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Full-Text Articles in Animal Sciences

Limitations Of Invasive Snake Control Tools In The Context Of A New Invasion On An Island With Abundant Prey, Shane R. Siers, Melia G. Nafus, Jereid E. Calaor, Rachel M. Volsteadt, Matthew S. Grassi, Megan Volsteadt, Aaron F. Collins, Patrick D. Barnhart, Logan T. Huse, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Diane L. Vice Jan 2024

Limitations Of Invasive Snake Control Tools In The Context Of A New Invasion On An Island With Abundant Prey, Shane R. Siers, Melia G. Nafus, Jereid E. Calaor, Rachel M. Volsteadt, Matthew S. Grassi, Megan Volsteadt, Aaron F. Collins, Patrick D. Barnhart, Logan T. Huse, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Diane L. Vice

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In October 2020, a new population of invasive brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) was discovered on the 33-ha Cocos Island, 2.5 km off the south coast of Guam, United States. Cocos Island is a unique conservation resource, providing refuge for many lizards and birds, including endangered species, which were extirpated from mainland Guam by invasive predators including brown treesnakes. We sought to evaluate the usefulness of toxic baiting with acetaminophen-treated carrion baits and cage trapping, common tools for the control of brown treesnakes on mainland Guam, as potential eradication tools on Cocos Island. We evaluated multiple bait types and …


An Evaluation Of Body-Grip Trap Trigger Configurations For Reducing River Otter Take Incidental To Beaver Trapping, Alec J. Sundelius, Nicholas Forman, Nathan M. Roberts, Shawn T. Rossler, David B. Ruid, Robert C. Willging Jun 2021

An Evaluation Of Body-Grip Trap Trigger Configurations For Reducing River Otter Take Incidental To Beaver Trapping, Alec J. Sundelius, Nicholas Forman, Nathan M. Roberts, Shawn T. Rossler, David B. Ruid, Robert C. Willging

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

River otter (Lontra canadensis) populations in North America have been the focus of significant restoration efforts. Wildlife management agencies, concerned about the unintentional take of river otters incidental to beaver (Castor canadensis) trapping, may recommend techniques to avoid capturing river otters. River otter avoidance techniques that are ineffective or diminish trap performance for beavers are undesirable. We conducted a field evaluation in 2015 and 2016 in Wisconsin to assess how two trigger configurations (offset and center) on body-grip traps would affect the incidental capture rate of river otters during beaver trapping. We also evaluated effects of …


Daily And Landscape Influences Of Species Visitation To Toxic Bait Sites For Wild Pigs, Nathan P. Snow, Joseph M. Halseth, Michael P. Glow, Michael Lavelle, Justin Fischer, Eric H. Vannatta, Kurt C. Vercauteren Jan 2021

Daily And Landscape Influences Of Species Visitation To Toxic Bait Sites For Wild Pigs, Nathan P. Snow, Joseph M. Halseth, Michael P. Glow, Michael Lavelle, Justin Fischer, Eric H. Vannatta, Kurt C. Vercauteren

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Toxic baiting of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) is a potential new tool for population control and damage reduction in the United States. Use of toxic bait sites by non‐target species is concerning because of the risks posed from exposure to a toxic bait. A 2018 field trial in northern Texas, USA, examining the efficacy of a prototype toxic bait (HOGGONE®, containing 10% sodium nitrite) revealed unexpected hazards to non‐target species, primarily passerine birds, from consuming toxic bait spilled outside of bait stations by wild pigs. The hazards jeopardize the ability to register HOGGONE as a tool for controlling …


Evaluating The Effects Of Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia Rufa) Management On Conifer Stocking In Western Oregon, Jimmy D. Taylor, Vanessa M. Petro Jan 2021

Evaluating The Effects Of Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia Rufa) Management On Conifer Stocking In Western Oregon, Jimmy D. Taylor, Vanessa M. Petro

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) is the most primitive rodent species in North America and is endemic to the Pacific Northwest, USA. Within their range, mountain beaver cause more conflict with conifer forest regeneration than any other vertebrate species. Most damage occurs as a result of clipping and browsing new seedlings, which reduces stocking density and delays stand development. An integrated approach using trapping and a registered toxicant (baiting) has been suggested as the most efficacious means to reduce seedling loss during stand initiation. We evaluated this management strategy in intensively managed conifer stands across two mountain ranges in …


Best Management Practices For Trapping Furbearers In The United States, H. Bryant White, Gordon R. Batcheller, Edward K. Boggess, Clifford L. Brown, Joseph W. Butfiloski, Thomas A. Decker, John D. Erb, Michael W. Fall, David A. Hamilton, Tim L. Hiller, George F. Hubert Jr., Matthew J. Lovallo, John F. Olson, Nathan M. Roberts Jan 2021

Best Management Practices For Trapping Furbearers In The United States, H. Bryant White, Gordon R. Batcheller, Edward K. Boggess, Clifford L. Brown, Joseph W. Butfiloski, Thomas A. Decker, John D. Erb, Michael W. Fall, David A. Hamilton, Tim L. Hiller, George F. Hubert Jr., Matthew J. Lovallo, John F. Olson, Nathan M. Roberts

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Humans have used wild furbearers for various purposes for thousands of years. Today, furbearers are sustainably used by the public for their pelts, leather, bones, glands, meat, or other purposes. In North America, contemporary harvest of furbearers has evolved along with trap technologies and societal concerns, and is now highly regulated and more closely coupled with harvest analysis and population monitoring. Traps and regulated trapping programs provide personal or cultural rewards that can also support conservation, and can assist with advancing ecological knowledge through research, protecting endangered species, restoring populations or habitats, protecting personal property, and enhancing public health and …


Feral Swine, Michael P. Glow, Nathan P. Snow, Kurt C. Vercauteren Aug 2020

Feral Swine, Michael P. Glow, Nathan P. Snow, Kurt C. Vercauteren

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

Feral swine (Sus scrofa; Figure 1), also known as feral hogs, feral pigs, wild pigs, wild boar, or other similar derivations, are a non-native species considered to be one of the most destructive invasive terrestrial vertebrates in North America. While feral swine populations remained relatively small and confined in the continental United States following initial introductions by European explorers during the 15th century, substantial range expansion has occurred across every geographical region of the United States (Figure 2). This expansion has primarily been attributed to human-mediated movements, predominately for the purpose of establishing populations for recreational hunting, and facilitated by …


Black Bear, Jimmy D. Taylor, James P. Phillips Jan 2020

Black Bear, Jimmy D. Taylor, James P. Phillips

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

The American black bear (Ursus americanus, Figure 1) is a challenging species for wildlife agencies to manage due to its size, intelligence, extensive range, food habits, and adaptability, as well as societal views. In North America alone, agencies receive more than 40,000 complaints about black bear annually. Black bears are known as ‘food-driven’ animals, meaning most conflicts result from a bear’s drive to meet its nutritional needs. Not surprisingly, an overwhelming proportion of conflicts are related to their use of anthropogenic (human) food sources, such as garbage, bird food, and crops. Understanding what drives human-bear conflict is the first part …


One Step Closer To A Better Starling Trap, James R. Thiele Jan 2020

One Step Closer To A Better Starling Trap, James R. Thiele

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are an invasive species in the United States that damage agriculture, personal property, and threaten human health and safety. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services provides technical support to mitigate damage by controlling starling populations at concentrated animal feeding operations, landfills, utilities, and urban areas. Wildlife Services uses DRC-1339, a registered toxicant, to reduce starling populations. Trapping can also be an effective tool but requires more time at a higher cost than DRC-1339. Trapping starlings, however, may be needed to provide a viable alternative to mitigate damage in areas where toxicant use may …


Mammal Species Inventory Using Various Trapping Methods In Zone 4 Of Billy Barquedier National Park, Belize During Rainy Season, Mersady Redding Dec 2019

Mammal Species Inventory Using Various Trapping Methods In Zone 4 Of Billy Barquedier National Park, Belize During Rainy Season, Mersady Redding

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Belize is a small country, but it is extremely ecologically diverse. Based on the few studies conducted in Belize, the abundance of mammals is low but diversity is high. Particular findings note the number and identity of species differed between four sites in the Maya Mountains of Belize, indicating that a data set from a single site is not representative of the Neotropical region. Insufficient data is available to estimate current species richness of many areas in Belize, including Billy Barquedier National Park (BBNP). The objective of this study was to explore trapping and documentation methods of terrestrial mammals in …


Comparing Live-Capture Methods For Nutria: Single- Versus Multiple-Capture Cage Traps, Trevor R. Sheffels, Jacoby Carter, Mark D. Sytsma, Jimmy D. Taylor Jan 2019

Comparing Live-Capture Methods For Nutria: Single- Versus Multiple-Capture Cage Traps, Trevor R. Sheffels, Jacoby Carter, Mark D. Sytsma, Jimmy D. Taylor

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Herbivory and burrowing by nutria (Myocastor coypus) cause substantial ecological and economic damage. Trapping is a common, effective practice for reducing nutria damage; however, trapping approaches must continually be adapted to keep pace with evolving animal welfare and ethical issues and to more effectively target pest species of interest. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of 2 nonlethal trap types for nutria: single-capture (SCT) and multi-capture (MCT) cage traps. We established 3 MCTs and 3 SCTs at each of 7 sites on a 10,500-ha mixed-use island located 15 km northwest of Portland, Oregon, USA. We pre-baited using …


Movement Responses Inform Effectiveness And Consequences Of Baiting Wild Pigs For Population Control, Nathan P. Snow, Kurt C. Vercauteren Jan 2019

Movement Responses Inform Effectiveness And Consequences Of Baiting Wild Pigs For Population Control, Nathan P. Snow, Kurt C. Vercauteren

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) damage agricultural and natural resources throughout their nearly global distribution. Subsequently, population control activities (e.g., trapping, shooting, or toxic baiting) frequently involve the deployment of bait to attract wild pigs. A better understanding of how wild pigs respond to bait sites can help maximize efficiency of baiting programs and identify any potential pitfalls. We examined the movement behaviors of 68 wild pigs during three stages of intensive baiting programs (i.e., 15 days each: prior, during, and post baiting) spread across two distinct study areas in southern and northern Texas, USA. We found that bait sites needed …


Comparing Live-Capture Methods For Nutria: Single- Versus Multiple-Capture Cage Traps, Trevor R. Sheffels, Mark D. Sytsma, Jacoby Carter, Jimmy D. Taylor Jan 2019

Comparing Live-Capture Methods For Nutria: Single- Versus Multiple-Capture Cage Traps, Trevor R. Sheffels, Mark D. Sytsma, Jacoby Carter, Jimmy D. Taylor

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Herbivory and burrowing by nutria (Myocastor coypus) cause substantial ecological and economic damage. Trapping is a common, effective practice for reducing nutria damage; however, trapping approaches must continually be adapted to keep pace with evolving animal welfare and ethical issues and to more effectively target pest species of interest. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of 2 nonlethal trap types for nutria: single-capture (SCT) and multi-capture (MCT) cage traps. We established 3 MCTs and 3 SCTs at each of 7 sites on a 10,500-ha mixed-use island located 15 km northwest of Portland, Oregon, USA. We pre-baited using carrots, apples, …


Plains Spotted Skunk Pelt Purchase Trends In The Ozarks And Ouachitas, 1943-1990, D. Blake Sasse Jan 2019

Plains Spotted Skunk Pelt Purchase Trends In The Ozarks And Ouachitas, 1943-1990, D. Blake Sasse

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Plains spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius interrupta) is a small carnivore that has experienced population declines across much of its range and is currently being considered for listing as an endangered species. I utilized harvest data on pelts from the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas and the Ouachita mountains in Arkansas that were purchased by fur dealers from 1943-1990 to examine trends in harvest levels over time. Purchases in all three regions declined in the late 1940s and early 1950s, but purchases in the Arkansas returned to near or at historic levels in the early 1960s and the …


Incidental Captures Of Plains Spotted Skunks (Spilogale Putorius Interrupta) By Arkansas Trappers, 2012-2017, D. Blake Sasse Jan 2018

Incidental Captures Of Plains Spotted Skunks (Spilogale Putorius Interrupta) By Arkansas Trappers, 2012-2017, D. Blake Sasse

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Arkansas trappers were surveyed following the 2012 and four subsequent trapping seasons regarding accidental captures of spotted skunks while attempting to trap other species. A total of 132 trappers reported capturing spotted skunks although further investigation confirmed the validity of only 42 reports from trappers that caught a total of 60 spotted skunks. Incidental captures were rare; only 0.35-1.29% of trappers each year caught spotted skunks and came primarily from the Ozark and Ouachita regions of the state.


Beavers, Jimmy D. Taylor, Greg K. Yarrow, James E. Miller Mar 2017

Beavers, Jimmy D. Taylor, Greg K. Yarrow, James E. Miller

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

The American beaver (Castor canadensis) (Figure 1) is known as an “ecosystem engineer” because of the benefits their dams provide to biological diversity and ecosystem function. It also is considered a “keystone species” because of its ability to transform its environment, creating new habitats upon which other species depend. Despite the many positive benefits beavers provide through foraging and dam building, beavers also create conflict with people when their activities cause damage. The authors of this publication acknowledge and appreciate the many positive benefits that beavers provide; however, the focus of this publication is to provide basic information on beaver …


Efficacy, Effort, And Cost Comparisons Of Trapping And Acetaminophen-Baiting For Control Of Brown Treesnakes On Guam, Larry Clark, Peter J. Savarie, John A. Shivik, Stewart W. Breck, Brian S. Dorr Jan 2012

Efficacy, Effort, And Cost Comparisons Of Trapping And Acetaminophen-Baiting For Control Of Brown Treesnakes On Guam, Larry Clark, Peter J. Savarie, John A. Shivik, Stewart W. Breck, Brian S. Dorr

Brian S Dorr

Abstract: Brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) are an invasive species to the island of Guam. Because they have extirpated the native forest avifauna on Guam and are a threat to other Pacific islands, the development of efficient and cost-effective methods to control them is desired. We compared the efficacy, cost, and effort required to remove brown treesnakes on 6-ha plots in forest scrub on Guam, using 2 methods: trapping and poison baiting. Toxic baits consisted of dead neonatal mice adulterated with 80-mg acetaminophen. To assess efficacy, we used mark-recapture methods to estimate snake abundance on plots 12 days before and 12 …


Use Of Traditional Indian Trapping Methods To Capture Sandhill Cranes, Scott G. Hereford, Tracy E. Grazia, Meenaksid Nagendran,, Ali Hussain Jan 2001

Use Of Traditional Indian Trapping Methods To Capture Sandhill Cranes, Scott G. Hereford, Tracy E. Grazia, Meenaksid Nagendran,, Ali Hussain

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The Mississippi sandhill crane (Grus canadensis pulla) is an endangered, nonmigratory subspecies of sandhill crane located only in Jackson County, Mississippi, on and adjacent to the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. Maintaining a marked population is essential to long-term monitoring efforts. Past trapping techniques such as walk-in traps and coffin traps were useful but not effective in capturing many cranes, wary of such obvious manmade devices. In 1998, refuge personnel recruited Master Bird Trapper, Ali Hussain from India, to demonstrate his low-tech, time-tested techniques. Hussain's traps such as the clap trap and nooses were highly portable, inexpensive, …