floaters than territorial males, indicating that competition for vacant territories was …

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Nontarget Bird Use Of Drc-1339 Bait Sites During Operational Baiting Programs In Louisiana And Texas, Patricia A. Pipas, John L. Cummings, John D. Eisemann, Richard M. Engeman Nov 2003

Nontarget Bird Use Of Drc-1339 Bait Sites During Operational Baiting Programs In Louisiana And Texas, Patricia A. Pipas, John L. Cummings, John D. Eisemann, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Nontarget bird use of DRC-1339 bait sites was assessed during operational baiting programs from 2000-2002 in Louisiana and from 2001-2002 in Texas. DRC-1339 is an avicide registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to manage blackbirds causing damage to agriculture. It was used in Louisiana between 15 February to 15 March and in Texas from January though March to protect newly planted rice. In Louisiana, there were 55 bait sites observed during 316 observation periods (158 observation hours) and 312 flush-counts conducted from 2000-2002. In Texas, there were 26 bait sites observed during 182 observation periods (91 observation hours) and …

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Understanding Blackbird Sensory Systems And How Repellent Applications Work, Scott J. Werner, Larry Clark Nov 2003

Understanding Blackbird Sensory Systems And How Repellent Applications Work, Scott J. Werner, Larry Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We reviewed the learning processes and sensory capabilities of birds, with a special emphasis on chemical repellents and wildlife damage management. Repellents include several methods and devices used to manipulate behavior of birds in attempt to reduce damage or nuisance. Effective applications of chemical repellents to reduce bird damages are dependant upon an adequate understanding of the sensory modalities and modes of animal learning that are affected by a repellent. Chemical repellents can elicit withdrawal from specific or combined sensory stimuli or by producing learned avoidance via association between adverse postingestive effects and specific sensory cues. The application of repellents …

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Timber Damage By Black Bears, Dale L. Nolte, Kimberly K. Wagner, Andy Trent Nov 2003

Timber Damage By Black Bears, Dale L. Nolte, Kimberly K. Wagner, Andy Trent

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Consequences of Bear Damage
Damage Management
Bear Removal
Silvicultural Practices
Alternative Food Sources
Alternative Approaches

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Using Fecal Glucocorticoids For Stress Assessment In Mourning Doves, Brian E. Washburn, Joshua J. Millspaugh, John H. Schulz, Susan B. Jones, Tony Mong Oct 2003

Using Fecal Glucocorticoids For Stress Assessment In Mourning Doves, Brian E. Washburn, Joshua J. Millspaugh, John H. Schulz, Susan B. Jones, Tony Mong

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Fecal glucocorticoid assays provide a potentially useful, noninvasive means to study physiological responses of wildlife to various stressors. The objective of our study was to validate a method for measuring glucocorticoid metabolites in Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) feces. We validated the assay using standard procedures (e.g., parallelism, recovery of exogenous corticosterone) to demonstrate that the assay accurately and precisely measured glucocorticoid metabolites in Mourning Dove fecal extracts. We conducted adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) challenge experiments to validate the assay’s ability to determine biologically important changes in fecal glucocorticoids. Fecal glucocorticoid levels increased significantly approximately 2–3 hr after administration of ACTH …

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Effects Of Radio-Transmitters On Fecal Glucocorticoid Levels In Captive Dickcissels, Kimberly M. Suedkamp Wells, Brian E. Washburn, Joshua J. Millspaugh, Mark R. Ryan, Michael W. Hubbard Oct 2003

Effects Of Radio-Transmitters On Fecal Glucocorticoid Levels In Captive Dickcissels, Kimberly M. Suedkamp Wells, Brian E. Washburn, Joshua J. Millspaugh, Mark R. Ryan, Michael W. Hubbard

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We determined the effects of a leg-harness transmitter on fecal glucocorticoid levels of wild male Dickcissels (Spiza americana) in captivity. During the post-breeding season of 2001, we captured 10 male Dickcissels in central Missouri and housed them in individual pens of an outdoor aviary. We radio-tagged five birds; the other five were captured and handled, but were not radio-tagged. We collected fecal samples every other day prior to attachment (31 July– 21 August) and after attachment (24 August–20 September). Body condition and morphology were similar between control and transmitter-equipped birds. We observed a significant interaction between transmitter attachment …

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Detection Of West Nile Virus Infection In Birds In The United States By Blocking Elisa And Immunohistochemistry, Martine Jozan, Richard Evans, Robert Mclean, Roy Hall, Basil Tangredi, Lisa Reed, Jamesina Scott Oct 2003

Detection Of West Nile Virus Infection In Birds In The United States By Blocking Elisa And Immunohistochemistry, Martine Jozan, Richard Evans, Robert Mclean, Roy Hall, Basil Tangredi, Lisa Reed, Jamesina Scott

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A blocking ELISA targeting an immunodominant West Nile epitope on the West Nile Virus NSI protein was assessed for the detection of West Nile-specific antibodies in blood samples collected from 584 sentinel chickens and 238 wild birds collected in New Jersey from May-December 2000. Ten mallard ducks (Anus platyrirynchos) experimentally infected with West Nile virus and six uninfected controls were also tested. The ELISA proved specific in detecting WNV antibodies in 9/10 chickens and 414 wild birds previously confirmed as positive by Plaque Reduction Neutralization test (PRNT) at the Center for Disease Control, Division of Vector Borne Diseases, …

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Stored-Crop Loss Due To Deer Consumption, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Pipas, Phil Peterson, Scott F. Beckerman Oct 2003

Stored-Crop Loss Due To Deer Consumption, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Pipas, Phil Peterson, Scott F. Beckerman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Deer (Odocoileus spp.) cause an estimated loss of $100 million in United States agricultural production each year (Conover 1997). In 1984 the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection surveyed producers in the state and estimated that white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) damage to all agricultural products exceeded $36 million annually (Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection 1984). Nationwide, for stored crops alone, wildlife reportedly caused $26 million in losses in 1989 (Wywialowski 1994). Despite sometimes biased producer estimates of the value of wildlife-caused losses (Wywialowski 1994), many landowners are willing to accept a …

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Evaluation Of An Animal-Activated Scarecrow And A Monofilament Fence For Reducing Deer Use Of Soybean Fields, Jeff Beringer, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Joshua J. Millspaugh Oct 2003

Evaluation Of An Animal-Activated Scarecrow And A Monofilament Fence For Reducing Deer Use Of Soybean Fields, Jeff Beringer, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Joshua J. Millspaugh

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We measured the efficacy of an animal-activated scarecrow (AAS) and a 5-strand monofilament fence (MF) at reducing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) use of 0.4-ha soybean plots in Missouri, USA. Our study design consisted of 9 soybean plots; 3 served as controls, 3 were surrounded by an MF, and 3 were surrounded by an AAS. Data collected for each protected plot included soybean height and weight taken from within and immediately adjacent to 10 unprotected, equally spaced 1 -m2 exclosures. A measure of deer use for each plot was collected with video cameras. A mixed-effects analysis of variance …

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Use Of Frightening Devices In Wildlife Damage Management, Jason M. Gilsdorf, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Kurt C. Vercauteren Sep 2003

Use Of Frightening Devices In Wildlife Damage Management, Jason M. Gilsdorf, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife is often responsible for causing extensive damage to personal property, human health and safety concerns, and other nuisance problems because of their feeding, roosting, breeding, and loafing habits. Frightening devices are tools used in integrated wildlife damage management to reduce the impacts of animals, but the effectiveness of such devices is often variable. An animal’s visual and auditory capabilities affect how the animal will respond to a stimulus. Frightening devices include pyrotechnics, gas exploders, effigies, lights, lasers, reflective objects, guard animals, bioacoustics, and ultrasonic devices. We examined scientific literature on the use of frightening devices to reduce bird and …

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Blackbird And Starling Strikes To Civil Aircraft In The United States, 1990-2001, Scott C. Barras, Sandra E. Wright, Thomas E. Seamans Sep 2003

Blackbird And Starling Strikes To Civil Aircraft In The United States, 1990-2001, Scott C. Barras, Sandra E. Wright, Thomas E. Seamans

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Bird-aircraft collisions (bird strikes) pose hazards to aircraft and cost civil aviation hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs and logistical expenses annually in the United States. Blackbirds and starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) in particular have caused some of the most devastating aircraft accidents related to bird strikes in the United States and Europe. To determine the impacts of blackbirds and starlings to aviation in the United State, we searched the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) National Wildlife Strike Database for all reported strikes involving these species. During 1990-2001, 1,704 strikes involving blackbirds and starlings were reported to the FAA …

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The Role Of Research In Expanded Regional Management Of Double-Crested Cormorants, Scott C. Barras, Mark E. Tobin Sep 2003

The Role Of Research In Expanded Regional Management Of Double-Crested Cormorants, Scott C. Barras, Mark E. Tobin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The number of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) breeding in the Great Lakes states and provinces has increased during recent decades. Their abundance and foraging habits have thrust this species into conflict with the aquaculture industry and fisheries interests. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a change in the management of double-crested cormorants recently to alleviate these conflicts, especially with aquaculture, natural resources, and federal fish hatcheries. Research activities should be an integral component of these expanded efforts to manage cormorants, including further investigations on cormorant impacts to the aquaculture industry and evaluations of the added benefits …

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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. Harriqson, Seija Karki, Kevin Mote Aug 2003

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. Harriqson, 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 defence 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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An Economic Analysis Of A Simple Structural Method To Reduce Road-Kills Of Royal Terns At Bridges, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Henry T. Smith, Alice M. Bard, Terese V. Harbor, Richard M. Engeman Aug 2003

An Economic Analysis Of A Simple Structural Method To Reduce Road-Kills Of Royal Terns At Bridges, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Henry T. Smith, Alice M. Bard, Terese V. Harbor, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Royal terns (Sterna maxima) in Florida are listed as a “species of special concern” by the Florida Committee on Rare and Endangered Plants and Animals (Egensteiner et al., 1996). These birds live along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida throughout the year (Egensteiner et al., 1996); their winter range along the Atlantic Coast of the United States is from North Carolina south through Florida (Clapp et al., 1983), with the Florida population augmented by terns migrating from breeding colonies farther north. Collisions with vehicles cause many marine bird road-kills at some coastal roads and bridges in Florida …

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Hlanagement Of Carnivore Predation As A Means To Reduce Livestock Losses: The Study Of Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In North America, Eric M. Gese Aug 2003

Hlanagement Of Carnivore Predation As A Means To Reduce Livestock Losses: The Study Of Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In North America, Eric M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Many carnivore populations throughout the world are declining due to expansion of human populations, habitat loss, illegal poaching, legal hunting, disease, habitat fragmentation, declines in native prey, and increased competition with livestock and other human land uses. A major obstacle facing conservation efforts, reintroduction programs, and recovery plans for many carnivore species throughout the world is the continual issue of depredations by carnivores on agricultural interests (hlech 1996). In the United States, efforts to reintroduce and/or recover wolves (Canis lupus) and grizzly bears (Ursus arcios) in the northern Rocky Mountains has been met with much opposition …

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Monitoring Predators To Optimize Their Management For Marine Turtle Nest Protection, Richard M. Engeman, R. Erik Martin, Bernice Constantin, Ryan Noel, John Woolard Aug 2003

Monitoring Predators To Optimize Their Management For Marine Turtle Nest Protection, Richard M. Engeman, R. Erik Martin, Bernice Constantin, Ryan Noel, John Woolard

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The fundamental conservation focus for Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge (HSNWR), Florida is to provide protected nesting habitat for three threatened or endangered marine turtle species. Turtle nesting and hatching spans from early spring to fall each year. Left unchecked, nest predation by raccoons and armadillos would destroy most turtle nests. Predators are removed to protect nests, primarily with a one person-month contract using control specialists. We maximized the efficiency of predator removal by using a passive tracking index to: (1)optimize the timing and strategy for predator removal, (2)minimize labor by identifying areas where predator removal would have maximal effects, …

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West Nile Virus: Emerging Threat To Public Health And Animal Health, Robert G. Mclean Aug 2003

West Nile Virus: Emerging Threat To Public Health And Animal Health, Robert G. Mclean

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

West Nile virus (WNV) is in the genus Flavivirus, family Flavioiridae, and is closely related to other members of this genus: Japanese encephalitis virus in Southeast Asia, Murray Valley encephalitis virus in Australia, and St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus in North and South America. The principal vertebrate hosts for these arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are wild birds, and the primary vectors are mosquitoes. Little clinical disease or mortality has been reported previously in wild birds from natural infection with these viruses, although significant morbidity and mortality has occurred in humans and domestic animals. West Nile virus (WNV) previously occurred …

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The Deer Boom: Discussins On Population Growth And Range Expansion Of The White-Tailed Deer, Kurt C. Vercauteren Aug 2003

The Deer Boom: Discussins On Population Growth And Range Expansion Of The White-Tailed Deer, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is the most common and sought-after North American big game animal. More whitetails are harvested each fall than all other deer species (elk, mule deer, moose, and caribou) combined. Whitetails are popular for two main reasons, 1) their broad distribution, and 2) their abundance. The vast majority of bowhunters live in whitetail range and whitetails have experienced a population boom over the last century. Both in terms of numbers and densities, whitetails are far more abundant now than at any time during our lifetime. That is the keypoint, "during our lifetime." If the …

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An Individual-Based Model Of Canid Populations: Modelling Territoriality And Social Structure, William C. Pitt, Paul W. Box, Frederick F. Knowlton Aug 2003

An Individual-Based Model Of Canid Populations: Modelling Territoriality And Social Structure, William C. Pitt, Paul W. Box, Frederick F. Knowlton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The management of canid populations has been at the forefront of wildlife management worldwide for much of the last century. Effective management depends on the ability to integrate species biology, the environmental aspects upon which those populations depend, and the factors controlling species abundance. Further, managing canid populations requires consideration of territoriality and dominance, which may have a significant effect on population dynamics. To better understand the effect of social structure on canid populations, we developed an individual-based computer model using Swarm to mimic natural coyote population dynamics. We selected the Swarm simulation environment because it is ideally suited for …

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More On The Need To Get The Basics Right: Population Indices, Richard M. Engeman Jul 2003

More On The Need To Get The Basics Right: Population Indices, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

On the grounds of "the need to get the basics right in wildlife field studies," Anderson (2001:1294-1297) recently included a general condemnation of the use of population indices. My purpose in this brief note is to add a few paragraphs of my thoughts to the comments by Anderson (2001) with respect to indexing animal populations. In general, I agree with the quantitative concepts described by Anderson (2001); however, I would like to place his comments into a broader perspective of general statistical rigor, without condemning the use of population indices if they are appropriately constructed.

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Red Lasers Are Ineffective For Dispersing Deer At Night, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Michael J. Pipas, Paul B. Fioranelli, Scott J. Werner, Bradley F. Blackwell Jul 2003

Red Lasers Are Ineffective For Dispersing Deer At Night, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Michael J. Pipas, Paul B. Fioranelli, Scott J. Werner, Bradley F. Blackwell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Populations of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and the number of deer-human conflicts have increased in recent years, emphasizing the need for efficient and inexpensive methods to reduce site-specific deer damage. Recent research using laser technology to disperse a variety of bird species has yielded promising results, prompting wildlife professionals and the public to question whether lasers could play a role in reducing damage and conflict with mammals, primarily deer. We evaluated 2 red lasers (63-650 nm) to determine their effectiveness as devices to frighten deer. No differences occurred in flight response between lasers or between the control and …

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Characteristics Of Grit In Canada Goose Gizzards, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Lavelle, Kirk J. Shively Jul 2003

Characteristics Of Grit In Canada Goose Gizzards, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Lavelle, Kirk J. Shively

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In many localities, Canada geese (Branta canadensis) have habituated to urban settings and their populations are increasing. Reproductive inhibitors contained in synthetic grit could play a role in integrated Canada goose management. We describe and quantity the physical characteristics of natural grit collected from the gizzards of Canada geese from 4 regions of the United States. The average grit sample had a weight of 14.26 g, a volume of 2.45 ml, a grit-particle count of 1,419, and a soil weight of 6.85 g. The average grit particle measured 2.02 mm long and 1.52 mm wide, and had an …

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Lethal Control Of Red-Winged Blackbirds To Manage Damage To Sunflower: An Economic Evaluation, Bradley F. Blackwell, Eric Huszar, George M. Linz, Richard A. Dolbeer Jul 2003

Lethal Control Of Red-Winged Blackbirds To Manage Damage To Sunflower: An Economic Evaluation, Bradley F. Blackwell, Eric Huszar, George M. Linz, Richard A. Dolbeer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the northern Great Plains of the United States, conflicts between red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus) growers have intensified since the late 1960s due to the expanded commercial production of sunflowers. We studied the potential population effects of the removal of up to 2 million red-winged blackbirds annually under a 5-year program of baiting during spring with DRC-1339 (3-choloro-4-methalalanine)-treated rice. We also examined whether lethal control, in combination with current levels of breeding-habitat management, would be cost-effective in decreasing depredation of sunflower crops during late summer. We evaluated the cost-benefit ratio for 4 …

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