Life Sciences Commons^™

Genetic Analysis Of A Bison Bison Herd Derived From The Yellowstone National Park Population, Julia A. Herman, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Natalie D. Halbert, Jack C. Rhyan, M. D. Salman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The objective of this study is to inventory the current genetic diversity of the bison quarantine feasibility study (BQFS) herd originating from Yellowstone National Park (YNP) using previously described microsatellite, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers with the aim to determine the degree, if any, of cattle DNA introgression in this herd. This work can provide an important tool in monitoring and managing bison genetic diversity as brucellosis-free reintroduced herds are re-established throughout the US for conservation purposes. The BQFS composed of 89 Bison bison from YNP that were quarantined and tested to qualify as free of brucellosis in 2006 – …

The Evolution Of Self-Control, Evan L. Maclean, Brian Hare, Charles L. Nunn, Elsa Addessi, Federica Amici, Rindy C. Anderson, Filippo Aureli, Joseph M. Baker, Amanda E. Bania, Allison M. Barnard, Neeltje J. Boogert, Elizabeth M. Brannon, Emily E. Bray, Joel Bray, Lauren J. N. Brent, Judith M. Burkart, Josep Call, Jessica F. Cantlon, Lucy G. Cheke, Nicola S. Clayton, Mikel M. Delgado, Louis J. Divindenti, Kazuo Fujita, Esther Herrmann, Chihiro Hiramatsu, Lucia F. Jacobs, Kerry E. Jordan, Jennifer R. Laude, Kristin L. Leimgruber, Emily J. E. Messer, Antonio C. De A. Moura, Ljerka Ostojic, Alejandra Picard, Michael L. Platt, Joshua M. Plotnik, Friederike Range, Simon M. Reader, Rachna B. Reddy, Aaron A. Sandel, Laurie R. Santos, Katrin Schumann, Amanda M. Seed, Kendra B. Sewall, Rachael C. Shaw, Katie E. Slocombre, Yanjie Su, Ayaka Takimoto, Jingzhi Tan, Ruoting Tao, Carel P. Van Schaik, Zsofia Viranyi, Elisabetta Visalberghi, Jordan C. Wade, Arii Watanabe, Janes Widness, Julie K. Young, Thomas R. Zentall, Yini Zhao

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Cognition presents evolutionary research with one of its greatest challenges. Cognitive evolution has been explained at the proximate level by shifts in absolute and relative brain volume and at the ultimate level by differences in social and dietary complexity. However, no study has integrated the experimental and phylogenetic approach at the scale required to rigorously test these explanations. Instead, previous research has largely relied on various measures of brain size as proxies for cognitive abilities. We experimentally evaluated these major evolutionary explanations by quantitatively comparing the cognitive performance of 567 individuals representing 36 species on two problem-solving tasks measuring self-control. …

Using Novel Spatial Mark–Resight Techniques To Monitor Resident Canada Geese In A Suburban Environment, M. Elizabeth Rutledge, Rachel Sollmann, Brian E. Washburn, Christopher E. Moorman, Christopher S. Deperno

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Context. Over the past two decades, an increase in the number of resident (non-migratory) Canada geese (Branta canadensis) in the United States has heightened the awareness of human–goose interactions.

Aims. Accordingly, baseline demographic estimates for goose populations are needed to help better understand the ecology of Canada geese in suburban areas.

Methods. As a basis for monitoring efforts, we estimated densities of adult resident Canada geese in a suburban environment by using a novel spatial mark–resight method. We resighted 763 neck- and leg-banded resident Canada geese two to three times per week in and around Greensboro, North Carolina, …

Exposure Of Feral Swine (Sus Scrofa) In The United States To Selected Pathogens, John A. Baroch, Carl A. Gagnon, Sonia Lacouture, Marcelo Gottschalk

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are widely distributed in the United States. In 2011 and 2012, serum samples and tonsils were recovered from 162 and 37 feral swine, respectively, in the US to evaluate exposure to important swine endemic pathogens. Antibodies against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) were found in 2.5% and 25.3% of tested sera, respectively. Positive serological reactions against Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae have been detected in 19.7% and 69.7% of animals. More than 15% of animals presented antibodies against these 2 pathogens simultaneously. Most animals were also seropositive for …

Risk Factors Associated With Enteric Septicemia Of Catfish On Mississippi Commercial Catfish Farms, Fred L. Cunningham, S. W. Jack, David Hardin, Robert W. Wills

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A gram-negative bacterium, Edwardsiella ictaluri, is the cause of enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC), which is one of the most prevalent bacterial diseases in farm-raised catfish. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors associated with ESC mortalities and are reported by farm personnel. To identify risk factors a catfish management database was developed. The odds ratios (OR) of the final multivariable logistic regression model were: (1) volume of the pond (OR, 0.56), (2) interval from harvest until a mortality event (OR, 1.49), (3) interval from stocking until a mortality event (OR, 0.52), (4) nitrite measured within 14 …

Effects Of Gonacon Immunocontraceptive Vaccine In Free-Ranging Female Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus Elaphus Nelsoni), Jenny G. Powers, Ryan J. Monello, Margaret A. Wild, Terry R. Spraker, James P. Gionfriddo, Terry M. Nett, Dan L. Baker

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Duration of efficacy and prevalence of side-effects associated with GonaCon Immunocontraceptive Vaccine (GonaCon) in free-ranging female elk (Cervus elaphus) are unknown. In January 2008, we captured 120 mature female elk in Rocky Mountain National Park (CO, USA), determined pregnancy status, and randomly assigned them to treated (n=60; 1.5 mL of GonaCon) or control (n=60; 1.5 mL of saline) groups. During the following 3 winters we recaptured, collected blood for antibody concentrations, and euthanized 10–20 elk in each group. At necropsy, we determined pregnancy and collected tissues from organs associated with the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. We …

One Health In Action: Reducing Feral Swine Damage And Disease, Sarah N. Bevins, Alan B. Franklin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

As an invasive species, feral swine (Sus scrofa) are a classic example of a species that can profoundly influence ecological communities and ecosystems. They alter environments through a suite of well-known traits: rooting behaviors that alter soil properties and disturb plant communities; a generalist diet that can encompass seeds, crops, and animals; a rapid reproduction rate that can result in explosive population growth; and an adaptable biology that allows them to thrive in a range of habitats and climates. Along with these more familiar traits of an aggressive invasive species, feral swine can also reservoir and transmit a …

An Agent-Based Movement Model To Assess The Impact Of Landscape Fragmentation On Disease Transmission, Jeff A. Tracey, Sarah N. Bevins, Sue Vandewoude, Kevin R. Crooks

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Landscape changes can result in habitat fragmentation and reduced landscape connectivity, limiting the ability of animals to move across space and altering infectious disease dynamics in wildlife. In this study, we develop and implement an agent-based model to assess the impacts of animal movement behavior and landscape structure on disease dynamics. We model a susceptible/infective disease state system applicable to the transmission of feline immunodeficiency virus in bobcats in the urbanized landscape of coastal southern California. Our agent-based model incorporates animal movement behavior, pathogen prevalence, transmission probability, and habitat fragmentation to evaluate how these variables influence disease spread in urbanizing …

Seven-Year Responses Of Trees To Experimental Hurricane Effects In A Tropical Rainforest, Puerto Rico, Jess K. Zimmerman, James Aaron Hogan, Aaron B. Shiels, John E. Bithorn, Samuel Matta Carmona, Nicholas Brokaw

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We experimentally manipulated key components of severe hurricane disturbance, canopy openness and detritus deposition, to determine the independent and interactive effects of these components on tree recruitment, forest structure, and diversity in a wet tropical forest in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico. Canopy openness was increased by trimming branches, and we manipulated debris by adding or subtracting the trimmed materials to the trimming treatments, in a 2 X 2 factorial design replicated in three blocks. Tree (stems > 1 cm diameter at breast height) responses were measured during the 9-year study, which included at least 1 year of pre-manipulation monitoring. …

Responses By Wild House Mice (Mus Musculus) To Variousstimuli In A Novel Environment, Gary W. Witmer, Nathan P. Snow, Rachael S. Moulton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

House mice (Mus musculus) pose a threat to the native flora and fauna on islands, and cancause significant damage wherever they have been introduced. Methods used to eradicateinvasive rodents, like house mice, at high population densities may not be appropriate forintercepting them at lower densities. A better understanding of the immediate behavior ofhouse mice when first introduced to a novel environment would help managers developeffective biosecurity techniques to protect against new invasions. To address this problem,we conducted a controlled laboratory experiment that simulated an invasion by wild housemice into a novel environment. We quantified and compared the immediate behaviors …

Environmental Salmonella In Agricultural Fair Poultry Exhibits In Colorado, K. L. Pabilonia, K. J. Cadmus, T. M. Lingus, D. S. Bolte, M. M. Russell, D. C. Van Metre, M. M. Erdman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Salmonella enterica is a common zoonotic pathogen in humans. Transmission typically occurs through consumption of contaminated food products or contact with infected animals, including poultry or their environment. The objective of this study was to estimate the frequency of Salmonella contamination in the environment in poultry exhibits at agricultural fairs. Samples were collected from cages, feed, floors and tables in the exhibit and cultured for Salmonella. At least one environmental sample was positive for Salmonella in 10 of 11 fairs (91%), and Salmonella was isolated from 28 of 55 environmental samples (50.9%). Eleven different serotypes were detected. Results of …

Novel Management Methods: Immunocontraception And Other Fertility Control Tools, Giovanna Massei, Dave Cowan, Douglas C. Eckery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Impacts of overabundant ungulate populations on human activities and conservation include crop and forestry losses, collisions with vehicles, disease transmission, nuisance behaviour, damage to infrastructures, predation on livestock and native species, and reduction of biodiversity in plant and animal communities (e.g. Curtis et ai., 2002; Massei et al., 2011; Reimoser and Putman, 2011; Ferroglio et ai., 2011; Langbein et al., 2011). Current trends in human population growth and landscape development indicate that human-ungulate conflicts in Europe, as well as in the United States, are likely to increase in parallel with increased expansion in numbers and range of many of these …

Finding A Fox: An Evaluation Of Survey Methods To Estimate Abundance Of A Small Desert Carnivore, Steven J. Dempsey, Eric M. Gese, Bryan M. Kluever

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The status of many carnivore species is a growing concern for wildlife agencies, conservation organizations, and the general public. Historically, kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis) were classified as abundant and distributed in the desert and semi-arid regions of southwestern North America, but is now considered rare throughout its range. Survey methods have been evaluated for kit foxes, but often in populations where abundance is high and there is little consensus on which technique is best to monitor abundance. We conducted a 2-year study to evaluate four survey methods (scat deposition surveys, scent station surveys, spotlight survey, and trapping) for …

Mineral Licks: Motivational Factors For Visitation And Accompanying Disease Risk At Communal Use Sites Of Elk And Deer, Michael J. Lavelle, Gregory E. Phillips, Justin W. Fischer, Patrick W. Burke, Nathan W. Seward, Randal S. Stahl, Tracy A. Nichols, Bruce A. Wunder, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Free-ranging cervids acquire most of their essential minerals through forage consumption, though occasionally seek other sources to account for seasonal mineral deficiencies. Mineral sources occur as natural geological deposits (i.e., licks) or as anthropogenic mineral supplements. In both scenarios, these sources commonly serve as focal sites for visitation. We monitored 11 licks in Rocky Mountain National Park, north-central Colorado, using trail cameras to quantify daily visitation indices (DVI) and soil consumption indices (SCI) for Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) during summer 2006 and documented elk, mule deer, and moose (Alces …

Detection And Removal Of Invasive Burmese Pythons: Methods Development Update, Michael L. Avery, John S. Humphrey, Kandy L. Keacher, W. Eddie Bruce

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The invasive Burmese python is a large constrictor snake that is now well established in south Florida. This invasive predator could have major detrimental impacts to native wildlife populations and is a perceived threat to human health and safety. Finding and removing this elusive predator in vast Everglades habitats of wet sawgrass prairies with interspersed hardwood hammocks poses many challenges for biologists and land managers in south Florida, and no single solution is likely to prevail. In ongoing research, we are exploring opportunities to improve detection of this cryptic species using such diverse approaches as environmental DNA, trained detector dogs, …

Optimization Of Formulations For The Lethal Control Of Feral Pigs, Justin A. Foster, James C. Martin, Kurt . C. Vercauteren, Greg E. Phillips, John D. Eisemann

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral pig populations continue to increase and disperse into unoccupied habitats in North America. Associated damages and control efforts cost U.S. taxpayers as much as $1.5 million/year. Toxicants show promise for feral pig control programs and may be more cost-effective than contemporary methods (i.e., trapping, aerial gunning, and dog-hunting). However, no toxicants are registered for feral pig control in the U.S. Development of sodium nitrite as an active ingredient in pig toxicants is ongoing in Australia, and a registration has been granted in New Zealand. Sodium nitrite is a strong oxidizer and is unpalatable to feral pigs, and thus it …

Invasive Rodent Ecology, Impacts, And Management With An Emphasis On The United States, Gary W. Witmer, William C. Pitt, Gregg Howald

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Many invasive rodent species have become established in the United States and its territories, both on the mainland and on islands. While most were introduced accidently, some were introduced for food or fur. These rodents have caused serious impacts to native flora and fauna, agriculture, and other resources. They have caused the extinction of many species of birds in insular ecosystems. Although many methods are used to control or eradicate introduced rodents, rodenticides and traps are the main tools. Since the early 1990s, agencies have been eradicating rodents from various islands, primarily for conservation purposes. There have been numerous eradication …

Wildlife Damage Management: Changes Over The Last 40 Years And A Look At The Future, Kathleen A. Fagerstone

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Since becoming a wildlife biologist 40 years ago, I have seen many changes. Yet some things have remained the same, like the economic impact of wildlife damage, which was high in 1974 and even higher now. In 2014, the worldwide cost of damage by vertebrate pests to agriculture will exceed $1 billion. The world’s human population has increased at an unprecedented rate, while some wildlife populations have also burgeoned over the past 40 years due to land-use changes and effective management programs. These simultaneous human and wildlife population increases have led to increasing conflicts between humans and wildlife. Nor has …

Improving Invasive House Mice Control And Eradication Strategies Via More Effective Rodenticides, Gary W. Witmer, Rachael S. Moulton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In many cases, the control or eradication of invasive house mice has been problematic using rodenticide products that are currently registered. Our investigations using 12 commercial formulations confirmed that premise. In contrast, 11 of 12 of those commercial formulations were effective against Norway rats. Hence, we investigated 7 new rodenticide formulations to identity more effective alternative rodenticides (different formulation and/or different active ingredients). Several of the new formulations of rodenticides and new active ingredients were found to be relatively efficacious (>70% mortality) and may warrant further investigation as potential control methods for invasive house mice. Additionally, a 2-active ingredient …

The Wake Island Rodent Eradication: Part Success, Part Failure, But Wholly Instructive, Richard Griffiths, Alex Wegmann, Chad Hanson, Brad Keitt, Gregg Howald, Derek Brown, Bernie Tershy, William Pitt, Matthew Moran, Kristen Rex, Susan White, Beth Flint, Nick Torr

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rodent eradications undertaken on tropical islands have had a lower success rate than those attempted in temperate regions. A recent project undertaken to eradicate Rattus tanezumi and R. exulans from the 3 islands comprising Wake Atoll is illustrative. R. tanezumi was successfully removed from all 3 islands. R. exulans was permanently eradicated on Peale Island (95 ha) and temporarily on Wilkes Island (76 ha). R. exulans eradication on Wake Island (525 ha) was unsuccessful and the species has since repopulated Wake Island and recolonized Wilkes Island. We completed a detailed review of the project in an attempt to isolate potential …

Prevention And Control Of Wildlife Damage, 5th Edition, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Robert M. Timm, Paul D. Curtis, Dale L. Nolte, Mark E. Tobin, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The book Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage (PCWD) is the award-winning and leading reference in the field. Over 13,000 copies of the 4th edition were sold, and we conservatively estimate that it saves $210 million in resources and $220 million in labor annually. Emerging issues and changes in the field, however, have precipitated the need for a new 5th edition of PCWD. Six editors and over 120 authors are working to create the next edition, which will include 36 new and 77 revised chapters. We anticipate that the 5th edition of PCWD and derivative products will be available as …

Efficacy Of Rodenticides For Roof Rat And Deer Mouse Control In Orchards, Niamh Niamh Quinn, David H. Davis, Richard M. Engeman, Roger A. Baldwin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Roof rats and deer mice are occasional pests of orchard crops throughout the world. The application of rodenticides is an effective and practical method for controlling rodent pests and reducing damage. However, a paucity of information exists on the efficacy of rodenticides in orchards for these pest species. To address this gap in knowledge, we first developed an index to measure rodent activity in order to monitor efficacy of rodenticides. We then used this index to test the efficacy of 3 first-generation anticoagulant rodenticide baits to determine their utility for controlling roof rats and deer mice in agricultural orchards. Of …

Estimating The Total Economic Impact Of Black Bear Peeling In Western Oregon Using Gis And Remi, Jimmy D. Taylor Ii, Anita Morzillo, Aaron M. Anderson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In parts of the Pacific Northwest, black bears emerge from winter dens with depleted fat reserves and feed on mature conifers by stripping bark and consuming sugar-rich sapwood. Peeling by bears affects commercial conifers through direct loss of the tree or degraded log quality at stand harvest. Bears generally peel trees from 15-30 years old in intensively managed forests until preferred foods such as fruits and berries are available, and a single bear can peel several trees per day. Dying trees have a signature red canopy and are detected in annual aerial forest health surveys; however, trees that scar over …

Use Of Dogs In The Mediation Of Conservation Conflicts, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Lavelle, Jean-Marc Landry, Laurie Marker, Thomas M. Gehring

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Conflicts between wildlife and humans are of global importance and are increasing. These conflicts may negatively impact wildlife, humans, and other resources, primarily livestock. Human safety and economic well-being can be adversely impacted by depredation of livestock and perpetuation of wildlife-borne diseases in agricultural systems. Conversely, management approaches to mitigate these conflicts may employ primarily lethal control methods that can negatively impact wildlife populations of conservation importance. Dogs, principally livestock protection breeds, have been used for centuries in some cultures to protect livestock from predators. Dogs have also been used for a variety of other conservation-specific practices. Here we provide …

Safety And Immunogenicity Of Ontario Rabies Vaccine Bait (Onrab) In The First Us Field Trial In Raccoons (Procyon Lotor), Dennis Slate, Richard B. Chipman, Timothy P. Algeo, Samuel A. Mills, Kathleen M. Nelson, Christopher K. Croson, Edward J. Dubovi, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Randall W. Renshaw, Todd Atwood, Shylo Johnson, Charles E. Rupprecht

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In 2011, we conducted a field trial in rural West Virginia, USA to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a live, recombinant human adenovirus (AdRG1.3) rabies virus glycoprotein vaccine (Ontario Rabies Vaccine Bait; ONRAB) in wild raccoons (Procyon lotor) and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis). We selected ONRAB for evaluation because of its effectiveness in raccoon rabies management in Ontario and Quebec, Canada, and significantly higher antibody prevalence rates in raccoons compared with a recombinant vaccinia-rabies glycoprotein (V-RG) vaccine, Raboral V-RGH, in US–Canada border studies. Raccoon rabies was enzootic and oral rabies vaccination (ORV) had never been …

Improving Pandemic Influenza Risk Assessment, Colin A. Russell, Peter M. Kasson, Ruben O. Donis, Steven Riley, John Dunbar, Andrew Rambaut, Jason Asher, Stephen Burke, C. Todd Davis, Rebecca J. Garten, Sandrasegaram Gnanakaran, Simon I. Hay, Sander Herfst, Nicola S. Lewis, James O. Lloyd-Smith, Catherine A. Macken, Sebastian Maurer-Stroh, Elizabeth Neuhaus, Colin R. Parrish, Kim M. Pepin, Samuel S. Shepard, David L. Smith, David L. Suarez, Susan C. Trock, Marc-Alain Widdowson, Dylan B. George, Marc Lipsitch, Jesse D. Bloom

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Assessing the pandemic risk posed by specific non-human influenza A viruses is an important goal in public health research. As influenza virus genome sequencing becomes cheaper, faster, and more readily available, the ability to predict pandemic potential from sequence data could transform pandemic influenza risk assessment capabilities. However, the complexities of the relationships between virus genotype and phenotype make such predictions extremely difficult. The integration of experimental work, computational tool development, and analysis of evolutionary pathways, together with refinements to influenza surveillance, has the potential to transform our ability to assess the risks posed to humans by non-human influenza viruses …

West Nile Virus Isolated From A Virginia Opossum (Didelphis Virginiana) In Northwestern Missouri, Usa, 2012, Angela Bosco-Lauth, Jessica R. Harmon, R. Ryan Jash, Sonja Weiss, Stanley Langevin, Harry M. Savage, Marvin S. Godsey Jr., Kristen Burkhalter, J. Jeffrey Root, Thomas Gidlewski, William L. Nicholson, Aaron C. Brault, Nicholas Komar

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We describe the isolation of West Nile virus (WNV; Flaviviridae, Flavivirus) from blood of a Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) collected in northwestern Missouri, USA in August 2012. Sequencing determined that the virus was related to lineage 1a WNV02 strains. We discuss the role of wildlife in WNV disease epidemiology.

Detection Of Volatile Organic Compounds In Brucella Abortus- Seropositive Bison, Alona Bayn, Pauline Nol, Ulrike Tisch, Jack Rhyan, Christine K. Ellis, Hossam Haick

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Brucellosis is of great public health and economic importance worldwide. Detection of brucellosis currently relies on serologic testing of an antibody response to Brucella infection, which suffers from cross-sensitivities to other antibody responses. Here we present a new method for identifying Brucella exposure that is based on profiling volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath. Breath samples from Brucella-seropositive bison and controls were chemically analyzed and demonstrated statistically significant differences in the concentration profiles of five VOCs. A point-of-care device incorporating an array of nanomaterial-based sensors could identify VOC patterns indicative of Brucella exposure with excellent discriminative power, using …

Identifying And Managing Mountain Beaver Damage To Forest Resources, Jimmy D. Taylor Ii, Donivan Sphar, Osu Extension Forester Ahrens

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

This publication describes techniques landowners and land managers can use to mitigate damage caused by mountain beavers.

The mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) is a medium-sized rodent that is found throughout the Pacific Northwest, specifically the western regions of Oregon, Washington, northern California, and British Columbia. Mountain beavers are seldom seen, because of their subterranean lifestyle, but can cause considerable damage to forest regeneration. They primarily cause damage by clipping seedlings and small saplings, but they also girdle large saplings and trees and undermine the roots of large, mature trees.

Several management strategies are available to control mountain beaver …

Report To The City Of Chicago On Conflicts With Ring-Billed Gulls And The 2012 Integrated Ring-Billed Gull Damage Management Project, J. W. Hartmann, S. F. Beckerman, Richard 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 …