Life Sciences Commons^™

The Short-Term Effects Of A Routine Poisoning Campaign On The Movements And Detectability Of A Social Top-Predator., B L. Allen, R. M. Engeman, L. K-P. Leung

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Top-predators can be important components of resilient ecosystems, but they are still controlled in many places to mitigate a variety of economic, environmental and/or social impacts. Lethal control is often achieved through the broadscale application of poisoned baits. Understanding the direct and indirect effects of such lethal control on subsequent movements and behaviour of survivors is an important pre-requisite for interpreting the efficacy and ecological outcomes of top predator control. In this study, we use GPS tracking collars to investigate the fine-scale and short-term movements of dingoes (Canis lupus dingo and other wild dogs) in response to a routine poison-baiting …

New Rodenticides: An Update On Recent Research Trials, Gary W. Witmer, Katherine E. Horak, Rachel Moulton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rodents cause substantial amounts of damage and losses of foodstuffs around the world. While various methods are used to reduce damage and losses to rodents, rodenticides remain the most important tool in the toolbox. However, like all tools, rodenticides have advantages and disadvantages. Several considerations are shaping the future of rodenticide use. These include manufacturing and registration costs, concern about toxicity levels and non-target animal hazards, potential hazards to children, reduced effectiveness of some formulations, and humaneness to the targeted rodents. While there have been very few new developments in rodenticides in the last several decades, new formulations and active …

Functional Significance Of Ultraviolet Feeding Cues In Wild Turkeys, Scott J. Werner, Richard Buchholz, Shelagh K. Tupper, Susan E. Pettit, Jeremy W. Ellis

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Most birds are able to sense ultraviolet (UV) visual signals. Ultraviolet wavelengths are used for plumage signaling and sexual selection among birds. The aim of our study was to determine if UV cues are also used for the process of food selection in wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). We used avoidance conditioning to test the hypothesis that UV feeding cues can be used functionally for foraging behavior in wild turkeys. Female turkeys exhibited no avoidance of untreated food and 75–98% avoidance of food treated with an UV-absorbent, postingestive repellent (0.5–4% anthraquinone; wt./wt.) during repellent exposure. Male turkeys exhibited 78–99% avoidance of …

Wildlife Strikes With Military Rotary-Wing Aircraft During Flight Operations Within The United States, Brian E. Washburn, Paul J. Cisar, Travis L. Devault

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife–aircraft collisions (wildlife strikes) with civilian and military aircraft pose notable risks and economic losses. The 4 military services within the U.S. Department of Defense maintain records regarding wildlife strikes with military aircraft. Although rotary-wing aircraft operations comprise important mission components within all 4 military services, no assessment of wildlife strikes to military rotary-wing aircraft has been conducted. The objectives of this project were to 1) conduct a comprehensive analysis of data available from all military services regarding wildlife strikes with rotary-wing aircraft, and 2) provide recommendations to reduce the frequency and negative impacts of these strikes. We acquired all …

Animal Attendance At M-44 Sodium Cyanide Ejector Sites For Coyotes, John A. Shivik, Lauren Mastro, Julie K. Young

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Sodium cyanide (NaCN) ejectors for coyotes (Canis latrans), known as M-44s, are used in many parts of the United States for lethally removing coyotes to protect livestock or other resources. Quantifying selectivity of current devices in killing target and non-target species is important to users and provides a baseline for future development of more effective and selective techniques. We used motion-activated cameras to monitor M-44 locations for coyote and other species visitations to the sites. Because camera presence potentially influences coyote behavior, we first compared activation of M-44s at paired sites where cameras were and were not present. Coyotes activated …

Biology And Impacts Of Pacific Island Invasive Species. 11. Rattus Rattus, The Black Rat (Rodentia: Muridae), Aaron B. Shiels, William C. Pitt, Robert T. Sugihara, Gary W. Witmer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The black rat, roof rat, or ship rat (Rattus rattus L.) is among the most widespread invasive vertebrates on islands and continents, and it is nearly ubiquitous on Pacific islands from the equatorial tropics to approximately 55 degrees latitude north and south. It survives well in human-dominated environments, natural areas, and islands where humans are not present. Rattus rattus is typically the most common invasive rodent in insular forests. Few vertebrates are more problematic to island biota and human livelihoods than R. rattus; it is well known to damage crops and stored foods, kill native species, and serve as a …

Toxicokinetics And Coagulopathy Threshold Of The Rodenticide Diphacinone In Eastern Screech-Owls (Megascops Asio), Barnett A. Rattner, Katherine E. Horak, Rebecca S. Lazarus, David A. Goldade, John J. Johnston

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the United States, new regulations on second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides will likely be offset by expanded use of first-generation anticoagulant rodenticides. In the present study, eastern screech-owls (Megascops asio) were fed 10 mg diphacinone/g wet weight food for 7 d, and recovery was monitored over a 21-d postexposure period. By day 3 of exposure, diphacinone (DPN) was detected in liver (1.63 mg/g wet wt) and kidney (5.83 mg/g) and coagulopathy was apparent. By day 7, prothrombin time (PT) and Russell’s viper venom time (RVVT) were prolonged, and some individuals were anemic. Upon termination of exposure, coagulopathy and anemia were resolved …

Detecting An Elusive Invasive Species: A Diagnostic Pcr To Detect Burmese Python In Florida Waters And An Assessment Of Persistence Of Environmental Dna, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Richard M. Engeman, Matthew W. Hopken, John S. Humphrey, Kandy L. Keacher, William E. Bruce, Michael L. Avery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Recent studies have demonstrated that detection of environmental DNA (eDNA) from aquatic vertebrates in water bodies is possible. The Burmese python, Python bivittatus, is a semi-aquatic, invasive species in Florida where its elusive nature and cryptic coloration make its detection difficult. Our goal was to develop a diagnostic PCR to detect P. bivittatus from water-borne eDNA, which could assist managers in monitoring this invasive species. First, we used captive P. bivittatus to determine whether reptilian DNA could be isolated and amplified from water samples. We also evaluated the efficacy of two DNA isolation methods and two DNA extraction kits commonly …

A Landscape-Based Approach For Delineating Hotspots Of Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions, Nathan P. Snow, David M. Williams, William F. Porter

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Imposing human perceptions about the scales of ecological processes can produce unreliable scientific inferences in wildlife research and possibly misinform mitigation strategies. An example of this disconnect occurs in studies of wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs). Subjective procedures are often used to delineate hotspots of WVCs, resulting in hotspots that are not spatially independent. We developed a new approach that identifies independent hotspots using attributes of the landscape to inform delineations instead of subjective measures. First, we generated a candidate set of grouping scenarios using unique combinations of kernel-density estimation parameterization (i.e., bandwidth and isopleth values). Next, we associated the groups of …

Winter Space Use Of Coyotes In High-Elevation Environments: Behavioral Adaptations To Deep-Snow Landscapes, Jennifer L.B. Dowd, Eric M. Gese, Lise M. Aubry

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the last century, coyotes (Canis latrans) have expanded their range geographically, but have also expanded their use of habitats within currently occupied regions. Because coyotes are not morphologically adapted for travel in deep snow, we studied coyote space use patterns in a deep-snow landscape to examine behavioral adaptations enabling them to use high elevations during winter. We examined the influence of snow depth, snow penetrability, canopy cover, and habitat type, as well as the rates of prey and predator track encounters, on coyote travel distance in high-elevation terrain in northwestern Wyoming, USA. We backtracked 13 radio-collared coyotes for 265.41 …

Bird Use Of Solar Photovoltaic Installations At Us Airports: Implications For Aviation Safety, Travis L. Devault, Thomas W. Seamans, Jason A. Schmidt, Jerrold L. Belant, Bradley F. Blackwell, Nicole Mooers, Laura A. Tyson, Lolita Vanpelt

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Several airports in the US have recently installed large photovoltaic (PV) arrays near air-operations areas to offset energy demands, and the US Federal Aviation Administration has published guidelines for new solar installations on airport properties. Although an increased reliance on solar energy will likely benefit airports from environmental and economic perspectives, bird use of solar installations should be exam-ined before wide-scale implementation to determine whether such changes in land use adversely affect aviation safety by increasing risk of bird-aircraft collisions. We studied bird use of five pairs of PV arrays and nearby airport grasslands in Arizona, Colorado, and Ohio, over …

The Cumulative Effects Of Management On The Population Dynamics Of The Double-Crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax Auritus In The Great Lakes, Alban Guillaumet, Brian S. Dorr, Guiming Wang, Terry J. Doyle

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife species have been subject to control efforts throughout human history due to real or alleged human-wildlife conflicts. The Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus in the interior of North America is no exception, with recent population growth leading to increased conflicts and consequetly the development of many control programmes. These control programmes are usually conducted at local scales, often with little or no effort to assess their cumulative effects at the population level. We attempted the first comprehensive assessment of the cumulative effects of control at various spatio temporal scales, focusing on 199 colonies of Double-crested Cormorant monitored during a 29-year …

Using Quantitative Disease Dynamics As A Tool For Guiding Response To Avian Influenza In Poultry In The United States Of America, K. M. Pepin, E. Spackman, J. D. Brown, K. L. Pabilonia, Lindsey P. Garber, J. Todd Weaver, D. A. Kennedy, Kelly A. Patyk, K. P. Huyvaert, Ryan S. Miller, Alan B. Franklin, Kerri Pedersen, T. L. Bogich, P. Rohani, Susan A. Shriner, Colleen T. Webb, S. Riley

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wild birds are the primary source of genetic diversity for influenza A viruses that eventually emerge in poultry and humans. Much progress has been made in the descriptive ecology of avian influenza viruses (AIVs), but contributions are less evident from quantitative studies (e.g., those including disease dynamic models). Transmission between host species, individuals and flocks has not been measured with sufficient accuracy to allow robust quantitative evaluation of alternate control protocols. We focused on the United States of America (USA) as a case study for determining the state of our quantitative knowledge of potential AIV emergence processes from wild hosts …

Longevity Of Rodenticide Bait Pellets In A Tropical Environment Following A Rat Eradication Program, Are R. Berentsen, William C. Pitt, John D. Eisemann, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive rodents (primarily Rattus spp.) are responsible for loss of biodiversity in island ecosystems worldwide. Large-scale rodenticide applications are typically used to eradicate rats and restore ecological communities. In tropical ecosystems, environmental conditions rapidly degrade baits and competition for baits by non-target animals can result in eradication failure. Our objective was to evaluate persistence of rodenticide baits during a rat eradication program on Palmyra Atoll; a remote tropical atoll with intense competition for resources by land crabs. Following aerial application, bait condition was monitored in four terrestrial environments and in the canopy foliage of coconut palms. Ten circular PVC hoops …

Evaluation Of 6 Onrab Ultralite Bait Flavor Matrices Delivered To Coyotes (Canis Latrans): Implications For Oral Rabies Vaccination, Are R. Berentsen, Stacey P. Brummer, Julie K. Young, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The spread of rabies in terrestrial wildlife throughout the United States is primarily controlled through oral rabies vaccination. Relatively low bait acceptance and seroconversion rates by some target species have prompted investigation into an alternative to the RABORAL V-RG bait currently used. In Canada, ONRAB Ultralite baits are used to vaccinate raccoons (Procyon lotor) and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis). Comparative studies between RABORAL V-RG and ONRAB found higher seroconversion rates among raccoons that ingested ONRAB, suggesting that it may be a suitable alternative. However, ONRAB has not been evaluated in many rabies reservoir species, including coyotes (Canis …

Bait Matrix Flavor Preference By Mongoose (Herpestes Auropunctatus) In Puerto Rico: Implications For Oral Rabies Vaccination, Are R. Berentsen, Shylo R. Johnson, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) is the primary rabies vector in Puerto Rico. Mongooses are implicated in up to 74% of rabies cases on the island, and pose a threat to domestic animals and human health and safety. No rabies management program exists in Puerto Rico and development of an oral rabies vaccination program requires determining which flavors on the vaccine’s bait coating matrix that are attractive to mongooses. Our objective was to evaluate preference among three flavors (cheese, coconut and fish) in the Ultralite bait matrix that is used for delivery of Rabies Vaccine, Live Adenovirus Vector …

Does Habitat Heterogeneity In A Multi-Use Landscape Influence Survival Rates And Density Of A Native Mesocarnivore?, Eric M. Gese, Craig M. Thompson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The relationships between predators, prey, and habitat have long been of interest to applied and basic ecologists. As a native Great Plains mesocarnivore of North America, swift foxes (Vulpes velox) depended on the historic disturbance regime to maintain open grassland habitat. With a decline in native grasslands and subsequent impacts to prairie specialists, notably the swift fox, understanding the influence of habitat on native predators is paramount to future management efforts. From 2001 to 2004, we investigated the influence of vegetation structure on swift fox population ecology (survival and density) on and around the Pin˜on Canyon Maneuver Site, …

Fine-Scale, Spatial And Temporal Assessment Methods For Feral Swine Disturbances To Sensitive Plant Communities In South-Central Florida, Rodney K. Felix Jr., Steve L. Orzell, Eric A. Tillman, Richard M. Engeman, Michael L. Avery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral swine are estimated to annually cost hundreds of millions of dollars in economic loss to property and agriculture in the USA, while their ecological consequences remain largely unmeasured. Using submeter-accurate Global Positioning System technology over a multiyear project, we are quantifying in a novel way the spatial and temporal attributes of swine rooting damage within 587 ha of ecologically sensitive wetland plant communities at Avon Park Air Force Range in south-central Florida. We delineated damage polygons from 0.0023 to 4,335 m² and were able to document recurrent damage through time at most sites during each assessment. For each …

Bat Rabies In Guatemala, James E. Ellison, Amy T. Gilbert, Sergio Recuenco, David Moran, Danilo A. Alvarez, Natalia Kuzmina, Daniel L. Garcia, Leonard F. Peruski, Mary T. Mendonca, Kim A. Lindblade, Charles E. Rupprecht

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rabies in bats is considered enzootic throughout the New World, but few comparative data are available for most countries in the region. As part of a larger pathogen detection program, enhanced bat rabies surveillance was conducted in Guatemala, between 2009 and 2011. A total of 672 bats of 31 species were sampled and tested for rabies. The prevalence of rabies virus (RABV) detection among all collected bats was low (0.3%). Viral antigens were detected and infectious virus was isolated from the brains of two common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus). RABV was also isolated from oral swabs, lungs and …

Evaluating The Effect Of Short-Term Capture And Handling On Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Levels In Mourning Doves, D. S. Jachowski, T. W. Wong, B. E. Washburn, J. H. Schulz, J. J. Millspaugh

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The measurement of stress hormones (i.e., glucocorticoids) has greatly advanced animal conservation. Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite assays are valuable because they are noninvasive, but their ability to detect responses to short-term (<30 >min) stressors in a way similar to blood serum assays is comparatively less well understood. We evaluated whether fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) increased in captive wild mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) exposed to either a brief (<2 >min) capture, handling and release (CHR) or capture stress protocol (CSP; i.e., capture, hold for 30 min, release) treatment. Previous studies have shown that mourning doves exhibit elevated FGMs within 2-3 …

The Socioecology Of Monk Parakeets: Insights Into Parrot Social Complexity, Elizabeth A. Hobson, Michael L. Avery, Timonthy F. Wright

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In many species, individuals benefit from social associations, but they must balance these benefits with the costs of competition for resources. Understanding how these competing factors generate diversity in social systems is a major goal of behavioral ecology, but one that has been hampered by a lack of basic data quantifying many aspects of social structure and associations. Although parrots are generally assumed to have complex social groups, few studies have quantitatively examined these assumptions about parrot social structure. We critically assessed 4 assumptions about parrot socioecology using data from captive and wild groups of Monk Parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus …

Surveillance Of Feral Swine For Trichinella Spp. And Toxoplasmagondii In The Usa And Host-Related Factors Associatedwith Infection, D. E. Hill, J. P. Dubey, J. A. Baroch, S. R. Swafford, V. F. Fournet, D. Hawkins-Cooper, D. G. Pyburn, B. S. Schmit, H. R. Gamble, K. Pedersen, L. R. Ferreira, S. K. Verma, Y. Ying, O. C. H. Kwok, H. Feidas, G. Theodoropoulos

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Trichinella spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are important zoonotic parasites that infect warmblooded animals and humans worldwide. Among domesticated food animals, pigs are themain host for Trichinella spiralis. Pigs, chickens, sheep, and goats are known to be infectedwith T. gondii at varying rates, depending on husbandry. Infections in wildlife with theseparasites are generally higher than in domesticated species. Feral swine act as reservoirsof infection in the sylvatic ecosystem for Trichinella spp. and T. gondii, acting as sourcesof infection for peridomestic carnivores whose home ranges overlap with domestic pigs.Feral swine can have direct contact with non-biosecure domestic pigs, presenting oppor-tunity …

Coqui Frog Populations Are Negatively Affected By Canopy Opening But Not Detritus Deposition Following An Experimental Hurricane In A Tropical Rainforest, Paul D. Klawinski, Ben Dalton, Aaron B. Shiels

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons are common disturbances in many island and coastal forests. There is a lack of understanding of the importance to forest biota of the two major physical aspects that occur simultaneously during a hurricane: canopy disturbance and detritus (debris) deposition onto the ground. Using a replicated factorial design, our study involved experimentally determining the independent and interactive effects of canopy opening and debris additions to the forest floor on densities of coqui frogs (Eleutherodactylus coqui). Coquies are the dominant amphibian, and second most common vertebrate species, in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF), a montane, tropical …

Ecological Routes Of Avian Influenza Virus Transmission To A Common Mesopredator: An Experimental Evaluation Of Alternatives, J. Jeffrey Root, Kevin T. Bentler, Susan A. Shriner, Nicole L. Mooers, Kaci K. Vandalen, Heather J. Sullivan, Alan B. Franklin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: Wild raccoons have been shown to be naturally exposed to avian influenza viruses (AIV). However, the mechanisms associated with these natural exposures are not well-understood.

Methodology/Principal Findings: We experimentally tested three alternative routes (water, eggs, and scavenged waterfowl carcasses) of AIV transmission that may explain how raccoons in the wild are exposed to AIV. Raccoons were exposed to 1) water and 2) eggs spiked with an AIV (H4N6), as well as 3) mallard carcasses experimentally inoculated with the same virus. Three of four raccoons exposed to the high dose water treatment yielded apparent nasal shedding of >10^2.0 PCR …

Morphologic And Molecular Identifications Of Digenetic Trematodes In Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax Auritus) From The Mississippi Delta, Usa, Mary O'Hear, Linda Pote, Marlena Yost, Cynthia Doffitt, D. Tommy King, Carla Panuska

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Increasing numbers of Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in the Mississippi River Delta, USA, have been observed over the past few decades. This piscivorous bird is a definitive host for numerous digenetic trematodes, some of which may cause pathology in a fish host. We conducted a 2-yr survey of intestinal trematodes in 35 Double-crested Cormorants collected in the Mississippi Delta. We counted gastrointestinal trematodes, identified them to species using morphometric and molecular techniques, and sequenced the 18S and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) genes. We collected 4,909 trematodes, representing five digenetic species: Drepanocephalus spathans, Hysteromorpha triloba, Pseudopsilostoma varium, Austrodiplostomum ostrowskiae, and Ascocotyle …

First Reports Of Pseudorabies And Winter Ticks (Dermacentor Albipictus) Associated With An Emerging Feral Swine (Sus Scrofa) Population In New Hampshire, Anthony R. Musante, Kerri Pedersen, Parker Hall

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The expansion of feral swine (Sus scrofa) populations into new geographic regions is of concern not only due to increased range but also because they carry diseases and parasites that pose a threat to humans, livestock, and wildlife into new areas. Recently, emerging feral swine populations have been reported in the northeastern US and due to their adaptive nature will likely continue to spread. During 2009–2012, 49 feral swine were removed from three counties in New Hampshire. Of these, serum samples were submitted from 34 for disease surveillance testing. One of the feral swine was antibody-positive for pseudorabies virus (PRV) …

Efficacy And Health Effects Of A Wildlife Immunocontraceptive Vaccine On Fox Squirrels, Sara K. Krause, Douglas A. Kelt, James P. Gionfriddo, Dirk H. Van Vuren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Continued range expansion of introduced eastern fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) in the western United States could lead to widespread damage to agricultural crops, facility infrastructures, and displacement of the native western gray squirrel (S. griseus). Because traditional managment alternatives may not be feasible in many areas, public interest in the use of immunocontraceptive to control local populations has increased. We evaluated the efficacy of GonaCon TM immunocontraceptive vaccine for controlling eastern fox squirrel reproduction in Davis, California. We administered GonaCon to 33 male and 26 female fox squirrels, and a control substance to 33 males and 24 females. We subsequently …

Benefits To Rare Plants And Highway Safety From Annual Population Reductions Of A “Native Invader,” White-Tailed Deer, In A Chicago-Area Woodland, Richard M. Engeman, Travis Guerrant, Glen Dunn, Scott F. Beckerman, Chris Anchor

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Overabundant white-tailed deer are one of the most serious threats to woodland plant communities in the Chicago area. Moreover, the abundant deer in a highly populated area causes economic harm and poses hazards to human safety through collisions with vehicles. The artificial conditions causing the overabundance and resulting consequences qualify the white-tailed deer in the Chicago area to be considered as "native invaders". We examined the benefits of culling deer at a Chicago-area woodland preserve by comparing browse rates on four endangered plant species from years before culling began with years with culling. We also examined deer-vehicle collision and traffic …

Characteristics Of White-Tailed Deer Visits To Cattle Farms: Implications For Disease Transmission At The Wildlife-Livestock Interface, Are R. Berentsen, Ryan S. Miller, Jennifer L. Malmberg, Mike R. Dunbar

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is endemic in free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in MI, USA. Currently, the rates of farm visitation by deer and co-use of forage resources by cattle and deer are poorly understood. To evaluate the extent deer and livestock may share forage resources, we investigated farm, yard, and cattle-use area visitation by white-tailed deer and compared visitation with common livestock management practices. We fitted 25 female white-tailed deer near the bTB-infected zone in Michigan's Lower Peninsula with global positioning system collars. Livestock management practices associated with farm visitation included presence of confined feeding pastures, number of cattle water …

A Conceptual Model For The Impact Of Climate Change On Fox Rabies In Alaska, 1980–2010, B. I. Kim, J. D. Blanton, A. T. Gilbert, L. Castrodale, K. Hueffer, D. Slate, C. E. Rupprecht

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The direct and interactive effects of climate change on host species and infectious disease dynamics are likely to initially manifest at latitudinal extremes. As such, Alaska represents a region in the United States for introspection on climate change and disease. Rabies is enzootic among arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) throughout the northern polar region. In Alaska, arctic and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are reservoirs for rabies, with most domestic animal and wildlife cases reported from northern and western coastal Alaska. Based on passive surveillance, a pronounced seasonal trend in rabid foxes occurs in Alaska, with a peak in winter and spring. …