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United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

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The Demographic Response Of Bank-Dwelling Beavers To Flow Regulation: A Comparison On The Green And Yampa Rivers, Stewart W. Breck, Kenneth R. Wilson, Douglas C. Anderson Nov 2001

The Demographic Response Of Bank-Dwelling Beavers To Flow Regulation: A Comparison On The Green And Yampa Rivers, Stewart W. Breck, Kenneth R. Wilson, Douglas C. Anderson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We assessed the effects of flow regulation on the demography of beavers (Castor canadensis) by comparing the density, home-range size, and body size of bank-dwelling beavers on two sixth-order alluvial river systems, the flow-regulated Green River and the free-flowing Yampa River, from 1997 to 2000. Flow regulation on the Green River has altered fluvial geomorphic processes, influencing the availability of willow and cottonwood, which, in turn, has influenced the demography of beavers. Beaver density was higher on the Green River (0.5–0.6 colonies per kilometer of river) than on the Yampa River (0.35 colonies per kilometer of river). Adult …

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Targeting Alphas Can Make Coyote Control More Effective And Socially Acceptable, Michael M. Jaeger, Karen M. Blejwas, Benjamin N. Sacks, Jennifer C.C. Neale, Mary M. Conner, Dale R. Mccullough Oct 2001

Targeting Alphas Can Make Coyote Control More Effective And Socially Acceptable, Michael M. Jaeger, Karen M. Blejwas, Benjamin N. Sacks, Jennifer C.C. Neale, Mary M. Conner, Dale R. Mccullough

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Research at the UC Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC) has improved our understanding of how to reduce sheep depredation while minimizing the impact on coyotes. Analysis of a 14-year data set of HREC coyote-control efforts found that sheep depredation losses were not correlated with the number of coyotes removed in any of three time scales analyzed (yearly, seasonally and monthly) during corresponding intervals for the next 2 years. Field research using radiotelemetry to track coyotes supported and explained this finding. For example, in 1995, dominant “alphas” from four territories were associated with 89% of 74 coyote-killed lambs; “betas” and …

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Determination Of Cabergoline By Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry: Picogram Detection Via Column Focusing Sample Introduction, Bruce A. Kimball, Thomas J. Deliberto, John J. Johnston Oct 2001

Determination Of Cabergoline By Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry: Picogram Detection Via Column Focusing Sample Introduction, Bruce A. Kimball, Thomas J. Deliberto, John J. Johnston

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

An electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric method was developed for low-picogram detection of an ergot alkaloid, cabergoline, in coyote plasma extracts. Cabergoline is under investigation as an abortifacient in canid species. Central to the successful development of this method was the ability to introduce relatively large sample volumes into the mass spectrometer. This was achieved by focusing the analyte on a conventional high-performance liquid chromatography guard column prior to elution into the spectrometer. Volumes up to at least 900 μL could be injected onto the guard column using a 100% aqueous mobile phase. Cabergoline retained on the column was eluted …

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Effects Of Trapping And Subsequent Short-Term Confinement Stress On Plasma Corticosterone In The Brown Treesnake (Boiga Irregularis) On Guam, Tom Mathies, Todd A. Felix, Valentine A. Lance Oct 2001

Effects Of Trapping And Subsequent Short-Term Confinement Stress On Plasma Corticosterone In The Brown Treesnake (Boiga Irregularis) On Guam, Tom Mathies, Todd A. Felix, Valentine A. Lance

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The effects of capture in a live trap and subsequent handling stress on plasma concentrations of corticosterone and other sex steroids were examined in wild male and female brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis), an introduced species on Guam that has been implicated in the extirpation or decline of many of that island's vertebrate species. Males and females that spent 1 night in a trap had plasma levels of corticosterone about four and two times higher, respectively, than those of the respective free-ranging controls. Mean plasma levels of corticosterone of snakes that had spent 3 nights in a trap were …

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Porcine Zona Pellucida Immunocontraception: Long-Term Health Effects On White-Tailed Deer, Lowell A. Miller, Ken Crane, Stan Gaddis, Gary J. Killian Oct 2001

Porcine Zona Pellucida Immunocontraception: Long-Term Health Effects On White-Tailed Deer, Lowell A. Miller, Ken Crane, Stan Gaddis, Gary J. Killian

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

As part of a 9-year study on the contraceptive effects of Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP) on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), we analyzed serum chemistry panels during the first 4 years. This included the first 2 years when does were being actively immunized, and 2 years post-immunization. The chemistry panel was designed to detect pathologies that might result from the immunization of the deer. Blood chemistry results did not suggest any pathological changes resulting from the immunization. Seasonal differences in serum cholesterol were similar in both the control and PZP-treated groups. Seasonal changes in the mean body weights of …

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Decline Of The Red-Winged Blackbird Population In Ohio Correlated To Changes In Agriculture (1965-1996), Bradley F. Blackwell, Richard A. Dolbeer Oct 2001

Decline Of The Red-Winged Blackbird Population In Ohio Correlated To Changes In Agriculture (1965-1996), Bradley F. Blackwell, Richard A. Dolbeer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Based on North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data since 1966, Ohio has traditionally hosted 1 of the highest breeding season densities of red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) of any U.S. state or Canadian province. However, from 1966 through 1996, breeding populations of red-winged blackbirds in Ohio showed a marked decline (x̅ % change/yr in birds per route = -3.9), with breeding population indices decreasing by over 53%. Because the red-winged blackbird successfully adapted to habitats created by agricultural expansion over the last century and became a recognized pest of crops such as corn (Zea mays), …

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Efficacy Of Wolfin To Repel Black-Tailed Deer, Dale L. Nolte, Kimberly K. Wagner Oct 2001

Efficacy Of Wolfin To Repel Black-Tailed Deer, Dale L. Nolte, Kimberly K. Wagner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Deer and elk provide many desirable recreational opportunities but also can cause severe conflicts with humans. Excluding them from agricultural resources or from roadways is desirable, but fencing is expensive. A chemical barrier would offer a feasible alternative to reduce damage caused by deer. A series of three tests was conducted to assess whether black-tailed deer avoided areas treated with Wolfin, a synthetic predator odor. Wolfin failed to repel deer during any of these trials. We conclude that Wolfin, as applied within this study, is unlikely to reduce problems roused by free-ranging deer. West. J Appl. For. 16(4):182-186.

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The Role Of Predation In Wildlife Population Dynamics, Eric M. Gese, Frederick F. Knowlton Sep 2001

The Role Of Predation In Wildlife Population Dynamics, Eric M. Gese, Frederick F. Knowlton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The role predation plays in the dynamics of prey populations is controversial. Our understandings of predator-prey relationships is complicated by a multitude of factors in the environment and a general lack of knowledge of most ecological systems. Various other factors, besides predation, may regulate or limit prey populations, and various factors influence the degree to which predation affects prey populations. Furthermore, some factors may create time lags, or even cause generational effects, that go unnoticed. Herein, we review the role of predation in wildlife population dynamics, some of the factors influencing predator-prey interactions, and attempt to indicate where the professional …

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Analysis Of Pesticide Gas Cartridges, John J. Johnston, Carol A. Furcolow, Doreen G. Griffin, Randal S. Stahl, John D. Eisemann Aug 2001

Analysis Of Pesticide Gas Cartridges, John J. Johnston, Carol A. Furcolow, Doreen G. Griffin, Randal S. Stahl, John D. Eisemann

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Charcoal and sodium nitrate, the active ingredients in pesticide gas cartridges, are quantified via carbon analysis and ion chromatography, respectively. Linearity was excellent (R2 > 0.995) over a range consisting of 50-150% of the target concentration for both ingredients. The coefficient of variation for the replicate analyses of gas cartridges over multiple days was <4% for both analytes. Using the results from the analysis of two batches of gas cartridges, theoretical populations were modeled and used to determine practical sampling strategies to support a quality control program for a gas cartridge manufacturing operation. This modeling indicates that the analysis of three cartridges from each of five different lots would produce mean values for both active ingredients that are within 5% of the true mean >99% of the time.

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Determination Of Diazacon In Quail Feed And Quail Serum By Ion Pair Reversed-Phase Chromatography, John J. Johnston, Margaret J. Goodall, Jerome C. Hurley, Christi A. Yoder, Lowell A. Miller Aug 2001

Determination Of Diazacon In Quail Feed And Quail Serum By Ion Pair Reversed-Phase Chromatography, John J. Johnston, Margaret J. Goodall, Jerome C. Hurley, Christi A. Yoder, Lowell A. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Liquid chromatographic (LC) methods were developed for quantitating the potential avian contraceptive DiazaCon in quail feed and serum. DiazaCon was extracted from ground quail feed with basic n-butyl chloride. The n-butyl chloride extract was evaporated to dryness. The DiazaCon residues were dissolved in an aqueous methanolic ion pairing solution and quantitated by LC at 206 nm. Avian sera was combined with an equal volume of a pH 4 aqueous solution of ion pairing reagent and filtered to remove interfering proteins. DiazaCon was quantitated by LC. Mean recoveries for 500 and 2000 ppm fortified feed were 89.1 and 91.0%, …

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Determination Of 4,4′-Dinitrocarbanilide (Dnc), The Active Component Of The Antifertility Agent Nicarbazin, In Chicken, Duck, And Goose Plasma, Thomas M. Primus, Dennis J. Kohler, Margaret A. Goodall, Christi Yoder, Doreen Griffin, Lowell A. Miller, John J. Johnston Jul 2001

Determination Of 4,4′-Dinitrocarbanilide (Dnc), The Active Component Of The Antifertility Agent Nicarbazin, In Chicken, Duck, And Goose Plasma, Thomas M. Primus, Dennis J. Kohler, Margaret A. Goodall, Christi Yoder, Doreen Griffin, Lowell A. Miller, John J. Johnston

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

4,4′-Dinitrocarbanilide (DNC) was extracted from chicken, duck, and goose plasma and isolated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. DNC was detected by ultraviolet absorbance at 347 nm and quantified by comparison to a calibration standard. Recovery data were determined by analyzing DNC-fortified control plasma. The mean recovery of DNC in fortified chicken plasma samples was 99.7 ± 1.9% for 0.18 and 9.1 ppm DNC, and in fortified duck and goose plasma samples was 99.5 ± 4.9% and 101.4 ± 4.5%, respectively, for 0.18, 9.1, and 18 ppm DNC.

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Survival Of Avian Carcasses And Photographic Evidence Of Predators And Scavengers, Richard M. Kostecke, George M. Linz, William J. Bleier Jul 2001

Survival Of Avian Carcasses And Photographic Evidence Of Predators And Scavengers, Richard M. Kostecke, George M. Linz, William J. Bleier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Scavenging of carcasses may bias estimates of mortality following the use of pesticides. To assess carcass survival, we monitored bird carcasses in crop stubble, grassland, roadside, and wooded habitats in east-central South Dakota in early spring. Survival rates differed among habitat types in 1997 but not in 1998. Survival rates did not differ among species of carcass in 1997 or 1998. Within 5 d, 66% of carcasses had been scavenged in both 1997 and 1998. To assess potential hazards of secondary poisoning, we used infrared-triggered camera systems to identify predators and scavengers of live birds and bird carcasses. Mammals ( …

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Surgical Sterilization As A Method Of Reducing Coyote Predation On Domestic Sheep, Cassity Bromley, Eric M. Gese Jul 2001

Surgical Sterilization As A Method Of Reducing Coyote Predation On Domestic Sheep, Cassity Bromley, Eric M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Predation by coyotes (Canis latrans) on domestic sheep is a problem for many livestock producers throughout the United States Intermountain West. We examined whether surgical sterilization of coyote packs would modify their predatory behavior and reduce predation rates on domestic sheep as compared to coyote packs with pups. From June 1997 to December 1997, we gathered baseline information on coyote pack size and movements. In winter 1998, we surgically sterilized and radio-collared members of 5 coyote packs. We also captured and radio-collared members of 6 packs that remained intact (i.e., reproductive). During summer 1998, only 1 sterile pack …

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Comparison Of Commercial Deer Repellents, Andy Trent, Dale L. Nolte, Kimberly Wagner Jul 2001

Comparison Of Commercial Deer Repellents, Andy Trent, Dale L. Nolte, Kimberly Wagner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Foraging deer can severely hinder regeneration of newly stocked stands. Chemical repellents (along with fencing and individual tree shelters) are socially acceptable nonlethal tools to reduce deer damage. New products are continually entering the market, but their efficacy varies greatly. Availability or even registration of these products does not equate with effectiveness. Some repellents may contain active ingredients at concentrations below avoidance thresholds. Others may contain ingredients that don’t repel the target species. The Olympia Field Station of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center has conducted numerous studies to identify trends that …

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Effect Of Primary And Secondary Repellents On European Starlings: An Initial Assessment, Roger W. Sayre, Larry Clark Jul 2001

Effect Of Primary And Secondary Repellents On European Starlings: An Initial Assessment, Roger W. Sayre, Larry Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife managers need chemical repellents that are effective at deterring damage by birds, but these repellents must be environmentally and toxicologically safe. The number of commercially available bird repellents has been reduced because of concerns about environmental safety. Currently, there are 2 categories of avian repellents. Chemicals that are reflexively avoided by birds because they irritate the peripheral chemical senses are referred to as primary repellents. Chemicals that cause gastrointestinal illness and learned avoidance of ancillary sensory cues that are paired with the illness are known as secondary repellents. Secondary repellents most often identified as the most effective avian repellents …

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Managing Wolf Conflict With Livestock In The Northwestern United States, Ed Bangs, John A. Shivik Jul 2001

Managing Wolf Conflict With Livestock In The Northwestern United States, Ed Bangs, John A. Shivik

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wolves (Canis lupus) were once common throughout North America but were deliberately exterminated in the lower 48 United States, except in northeastern Minnesota, primarily because of depredations on livestock. Wolves remained abundant in areas with few livestock such as most of Canada and Alaska. Sixty years after being nearly exterminated, the gray wolf was listed under the United States Endangered Species Act (Act) in 1974. The combination of natural recovery in NW Montana, and reintroduction in central Idaho and the Greater Yellowstone area (NW Wyoming, eastern Idaho, and SW Montana) has resulted in an expanding wolf population (Bangs …

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Chemical Repellents And Other Aversive Strategies In Predation Management, J.R. R. Mason, J.A. Shivik, M.W. Fall Jul 2001

Chemical Repellents And Other Aversive Strategies In Predation Management, J.R. R. Mason, J.A. Shivik, M.W. Fall

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Chemical repellents and other aversive strategies are the core of non-lethal wildlife management. These strategies typically depend on irritation (pain), conditioning, or fear for their effectiveness, and none is universally successful. Thus, conditioned food aversions deter browsing and foraging by deer (virginianus , O. hemionus), but are less useful with predators, because killing, not consumption, is the behavior of interest. Broadly speaking, the utility of non-lethal strategies is affected by number and density of wildlife species, availability of alternative foods, palatability and novelty of treated items, and intensity of pain, sickness, or fear used to establish avoidance. Some …

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Importance Of Bacterial Decomposition And Carrion Substrate To Foraging Brown Treesnakes, S.M. Jojola-Elverum, J.A. Shivik, L. Clark Jun 2001

Importance Of Bacterial Decomposition And Carrion Substrate To Foraging Brown Treesnakes, S.M. Jojola-Elverum, J.A. Shivik, L. Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Brown treesnakes are an invasive species to the island of Guam that have caused extensive ecological and economic damage. Efforts to control the snake population have included trapping using live mouse lures, but for logistical and economic reasons a synthetic lure is needed. When searching for live food, brown treesnakes use both visual and odor cues. However, when searching for carrion, odor cues are sufficient. Attempts to develop synthetic lures based on chemical reconstruction of the complex carrion odor have not succeeded. We provide evidence that a microbial–substrate interaction is important for bait take by brown treesnakes. Microbial cultures taken …

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Territorial Defense By Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming: Who, How, Where, When, And Why, Eric M. Gese Jun 2001

Territorial Defense By Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming: Who, How, Where, When, And Why, Eric M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Territorial defense and maintenance are an important facet of the social ecology of most carnivore species. From January 1991 to June 1993, we observed 54 coyotes (Canis latrans) for 2507 h in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, during which we observed 112 instances of territory defense. The identity of the coyotes involved in challenging and evicting intruding animals was known. Alpha coyotes were most likely to be involved in territorial evictions of intruding animals, followed by beta individuals; pups participated little in territory defense. Coyotes evicting intruders generally had a numerical advantage when challenging the intruders. Territory-defense rates were …

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Evaluation Of Mirrors To Deter Nesting Starlings, Thomas W. Seamans, Charles D. Lovell, Richard A. Dolbeer, Jonathon D. Cepek Jun 2001

Evaluation Of Mirrors To Deter Nesting Starlings, Thomas W. Seamans, Charles D. Lovell, Richard A. Dolbeer, Jonathon D. Cepek

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) nesting in buildings and other structures can cause health, nuisance, and safety problems. We evaluated effectiveness of flashing lights combined with mirrors, and mirrors alone, as deterrents for starlings nesting in starling nest boxes in northern Ohio, 1998-2000. Each year, 100 nest boxes attached to utility poles were randomly assigned equally among 4 treatments (including untreated boxes): 1998- mirrored (internally placed on the back and 2 side walls of nest boxes), mirrored with red-flashing lights, and mirrored with green-flashing lights; 1999-convex mirror above entrance hole, convex mirror at back of nest box, and flat …

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Density Of Prairie Skinks (Eumeces Septentrionalis) In Old-Field Habitats, William C. Pitt May 2001

Density Of Prairie Skinks (Eumeces Septentrionalis) In Old-Field Habitats, William C. Pitt

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

From 1996–1998 I estimated the density of prairie skinks (Eumeces septentrionalis) in old fields and evaluated the influence of habitat characteristics on density. I estimated prairie skink density from a trapping grid using a mark-recapture method in seven old fields. For each field I estimated arthropod density, percent plant cover and recorded field age and if the field had been burned in the last 5 y. Arthropod density was highly variable among years and fields. Percent plant cover did not explain this variation, as it varied little among fields and years. Prairie skink density ranged from 58–206 adults …

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Monitoring Changes In Feral Swine Abundance And Spatial Distribution, Richard M. Engeman, Bernice Constantine, Mark Nelson, John Woolard, Jean Bourassa May 2001

Monitoring Changes In Feral Swine Abundance And Spatial Distribution, Richard M. Engeman, Bernice Constantine, Mark Nelson, John Woolard, Jean Bourassa

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Swine (Sus scrofa) have been introduced in many places throughout the world, and in many places they adversely affect the environment, economically impact agriculture, and/or harbor diseases transmittable to domestic livestock or humans. An easily applied method to assess their abundance is an important need for their management. To monitor efficacy of a swine control program in Florida, data from passive tracking plots provide an index of feral swine abundance. The same track data coupled with plot locations to numerically describe the spatial pattern of swine activity gave an index of pervasiveness, and a simple rate of interception …

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Monitoring Raccoon Populations To Maximize Efficacy Of A Fixed-Cost Control Budget For Reducing Predation On Sea Turtle Nests, Richard M. Engeman, Bernice Constantin, Ryan Noel, John D. Woolard May 2001

Monitoring Raccoon Populations To Maximize Efficacy Of A Fixed-Cost Control Budget For Reducing Predation On Sea Turtle Nests, Richard M. Engeman, Bernice Constantin, Ryan Noel, John D. Woolard

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The fundamental focus for the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge on Florida's east coast is to provide and protect nesting habitat for three threatened or endangered sea turtle species. Nesting and hatching by three sea turtle species spans from early spring to fall each year. Left unchecked, predation by raccoons would destroy a high proportion of turtle nests. Raccoon removal is applied to reduce nest predation, but available funding only allows for about a one person-month control contract. We maximized the economical efficiency of this control budget by using a passive tracking index to: 1) optimize the timing and strategy …

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Solid Phase Extraction Gas Chromatography/Electron Capture Detector Method For The Determination Of Organochlorine Pesticides In Wildlife Whole Blood, S. A. Volz, J. J. Johnston, D. L. Griffin May 2001

Solid Phase Extraction Gas Chromatography/Electron Capture Detector Method For The Determination Of Organochlorine Pesticides In Wildlife Whole Blood, S. A. Volz, J. J. Johnston, D. L. Griffin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A gas chromatographic method for the analysis of 10 organochlorine pesticides in 0.5 mL of whole blood is described. Sample preparation involved an ethyl ether and hexane extraction, followed by a silica solid phase extraction cleanup. The pesticides are quantified by gas chromatography/electron capture detection. Method limits of detection ranged from 1.1 to 5.2 μ g/L. The mean and standard deviation for the recovery of 10 pesticides was 97.9 ( 5.5%. Recoveries from whole blood were comparable to recoveries from plasma. This indicates that the preparation of plasma is unnecessary for the quantification of organochlorine pesticides in blood. This approach …

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Solid Phase Extraction Gas Chromatography/Electron Capture Detector Method For The Determination Of Organochlorine Pesticides In Wildlife Whole Blood, S. A. Volz, J.J. Johnston, D.L. Griffin May 2001

Solid Phase Extraction Gas Chromatography/Electron Capture Detector Method For The Determination Of Organochlorine Pesticides In Wildlife Whole Blood, S. A. Volz, J.J. Johnston, D.L. Griffin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A gas chromatographic method for the analysis of 10 organochlorine pesticides in 0.5 mL of whole blood is described. Sample preparation involved an ethyl ether and hexane extraction, followed by a silica solid phase extraction cleanup. The pesticides are quantified by gas chromatography/electron capture detection. Method limits of detection ranged from 1.1 to 5.2 μg/L. The mean and standard deviation for the recovery of 10 pesticides was 97.9 ± 5.5%. Recoveries from whole blood were comparable to recoveries from plasma. This indicates that the preparation of plasma is unnecessary for the quantification of organochlorine pesticides in blood. This approach is …

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Introduced Wildlife Of Oregon And Washington , Gary W. Witmer, Jeffrey C. Lewis Apr 2001

Introduced Wildlife Of Oregon And Washington , Gary W. Witmer, Jeffrey C. Lewis

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Each species of wildlife occurs as part of an ecosystem, interacting in many ways with other plant and animal species in that system as well as with the abiotic components such as soil, air, water, and other substrates. The array of wildlife species around the globe has been shaped by geological and climatological events as well as by eons of evolution and natural selection. Species have come and gone and those remaining have, in most cases, co-evolved or co-adapted with many other species so that relatively stable, and often complex, relationships exist. Usually, a great many niches have been carved …

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Use Of Acetaminophen For Large-Scale Control Of Brown Treesnakes, Peter J. Savarie, John A. Shivik, Gary C. White, Jerome C. Hurley, Larry Clark Apr 2001

Use Of Acetaminophen For Large-Scale Control Of Brown Treesnakes, Peter J. Savarie, John A. Shivik, Gary C. White, Jerome C. Hurley, Larry Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Because the brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) has virtually extirpated the avifauna on Guam and is a threat to other Pacific islands, the development of alternative and efficient control methods is required. Therefore, we performed a large-scale field experiment to determine whether the acetaminophen baits we developed could be used to reduce population levels of brown treesnakes on Guam. Toxic baits were made by inserting 80 mg of acetaminophen into dead neonatal mice, and these mouse baits were used to treat plots. Reference plots were baited with unadulterated baits. We used mark-recapture methods to estimate snake abundance on plots …

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Compound Drc-1339 Concentrate-Livestock, Nest, And Fodder Depredations (Epa Reg. No. 56228-29) Apr 2001

Compound Drc-1339 Concentrate-Livestock, Nest, And Fodder Depredations (Epa Reg. No. 56228-29)

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

DRC-1339 is an avicide registered by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS) Wildlife Services (WS) program for the control of blackbirds, starlings, pigeons, crows, ravens, magpies, and gulls. Only certified applicators working for WS, or persons under their direct supervision, can apply this avicide. APHIS/WS has five DRC-1339 products registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to use for bird problems that cannot be resolved by other commercially available products. The Compound DRC-1339 Concentrate- Livestock, Nest, and Fodder Depredations registration (1 339-COR) provides for the use of egg or meat baits to control damage to livestock, wildlife …

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Egg Oil: An Avian Population Control Tool Apr 2001

Egg Oil: An Avian Population Control Tool

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's Wildlife Services (WS) program uses many methods to manage populations of gulls, waterfowl, and other birds in areas where they create problems. Methods include trapping and relocation, surgical sterilization, mechanical scare devices, repellents, and hunting. However, these methods, and others that reduce or prevent eggs from hatching-such as shaking, freezing, addling, nest destruction, and egg removal-are labor intensive and may not be effective in operational programs.

The application of various oils (of mineral and vegetable origin) to eggs during the nesting season to prevent hatching is less labor intensive. In addition, this method …

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Drc-1339 (Starlicide) Apr 2001

Drc-1339 (Starlicide)

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

DRC-1339 (3-chloro-4-methyl benzenamine HCI, Chemical Abstract Service Reg. No. 7745-89-3) is a slow-acting avicide that is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the control of several species of pest birds, including blackbirds, starlings, pigeons, crows, ravens, magpies, and gulls. Technical DRC-1339 (Starlicide Technical, EPA Reg. No. 602-134) contains 97 percent DRC-1339. Starlicide products and DRC- 1339 were developed jointly by Ralston Purina, Inc., Purina Mills, Inc., and the National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Registrations are maintained by PM Resources, Inc., Earth City Resources, and APHIS.

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