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The History Of Wildlife Strikes And Management At Airports, Richard A. Dolbeer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The first human-powered flight took place in December 1903, when Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully flew their experimental aircraft at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, USA. Birds, which had been practicing powered flight for about 150 milli0n-Years, suddenly had a new "competitor" for airspace. and the bird-aircraft collision problem (hereafter referred to as bird strikes) began shortly thereafter (Cleary and Dolbeer 2005). On 7 September 1905, the first reported bird strike, as recorded by Orville Wright in his diary, occurred when his aircraft hit a bird over a cornfield near Dayton, Ohio, USA. Flocks of red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) …

Population Management To Reduce The Risk Of Wiid Life-Aircraft Collisions, Richard A. Dolbeer, Alan B. Franklin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Pour basic control strategies mitigate the risks to aviation caused by wildlife at airports: (1) aircraft flight schedule modification (primarily at military air· bases) and enhancement of aircraft visibility to avoid interactions with wildlife (e.g., Blackwell et a1. 2009b, 2012); (2) habitat modification and elimination of food, water, and cover that attract wildlife (Cleary and Dolbeer 2005, Blackwell et al. 2009a; Chapters 5, 8-10); (3) repellent and harassment techniques to disperse wild life (Cleary and Dolbeer 2005; Chapters 2-4); and (4) wildlife population management (e.g., Dolbeer 1998). As discussed throughout this book, successful efforts to mitigate the risk of wildlife-aircraft …

Understanding Animal Movements At And Near Airports, Jerrold L. Belant, Brian E. Washburn, Travis L. Devault

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Understanding movements of hazardous wildlife species at and near airports is critical to formulating effective management strategies for reducing aviation risk. Animal movements vary daily, seasonally, and annually and are based on broad biological and ecological concepts, including foraging, reproduction, habitat characteristics, dispersal, and migration. As an energy conservation strategy. most animals minimize their movements to meet life requisites, which in turn presumably improves fitness. Animal movements in relation to airports can be direct; for example, Canada geese (Branta canadensis) flying onto an airfield because grass height and composition are suitable for loafing sites and as food. Animal …

Report To The Chicago Park District On Conflicts With Ring-Billed Gulls And The 2013 Integrated Ring-Billed Gull Damage Management Project, J. W. Hartmann, T. G. Guerrant, S. F. Beckerman, R. M. Engeman, T. W. Seamans

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The large ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis) population in the City of Chicago has caused various conflicts including general nuisance, property damage, economic losses, and threats to human health and safety. Several studies have shown a relationship between ring-billed gulls and increased levels of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) in nearshore waters. Results of tests for E. coli have led to the issuance of swim advisories at Chicago beaches.

The objectives of the Chicago Ring-billed Gull Damage Management Project were to (1) reduce the local production of ring-billed gulls, (2) reduce the severity of …

Wild Ungulates As Disseminators Of Shiga Toxin- Producing Escherichia Coli In Urban Areas, Alan B. Franklin, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Hugh Maguire, Mary K. Cichon, Justin W. Fischer, Michael J. Lavelle, Amber Powell, J. Jeffrey Root, Elaine Scallan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: In 2008, children playing on a soccer field in Colorado were sickened with a strain of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7, which was ultimately linked to feces from wild Rocky Mountain elk. We addressed whether wild cervids were a potential source of STEC infections in humans and whether STEC was ubiquitous throughout wild cervid populations in Colorado.

Methodology/Principal Findings: We collected 483 fecal samples from Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer in urban and non-urban areas. Samples testing positive for STEC were higher in urban (11.0%) than non-urban (1.6%) areas. Elk fecal samples in urban areas had a …

Brownian Bridge Movement Models To Characterize Birds’ Home Ranges, Justin W. Fischer, W. David Walter, Michael L. Avery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A Brownian bridge movement model (BBMM) is a relatively new concept that estimates the path of an animal’s movement probabilistically from data recorded at brief intervals. A BBMM assumes that locations are not independent, whereas the “classical” kernel-density estimator (KDE) assumes they are. We estimated BBMM home ranges for 11 Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) and 7 Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) equipped with satellite transmitters near Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, from October 2006 to November 2008. The 95% BBMM home ranges (95% BBMM) of the two Black Vultures that traveled >100 km from the …

State-Level Approaches To Managing The Use Of Contraceptives In Wildlife In The United States, John D. Eisemann, Jeanette R. O'Hare, Kathleen A. Fagerstone

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Several fertility control agents have recently been registered with the United States Environmental Protection Agency for management of wildlife or other free-ranging animals. The registration of GonaConTM Immunocontraceptive Vaccine for use in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and OvoControl for use in Canada geese (Branta canadensis) and pigeons (Columba livia) has caused state wildlife and land management agencies to review their regulatory authority over the use of contraceptives in wildlife. As a result, many states are taking steps to ensure legislation or policies are current with emerging technologies. This article examines the various approaches states are …

Avian Influenza Infection Alters Fecal Odor In Mallards, Bruce A. Kimball, Kunio Yamazaki, Dennis Kohler, Richard A. Bowen, Jack P. Muth, Maryanne Opiekun, Gary K. Beauchamp

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Changes in body odor are known to be a consequence of many diseases. Much of the published work on disease-related and body odor changes has involved parasites and certain cancers. Much less studied have been viral diseases, possibly due to an absence of good animal model systems. Here we studied possible alteration of fecal odors in animals infected with avian influenza viruses (AIV). In a behavioral study, inbred C57BL/6 mice were trained in a standard Y-maze to discriminate odors emanating from feces collected from mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) infected with low-pathogenic avian influenza virus compared to fecal odors …

Deer-Activated Bioacoustic Frightening Device Deters White-Tailed Deer, Aaron M. Hildreth, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) damage urban and suburban plantings, as well as crops and stored feed. We tested the efficacy of a frightening device that played pre-recorded distress calls of adult female white-tailed deer when activated by an infrared motion sensor for a period of 13 days. This deer-activated bioacoustic frightening device reduced deer entry into protected sites by 99% (δ = -558, P = 0.09) and bait consumption by 100% (δ = -75, P = 0.06). The frightening device that we evaluated demonstrated potential for reducing damage in disturbed environments and agricultural settings.

Effects Of Deer Density And Land Use On Mass Of White-Tailed Deer, Trevor J. Hefley, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Jason M. Gilsdorf, Gregory M. Clements, Myndi J. Clements, Andrew J. Tyre, David M. Baasch, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Local and regional land use changes, such as the expansion of cropland for cellulosic biofuels, and the population density of white-tailed deer can affect the health and body mass of white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus. We collected hunterharvest data for 1,731 white-tailed deer from DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa from 2003 to 2010. We used linear mixed-effects models and information theoretic methods to estimate effects of density of white-tailed deer and proportion of total landcover area converted from cropland to cool- or warm-season grassland on body mass of white-tailed deer. Density of white-tailed deer at …

Efficacy Of Electronet Fencing For Excluding Coyotes: A Case Study For Enhancing Production Of Black-Footed Ferrets, Marc R. Matchett, Stewart W. Breck, John Callon

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Reducing coyote (Canis latrans) predation can be an important management objective. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of electronet fencing for excluding coyotes from focal areas on black tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies, measured the effect of fencing on wild-born black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) kit survival, and modeled costs and benefits of fencing. From 27 July to 2 October 2010 in northcentral Montana, USA, we erected and maintained 7.7 km of electronet that enclosed 108 ha on portions of 2 prairie dog colonies. We monitored 2 female ferrets and 6 kits inside exclosures and …

Wildlife Conservation And Alternative Land Uses At Airports, James A. Martin, Tara J. Conkling, Jerrold L. Belant, Kristin M. Biondi, Bradley F. Blackwell, Travis L. Devault, Esteban Fernandez-Juricic, Paige M. Schmidt, Thomas W. Seamans

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Given all the attention paid throughout this book to minimizing the risk of wildlife-aircraft strikes, the title of this chapter may seem like an oxymoron. This book has emphasized management as related to the hazardous (to aircraft) sector of biodiversity. In this chapter we focus on the issue of protection and management of less hazardous taxa, and how altering land use at airports might. in limited circumstances, contribute to this objective.

The term "conservation" often leads to confusion and perceived conflicting goals of management. In fact, many of the direct management techniques used at airports (e.g., deterrents, translocation, etc.) could …

Tactile And Auditory Repellents To Reduce Wildlife Hazards To Aircraft, Thomas W. Seamans, James A. Martin, Jerrold L. Belant

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife within the airport environment are hazards to human safety. Lethal removal of targeted individuals reduces the immediate threat, but other approaches should be integrated into control programs to make them more effective and to help meet legal and ethical considerations (Dolbeer et al. 1995). When negative media attention, special in terest groups, or calls for restrictive legislation influence public opinion, the resulting public pressure can preclude effective wildlife management and lead to subsequent population control problems (Torres et al. 1996, Coolahan and Snider 1998, Conover 2001). Nonlethal management activities to reduce wildlife use of airports may include habitat modifi …

Anthropogenic And Physiologically Induced Stress Responses In Captive Coyotes, Christopher J. Schell, Julie K. Young, Elizabeth V. Lonsdorf, Rachel M. Santymire

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Repeated stressful events can negatively impact overall health by continuous stimulation of the hypothalamic– pituitary–adrenal axis, which leads to depletion of glucose stores and suppression of immune and reproductive function. The influence of stressors on survivability is particularly salient for coyote (Canis latrans) populations, because understanding how coyotes cope with stressors may provide relevant context on coyote adaptation to urbanized ecosystems. Our objectives were to physiologically validate fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) analysis in coyotes by performing an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge in 12 captive individuals (6 treatment and 6 control) housed at the United States Department of Agriculture …

Cottontail Rabbit Papillomavirus Infection In A Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus Audubonii) From Colorado, Usa, J. Jeffrey Root, Matthew W. Hopken, Thomas Gidlewski, Antoinette J. Piaggio

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A wild-caught desert cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus audubonii) from Colorado was observed to have large, pedunculated, dark cutaneous lesions on its abdomen and cylindrical masses on its mouth. Morphologically, the masses were consistent with previous reports of virally induced papillomas. Subsequent DNA analysis indicated widespread infection with cottontail rabbit papillomavirus.

Short-Term Exercise Training Improves Insulin Sensitivity But Does Not Inhibit Inflammatory Pathways In Immune Cells From Insulin-Resistant Subjects, Sara M. Reyna, Puntip Tantiwong, Eugenio Cersosimo, Ralph A. Defronzo, Apiradee Sriwijitkamol, Nicolas Musi

School of Medicine Publications

Background. Exercise has an anti-inflammatory effect against, and immune cells play critical roles in the development, of insulin resistance and atherosclerotic vascular disease (AVD). Thus, the goal of this study was to determine whether exercise improves insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant subjects by downregulating proinflammatory signaling in immune cells.

Methods. Seventeen lean, 8 obese nondiabetic, and 11 obese type 2 diabetic individuals underwent an aerobic exercise program for 15 days and an insulin clamp before and after exercise. Peripheral mononuclear cells (PMNC) were obtained for determination of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and 4 protein content and mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation.

Results. …

The Use Of Contraception As A Disease Management Tool In Wildlife, Jack C. Rhyan, Lowell A. Miller, Kathleen A. Fagerstone

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Contraception offers potential as a tool for managing certain diseases in wildlife, most notably venereally transmitted diseases or diseases transmitted at parturition. Brucellosis is an excellent example of an infectious disease present in wild populations that could potentially be managed through immunocontraception. Previous studies in bison (Bison bison) suggest that a single injection of GonaCon^TM (National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA) results in 3 or more yr of infertility. Ongoing studies will determine if the use of GonaCon in bison decreases shedding of Brucella …

Graphically Characterizing The Movement Of A Rabid Striped Skunk Epizootic Across The Landscape In Northwestern Wyoming, Craig A. Ramey, Kenneth W. Mills, Justin W. Fischer, Robert G. Mclean, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) rabies epizootic in northwestern Wyoming was studied from the Index Case in 1988 to the last case in 1993, and possibly is the first rabies epizootic in a previously rabies-free zone monitored from beginning to end. The 843 km² study area comprised skunk habitat along 90 km of Shoshone River’s floodplain from Bighorn Lake upstream to Cody. Of 1,015 skunks tested, 215 were rabiespositive. Integrating spatial and temporal data from positive cases, we analyzed the epizootic’s movements and dynamics at 6-month intervals using multivariate movement maps, a new multivariate descriptive methodology presented …

Immunization With A Synthetic Peptide Vaccine Fails To Protect Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus) From Chronic Wasting Disease, John L. Pilon, Jack C. Rhyan, Lisa L. Wolfe, Tracy R. Davis, Matt P. Mccollum, Katherine I. O'Rourke, Terry R. Spraker, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael W. Miller, Thomas Gidlewski, Tracy A. Nichols, Lowell A. Miller, Pauline Nol

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) adversely affects both wild and captive cervid populations. A vaccine to prevent CWD would be a highly desirable tool to aid in disease management. To this end, we tested in mule deer a combination of CWD vaccines consisting of cervid prion peptide sequences 168-VDQYNNQNTFVHDC-182 and 145- NDYEDRYYRENMYRYPNQ-164 that had previously been shown to delay onset of clinical disease and increase survival in a mouse-adapted scrapie model. Thirteen captive mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) were divided into vaccine (n=7) and control groups (n=6), and given prime and boost vaccinations intramuscularly 5 wk apart. Eight weeks postprime …

Failure Of Transmission Of Low-Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus Between Mallards And Freshwater Snails: An Experimental Evaluation, Paul T. Oesterle, Kathryn P. Huyvaert, Darcy Orahood, Nicole Mooers, Heather Sullivan, Alan B. Franklin, J. Jeffrey Root

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In aquatic bird populations, the ability of avian influenza (AI) viruses to remain infectious in water for extended periods provides a mechanism that allows viral transmission to occur long after shedding birds have left the area. However, this also exposes other aquatic organisms, including freshwater invertebrates, to AI viruses. Previous researchers found that AI viral RNA can be sequestered in snail tissues. Using an experimental approach, we determined whether freshwater snails (Physa acuta and Physa gyrina) can infect waterfowl with AI viruses by serving as a means of transmission between infected and naı¨ve waterfowl via ingestion. In our …

Twenty Years Of Immunocontraceptive Research: Lessons Learned, Lowell A. Miller, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Douglas C. Eckery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) began immunocontraception vaccine research by testing porcine zona pellucida (PZP) on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Early PZP research demonstrated that PZP induced infertility; however, increased length of the rut was observed in PZP-treated deer. An alternative vaccine using a keyhole limpet hemocyanin-gonadotropin-releasing hormone (KLH-GnRH) conjugate formulated with modified Freund’s adjuvant was developed at NWRC. Suppression of GnRH has reduced reproduction in both sexes but is most effective in females. This vaccine was effective in preventing contraception in female deer for several years after a prime and boost. Due to adverse side effects …

Wildlife In Managed Forests: An Overview Of Perspectives From The Pacific Northwest, Jimmy D. Taylor Ii

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

1. Introduction- Humans rely on forests for fiber, food, water, shelter, recreation, inspiration, and various other benefits. Similarly, many species of native fauna depend on forests to meet their seasonal and annual requirements. Forests in the Pacific Northwest have a longstanding history of providing high quality forest products, and ownership across a complex matrix of forest stands is divided among provincial, federal, state, tribal, and private entities. Over time, requirements to provide forest products have increasingly rested with industrial and non-industrial private landowners. Concomitantly, forest management has evolved and intensified on private lands in response to increases in national and …

Assignment Of Measurable Costs And Benefits To Wildlife Conservation Projects, S. A. Shwiff, A. M. Anderson, R. Cullen, P. C. L. White, S. S. Shwiff

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Success of wildlife conservation projects is determined by a suite of biological and economic factors. Donor and public understanding of the economic factors is becoming increasingly central to the longevity of funding for conservation efforts. Unlike typical economic evaluation, many costs and benefits related to conservation efforts are realised in nonmonetary terms. We identify the types of benefits and costs that arise from conservation projects and examine several well developed techniques that economists use to convert benefits and costs into monetary values so they may be compared in a common metric. Costs are typically more readily identifiable than benefits, with …

Estimating Prion Adsorption Capacity Of Soil By Bioassay Of Subtracted Infectivity From Complex Solutions (Basics), A. Christy Wyckoff, Krista L. Lockwood, Crystal Meyerett-Reid, Brady A. Michel, Heather Bender, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Mark D. Zabel

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Prions, the infectious agent of scrapie, chronic wasting disease and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, are misfolded proteins that are highly stable and resistant to degradation. Prions are known to associate with clay and other soil components, enhancing their persistence and surprisingly, transmissibility. Currently, few detection and quantification methods exist for prions in soil, hindering an understanding of prion persistence and infectivity in the environment. Variability in apparent infectious titers of prions when bound to soil has complicated attempts to quantify the binding capacity of soil for prion infectivity. Here, we quantify the prion adsorption capacity of whole, sandy loam soil …

The Effects Of Vitamin K1-Rich Plant Foods On The Efficacy Of The Anticoagulant Rodenticides Chlorophacinone And Diphacinone, Used Against Montane Voles (Microtus Montanus), Gary W. Witmer, Nathan P. Snow, Rachael S. Moulton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Voles can cause significant losses to agriculture and wood fibre production. California growers typically rely on baits containing chlorophacinone and diphacinone to reduce vole population densities, but the efficacy of those rodenticides has been decreasing. One hypothesis suggests that voles are consuming high levels of an antidote (vitamin K1) to the anticoagulants, contained within green leafy plants. We tested that hypothesis by first feeding Montane Voles (Microtus montanus) diets that were high in vitamin K1, and then providing the animals with either: (1) chlorophacinone-containing bait, (2) diphacinone-containing bait, or (3) a control diet. We found that the chlorophacinone-containing …

Managing Turfgrass To Reduce Wildlife Hazards At Airports, Brian E. Washburn, Thomas W. Seamans

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Multiple factors-including safety regul at ions, economic considerations, location, and attrae· tiveness to wildlife recognized as hazardous to avia· tion-influence the choice of land cover at airports. The principal land cover at airports within North America has historically been turfgrass. usually cool· season perennial grass species native to Europe. However, recent research has determined that, from a wildlife perspective, not all turfgrasses are alike. Some grasses are more palatable to herbivorous hazardous wildlife (e.g., Canada geese [Branta canadensis]) than others, and thus are more likely to increase the potential for wildlife-aircraft collisions when planted near critical airport operating …

Surveillance And Movements Of Virginia Opossum (Didelphis Virginiana) In The Bovine Tuberculosis Region Of Michigan, W. D. Walter, Justin W. Fischer, C. W. Anderson, D. R. Marks, T. J. Deliberto, S. Robbe-Austerman, K. C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife reservoir hosts of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) include Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) and brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) in the UK and New Zealand, respectively. Similar species warrant further investigation in the northern lower peninsula of Michigan, USA due to the continued presence of bTB on cattle farms. Most research in Michigan, USA has focused on interactions between white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and cattle (Bos taurus) for the transmission of the infectious agent of bTB, Mycobacterium bovis, due to high deer densities and feeding practices. However, limited data are available on medium-sized …

Open Field Test With Avipel Bird Repellent: Year I, Megan Niner, George M. Linz, Jeffrey Homan, Mark Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Since the mid-1900s, blackbird depredation has become an expensive problem for farmers in the Great Plains region of the United States and Canada (Blackwell et al. 2003). Damage to crops from blackbirds costs the growers of sunflower millions annually (Peer et al. 2003). The problem stems from two concurrent events: ripening of sunflowers and fledging of millions of resident blackbirds that must quickly prepare for migration to southern wintering grounds. Multiple methods of protecting crops exist, but none have proved to be cost-effective. For this reason and the safety of the non-target species, a chemical-based repellent might be a good …

Demonstration Of Avian Control® Bird Repellent (A.I., Methyl Anthranilate) For Managing Blackbird Damage To Ripening Sunflower., George M. Linz, H. Jeffrey Homan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

After the reproductive period, blackbirds in the northern Great Plains aggregate in large flocks that feed on ripening crops, especially sunflower. At today’s prices, blackbirds eat about $8–12 million of sunflower annually in northern Great Plains, with most of this damage occurring in North Dakota and South Dakota (Peer et al. 2003). Additional expenditures are incurred by producers trying to protect their crop, including the costs in time, travel, and materials for hazing blackbirds. A chemical feeding repellent would be ideal for protecting sunflower from blackbirds because it would not only cut the amount of losses from foraging but also …

References From Landslide Ecology, Lawrence R. Walker, Aaron B. Shiels

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

No abstract provided.