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Full-Text Articles in Animal Sciences

Estimating Relative Distribution Of Raccoons, Opossums, Skunks, And Foxes Using Animal Control Data, Christine Klinkowski-Clark, Michael J. Kutilek, John O. Matson, Paula Messina, Kevin Earley, Shannon M. Bros-Seemann Jan 2010

Estimating Relative Distribution Of Raccoons, Opossums, Skunks, And Foxes Using Animal Control Data, Christine Klinkowski-Clark, Michael J. Kutilek, John O. Matson, Paula Messina, Kevin Earley, Shannon M. Bros-Seemann

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We used indices of animal control reports per capita and areas of land covers to assess the relative habitat-use of raccoons (Procyon lotor), opossums (Didelphis virginiana), skunks (Spilogale putorius and Mephitis mephitis), and foxes (Vulpes vulpes and Urocyon cinereoargenteus). We used confirmed (hereafter, verified) calls made to Brevard Animal Services, Florida, and assessed potential human demographic influences associated with unconfirmed (hereafter, unverified) reports where it was uncertain whether or not an animal was present. To estimate habitat use, we performed quadrat sampling using a geographic information system (GIS) and obtained areas of …


Effects Of Waterfowl Hunting On Raccoon Movements, Shandra Nicole Frey, Michael R. Conover Jan 2010

Effects Of Waterfowl Hunting On Raccoon Movements, Shandra Nicole Frey, Michael R. Conover

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Nontarget wildlife may react to hunters with avoidance, ambivalence, or attraction, depending upon the frequency of contact and the consequences of past contacts. We studied raccoons (Procyon lotor) located within the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, before and during waterfowl hunting seasons to assess changes in the size of their distributions, locations, and travel distances. Raccoon distribution size did not change with the onset of hunting. Once hunting began, raccoons were located more frequently in areas with lower densities of hunters and less frequently in areas with higher densities of hunters. Raccoons also responded to the presence …


Commentary Euthanasia Methods In Field Settings For Wildlife Damage Management, Timothy J. Julien, Stephen M. Vantassel, Scott R. Groepper, Scott E. Hygnstrom Jan 2010

Commentary Euthanasia Methods In Field Settings For Wildlife Damage Management, Timothy J. Julien, Stephen M. Vantassel, Scott R. Groepper, Scott E. Hygnstrom

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.


Metapopulation Dynamics Of Mid-Continent Lesser Snow Geese: Implications For Management, Lise M. Aubry, Robert F. Rockwell, David N. Koons Jan 2010

Metapopulation Dynamics Of Mid-Continent Lesser Snow Geese: Implications For Management, Lise M. Aubry, Robert F. Rockwell, David N. Koons

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The rapid increase in abundance of lesser snow goose (LSG; Chen caerulescens caerulescens) numbers and their devastating effects on arctic and subarctic habitats has inspired much research on the use of population models for defining appropriate management policies. We use the not yet considered metapopulation approach to examine the elasticity of mid-continent LSG population dynamics to changes in underlying vital rates to determine whether management efforts aimed at decreasing burgeoning numbers should be reevaluated. After considering a variety of geographic scenarios in the metapopulation model, we found that changes in survival would still have a larger impact on population …


In The News, Joe N. Caudell Jan 2010

In The News, Joe N. Caudell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.


Driver Knowledge, Beliefs, And Attitudes About Deer–Vehicle Collisions In Southern Michigan, Alix Marcoux, Shawn J. Riley Jan 2010

Driver Knowledge, Beliefs, And Attitudes About Deer–Vehicle Collisions In Southern Michigan, Alix Marcoux, Shawn J. Riley

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) are one of the most frequent and costly human– wildlife conflict throughout the range of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). We conducted a self-administered, mail-back survey of Michigan drivers to determine: (1) driver attitudes and knowledge about DVCs; (2) reporting rates of DVCs; and (3) effects of being in a DVC on attitudes toward desired deer population levels. From a sample of 3,600 randomly selected licensed drivers >18 years of age in southeast Michigan, we obtained 1,653 completed questionnaires (48% response rate). Although 18% of respondents reported experiencing >1 DVC within 5 years of the survey …


Effectiveness Of Deer Repellents In Connecticut, Jeffrey S. Ward, Scott C. Williams Jan 2010

Effectiveness Of Deer Repellents In Connecticut, Jeffrey S. Ward, Scott C. Williams

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Browsing by overabundant herds of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can cause significant economic damage to agricultural crops and landscape plantings. In many instances, for both commercial growers and homeowners, commercially available repellents may be an appealing alternative to physical exclusion and lethal control of animals. We tested 10 different commercially-available repellents (Chew-Not®, Deer Off®, Deer-Away® Big Game Repellent, Plantskydd®, Bobbex®, Liquid Fence®, Deer Solution®, Hinder®, Repellex® systemic tablets, and coyote urine) on yews (Taxus cuspidata Densiformis) at 2 different locations in Connecticut. The study included both positive (fence) and negative (no treatment) controls. We planted yews in …


Testing Fladry As A Nonlethal Management Tool For Wolves And Coyotes In Michigan, Sarah J. Davidson-Nelson, Thomas M. Gehring Jan 2010

Testing Fladry As A Nonlethal Management Tool For Wolves And Coyotes In Michigan, Sarah J. Davidson-Nelson, Thomas M. Gehring

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Several forms of nonlethal management exist, but fi eld testing is problematic, and few such techniques have been tested on free-ranging wolves (Canis lupus) or other predators. We tested fladry in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan during the summers of 2004 and 2005 on treatment farms and control farms. Wolf visitation inside pastures, compared to those outside pastures, was less on fladry-protected farms (U = 45, n = 7, P = 0.004); whereas, we found no difference in wolf visitation inside and outside of pastures on control farms (U = 30, n = 7, P …


Habitat Correlates Of Jaguar Kill-Sites Of Cattle In Northeastern Sonora, Mexico, Octavio C. Rosas-Rosas, Louis C. Bender, Raul Valdez Jan 2010

Habitat Correlates Of Jaguar Kill-Sites Of Cattle In Northeastern Sonora, Mexico, Octavio C. Rosas-Rosas, Louis C. Bender, Raul Valdez

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Predation on cattle by the endangered jaguar (Panthera onca) can be a serious ecological and economic conflict. We investigated habitat characteristics of kill sites of cattle in Sonora, Mexico, from 1999 to 2004 to see whether habitat management or cattle distribution could be used as effective nonlethal methods to limit predation. Kill-sites were positively associated with oak, semitropical thornscrub, and xeric thornscrub vegetation types, whereas they were negatively associated with upland mesquite. Sites of cattle kills were also positively associated with proximity to permanent water sources and roads. A model including these relationships fi t kill locations well …


An Effective Chemical Deterrent For Invasive Cuban Treefrogs, Steve A. Johnson, Monica E. Mcgarrity, Christina L. Staudhammer Jan 2010

An Effective Chemical Deterrent For Invasive Cuban Treefrogs, Steve A. Johnson, Monica E. Mcgarrity, Christina L. Staudhammer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Introduced vertebrates have a variety of impacts on ecosystems and economies, and many cause problems for humans. One such problem is the loss of electrical power when invasive animals cause short circuits in power-transmission equipment. Cuban treefrogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis) are known to cause power outages and are a nuisance to humans when they invade homes and defecate on doors and windows. These large, slightly toxic treefrogs were introduced into Florida from the Caribbean. They now occur throughout the peninsula of Florida and are spreading to other states in the Southeast. We used refuge choice experiments to test the …


Visitation To Cottonseed Storage Sites By Feral Swine And Evidence Of Gossypol Exposure, Tyler A. Campbell, Sarah L. Bullock, David B. Long, David G. Hewitt, Michael K. Dowd Jan 2010

Visitation To Cottonseed Storage Sites By Feral Swine And Evidence Of Gossypol Exposure, Tyler A. Campbell, Sarah L. Bullock, David B. Long, David G. Hewitt, Michael K. Dowd

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.


Soap Box Immunocontraception To Control Rabies In Dog Populations, Giovanna Massei, Lowell A. Miller, Gary J. Killian Jan 2010

Soap Box Immunocontraception To Control Rabies In Dog Populations, Giovanna Massei, Lowell A. Miller, Gary J. Killian

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.


Nest-Site Selection And Nesting Ecology Of Giant Canada Geese In Central Tennessee, Jason S. Carbaugh, Daniel L. Combs, Eric M. Dunton Jan 2010

Nest-Site Selection And Nesting Ecology Of Giant Canada Geese In Central Tennessee, Jason S. Carbaugh, Daniel L. Combs, Eric M. Dunton

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Little information is available on giant Canada goose (Branta canadensis maxima) nest-site selection on isolated nesting ponds. We monitored 46 island and 72 shoreline nests in the Upper Cumberland (UC) region of central Tennessee during 2002 and 2003. We measured 6 habitat variables at nesting ponds and randomly-selected non-nesting ponds. We used logistic regression to determine which habitat variables were important in nest-site selection. Presence of an island was the most important variable, but it was excluded from the final analysis because of quasi-separation (i.e., geese nested on all known islands in the study area). Geese that nested …


Late Summer Movements By Giant Canada Geese In Relation To A September Hunting Season, Charles D. Dieter, Bobby J. Anderson, Jeffrey S. Gleason, Paul W. Mammenga, Spencer Vaa Jan 2010

Late Summer Movements By Giant Canada Geese In Relation To A September Hunting Season, Charles D. Dieter, Bobby J. Anderson, Jeffrey S. Gleason, Paul W. Mammenga, Spencer Vaa

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The population of giant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) breeding in eastern South Dakota has increased dramatically since reintroduction efforts began in the 1960s. May breeding population levels of giant Canada geese exceeded population management goals set by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) by the mid-1990s, and the population has continued to increase into the 2000s. This population increase was accompanied by an increase in goose-related conflicts such as crop depredation. In 1996, a September hunting season was implemented in select counties in eastern South Dakota in an effort to reduce the giant …


Bulldozers And Blueberries: Managing Fence Damage By Bare-Nosed Wombats At The Agricultural–Riparian Interface, Philip Borchard, Ian A. Wright Jan 2010

Bulldozers And Blueberries: Managing Fence Damage By Bare-Nosed Wombats At The Agricultural–Riparian Interface, Philip Borchard, Ian A. Wright

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Fence damage by bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus) can be a serious problem for farmers wishing to reduce herbivory by other herbivores on valuable crops. We investigated the effectiveness of exclusion fencing to prevent the incursion of unwanted native and feral herbivores and the use of swinging gates designed to allow wombats to pass through the fence without having to damage it. We also examined the temporal response of animals toward exclusion fencing and wombat gates. The 10-month study took place on the interface between natural riparian vegetation and a 22-ha blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) orchard in southeastern …


Bullet Fragmentation And Lead Deposition In White-Tailed Deer And Domestic Sheep, Marrett D. Grund, Louis Cornicelli, Leah T. Carlson, Erika A. Butler Jan 2010

Bullet Fragmentation And Lead Deposition In White-Tailed Deer And Domestic Sheep, Marrett D. Grund, Louis Cornicelli, Leah T. Carlson, Erika A. Butler

Human–Wildlife Interactions

In February 2008, a private physician in North Dakota radiographed hunterharvested venison and found that 60 of 100 packages contained metal fragments. This discovery had implications for public-funded venison donation programs, and it prompted several Midwest states to examine their programs. Approximately 500,000 deer hunters harvest >200,000 deer annually in Minnesota, and the state has a donation program similar to North Dakota’s program. Therefore, we analyzed fragmentation patterns and lead deposition in carcasses of 8 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and 72 domestic sheep (Ovis aries). We fired 5 different bullet types from centerfire rifles, and we …


Fate Of Captive-Reared And Released Mallards On Eastern Long Island, New York, Carrie E. Osborne, Bryan L. Swift, Guy A. Baldassarre Jan 2010

Fate Of Captive-Reared And Released Mallards On Eastern Long Island, New York, Carrie E. Osborne, Bryan L. Swift, Guy A. Baldassarre

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We studied captive-reared mallards (Anas platyrhynchos; CRMs) released on eastern Long Island, New York, in 2006 to 2007 and 2007 to 2008 to determine: (1) survival rates of CRMs; (2) contribution to hunter harvest; (3) local movements; and (4) pair status, reproductive behavior, and production of CRMs. We banded and released 100 CRMs in November 2006 of which 20 were radio-marked. In November 2007, we banded and released 299 CRMs of which 60 were radio-marked. We used Program MARK to determine weekly survival estimates (0.53 to 1.00) up to 24 weeks after release; cumulative survival from November to …


Improved Methods For Deterring Cliff Swallow Nesting On Highway Structures, Michael Delwiche, Robert W. Coates, W. Paul Gorenzel, Terrell P. Salmon Jan 2010

Improved Methods For Deterring Cliff Swallow Nesting On Highway Structures, Michael Delwiche, Robert W. Coates, W. Paul Gorenzel, Terrell P. Salmon

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) are migratory birds that frequently nest on highway structures, such as bridges. Because cliff swallows are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, nesting control methods must not harm cliff swallows or disturb active nests. This can cause delays for maintenance divisions of state departments of transportation, resulting in additional cost. In a multiyear project, we evaluated the effects of bioacoustic deterrents and bridge surface modifications on nesting behavior of cliff swallows. We used cliff swallow alarm and distress calls as bioacoustic deterrents (hereafter, broadcast calls [BC]) because they previously had been …


Refinement Of Biomarker Pentosidine Methodology For Use On Aging Birds, Crissa K. Cooey, Jesse A. Fallon, Michael L. Avery, James T. Anderson, Elizabeth A. Falkenstein, Hillar Klandorf Jan 2010

Refinement Of Biomarker Pentosidine Methodology For Use On Aging Birds, Crissa K. Cooey, Jesse A. Fallon, Michael L. Avery, James T. Anderson, Elizabeth A. Falkenstein, Hillar Klandorf

Human–Wildlife Interactions

There is no reliable method for determining age for most species of long-lived birds. Recent success using the skin chemical pentosidine as a biomarker has shown promise as an aging tool for birds. Pentosidine levels have been determined only from the breast tissue of carcasses, and we sought to refine the procedure with respect to biopsy size and location for safe and effective use on living birds. We compared pentosidine concentrations in 4 skin-size samples (4, 6, 8, and 20-mm diameter biopsies) from the breast of black vulture (Coragyps atratus) carcasses. We also compared pentosidine levels from breast …


Estimating Annual Vertebrate Mortality On Roads At Saguaro National Park, Arizona, Kenneth Gerow, Natasha C. Kline, Don E. Swann, Marin Pokorny Jan 2010

Estimating Annual Vertebrate Mortality On Roads At Saguaro National Park, Arizona, Kenneth Gerow, Natasha C. Kline, Don E. Swann, Marin Pokorny

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Road-killed vertebrates are a conspicuous effect of roads on animals, particularly in natural preserves where wildlife is protected. Knowledge of the number of vertebrates killed by vehicles in a national park or other natural area is important for managers, but these numbers are difficult to estimate because such mortality patterns vary greatly in space and time and by taxonomic group. Additionally, animals killed by vehicles may be difficult to observe, particularly during driving surveys, and carcasses may not persist between surveys due to scavenging and other factors. We modified an estimator previously developed for determining bird mortality at wind turbines …


Relative Habitat- And Browse-Use Of Native Desert Mule Deer And Exotic Oryx In The Greater San Andres Mountains, New Mexico, Brock D. Hoenes, Louis C. Bender Jan 2010

Relative Habitat- And Browse-Use Of Native Desert Mule Deer And Exotic Oryx In The Greater San Andres Mountains, New Mexico, Brock D. Hoenes, Louis C. Bender

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Introduced oryx (Oryx gazella gazella) have expanded into the San Andres Mountains of south-central New Mexico, but little is known of concurrent habitat used by oryx and desert mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus crooki); the latter in New Mexico is a species of special concern that has declined significantly since the introduction of oryx. We used fecal-pellet and browse surveys in combination with presence modeling to identify differences in relative use of habitat types, distribution, and browsing of highly palatable, highly preferred (hereafter, key) plant species during 2004 to 2006 to assess the potential for direct competition …


European Starling Preferences For Bait Substrates Used In Drc-1339 Applications, H. Jeffrey Homan, George M. Linz, Scott Beckerman, Anthony G. Duffiney, Thomas D. Halstead Jan 2010

European Starling Preferences For Bait Substrates Used In Drc-1339 Applications, H. Jeffrey Homan, George M. Linz, Scott Beckerman, Anthony G. Duffiney, Thomas D. Halstead

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Additional bait substrates for the avicide, DRC-1339 Concentrate (3-chloro-4- methylaniline hydrochloride), could provide USDA/Wildlife Services with more fl exibility when managing nuisance populations of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) at livestock facilities. From January 11 to 21, 2008, we conducted 11 2-choice preference tests with 6 bait types at a feedlot in central Kansas. The baits included cracked corn mixed with lard (2 concentrations), 2 forms of distiller’s grain (wet powder and pellets), 2 types of livestock feed (calf-starter pellet and sweet-feed mix), and a custom-produced poultry pellet (carrier pellet) made by USDA specifically for baiting starlings. We evaluated …


Landowner Attitudes Toward Elk Management In The Pine Ridge Region Of North-Western Nebraska, R. Daniel Crank, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Kit M. Hams Jan 2010

Landowner Attitudes Toward Elk Management In The Pine Ridge Region Of North-Western Nebraska, R. Daniel Crank, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Kit M. Hams

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Little is known about attitudes of landowners toward elk (Cervus elaphus) on privately-owned land. We mailed questionnaires to agricultural landowners in the Pine Ridge region of northwestern Nebraska in both 1995 and 1997 to determine attitudes toward elk populations and management of elk. Fifty-six percent (n = 214) of respondents in 1995 and 57% (n = 461) in 1997 were in favor of free-ranging elk. Motivation for those in favor of elk was utilitarian (opportunity to view and hunt elk), ecological (return of a native species), and economic (benefits from increased tourism and leased land for elk hunting). …


In The News, Joe N. Caudell Jan 2010

In The News, Joe N. Caudell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.


Movements, Habitat Selection, Associations, And Survival Of Giant Canada Goose Broods In Central Tennessee, Eric M. Dunton, Daniel L. Combs Jan 2010

Movements, Habitat Selection, Associations, And Survival Of Giant Canada Goose Broods In Central Tennessee, Eric M. Dunton, Daniel L. Combs

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The brood-rearing period in giant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) is one of the least-studied areas of goose ecology. We monitored 32 broods in Putnam County, Tennessee, from the time of hatching through fledging (i.e., when the goslings gained the ability to fly) and from fledging until broods left the brood-rearing areas during the spring and summer of 2003. We conducted a fixed-kernel, home-range analysis for each brood using the Animal Movement Extension in ArcView® 3.3 GIS (ESRI, Redlands, Calif.) software and calculated 95% and 50% utilization distributions (UD) for each brood. We classified 25 broods as sedentary …


Selection Of Pathways To Foraging Sites In Crop Fields By Flightless Canada Geese, Troy M. Radtke, Charles D. Dieter Jan 2010

Selection Of Pathways To Foraging Sites In Crop Fields By Flightless Canada Geese, Troy M. Radtke, Charles D. Dieter

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Geese, especially when they are flightless, can cause significant crop damage. We determined the effects of shoreline characteristics on foraging site selection by flightless Canada geese (Branta canadensis) in South Dakota. Distance from edge of crop field to wetland and visual obstruction by vegetation were important determinants of pathway selection by geese. Geese used crop fields for foraging that were closer to water than unused fields. Geese accessed those fields along pathways with less visual obstruction by vegetation than unused pathways. Our data suggest that this distance of crops to wetlands is the most important shoreline characteristic determining …


Survival And Harvest Characteristics Of Giant Canada Geese In Eastern South Dakota, 2000–2004, Charles D. Dieter, Jeffrey S. Gleason, Bobby J. Anderson, Spencer Vaa, Paul W. Mammenga Jan 2010

Survival And Harvest Characteristics Of Giant Canada Geese In Eastern South Dakota, 2000–2004, Charles D. Dieter, Jeffrey S. Gleason, Bobby J. Anderson, Spencer Vaa, Paul W. Mammenga

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The population of giant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) in eastern South Dakota has increased substantially since reintroduction efforts began in the 1960s. Breeding population estimates of Canada geese exceeded the population management objective of the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks by the mid-1990s and has continued to increase at an estimated rate of 3 to 5% per year. Goose-related crop damage complaints have also increased. In 1996, a September hunting season (September 1 to 15) was implemented in 10 counties in eastern South Dakota and was expanded in 2000 to include most of eastern South Dakota. …


The Soap Box Wild Horses And Blm Management Issues: What To Do With 30,000 Symbols Of The American West, James T. Smith Jan 2010

The Soap Box Wild Horses And Blm Management Issues: What To Do With 30,000 Symbols Of The American West, James T. Smith

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.


Effects Of Aquaculture On Migration And Movement Patterns Of Double-Crested Cormorants, D. Tommy King, Bradley F. Blackwell, Brian S. Dorr, Jerrold L. Belant Jan 2010

Effects Of Aquaculture On Migration And Movement Patterns Of Double-Crested Cormorants, D. Tommy King, Bradley F. Blackwell, Brian S. Dorr, Jerrold L. Belant

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We analyzed 10,620 recovery records for double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) banded as nestlings from 1923 to 2006 to determine the population’s age structure, migration routes, dispersal patterns, and the possible influence of the expansion of the aquaculture industry in the southeastern United States on these population characteristics. Ninety-nine percent of the birds were banded during June to August, and 78% were banded as pre-fledged birds. Cormorants banded in the interior region of the United States comprised 91% of all birds banded from 1955 to 2006; these birds wintered primarily in the Lower Mississippi Valley and the northern Gulf …


Evaluation Of Rhodamine B As A Biomarker For Raccoons, Tricia L. Fry, Todd Atwood, Mike R. Dunbar Jan 2010

Evaluation Of Rhodamine B As A Biomarker For Raccoons, Tricia L. Fry, Todd Atwood, Mike R. Dunbar

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services (WS) oral rabies vaccination program uses tetracycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic and relatively reliable biomarker, to quantify vaccinebait uptake by raccoons (Procyon lotor). However, obtaining samples (e.g., bone or teeth) to assess tetracycline uptake is highly invasive, and sample preparation can be expensive. By contrast, rhodamine B, a commercially available dye, is absorbed systemically in growing tissues, including hair and whiskers, and can be observed under ultraviolet (UV) light as fluorescent orange bands. Our goal was to evaluate whether rhodamine B can be used as a biomarker to monitor bait uptake by raccoons. We began by …