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Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Texas Hunters’ Perceptions Regarding The Acceptability Of Toxicants To Control Wild Pig Populations, Keith M. Carlisle, Sophie Mckee, Hailey E. Ellis, Lauren M. Jaebker, John M. Tomeček, Alan D. Bright, Rachael L. Connally, Maureen G. Frank, Stephanie A. Shwiff Jan 2022

Texas Hunters’ Perceptions Regarding The Acceptability Of Toxicants To Control Wild Pig Populations, Keith M. Carlisle, Sophie Mckee, Hailey E. Ellis, Lauren M. Jaebker, John M. Tomeček, Alan D. Bright, Rachael L. Connally, Maureen G. Frank, Stephanie A. Shwiff

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species in the United States. They damage agriculture, degrade water quality and ecological communities, and host a number of viruses, parasites, and bacteria transmissible to humans and animals. In states such as Texas, USA, where wild pigs cause extensive damage to agriculture and property, officials have considered allowing for the use of toxicants to control wild pig populations. To provide decision-makers with information regarding stakeholders’ perceptions of the use of toxicants to control wild pigs, we surveyed Texas hunters in 2019 to assess the level of acceptance of a hypothetical wild …


Dehydration And Mortality Of Feral Horses And Burros: A Systematic Review Of Reported Deaths, John Derek Scasta, Eric Thacker, Jacob D. Hennig, Karl Hoopes Jan 2022

Dehydration And Mortality Of Feral Horses And Burros: A Systematic Review Of Reported Deaths, John Derek Scasta, Eric Thacker, Jacob D. Hennig, Karl Hoopes

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Water is a requirement for all organisms, including equids. Dehydration-caused mortality of feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) is often cited as a cause of concern and as justification for management of feral horses, yet a paucity of information exists on the matter. We conducted a systematic review from September 1, 2020 through January 15, 2021 of available news reports of feral horse and burro (E. asinus) dehydration mortalities and public interventions to save horses using a public search engine with a priori defined search term combinations and additional snowball sampling. We found 15 uniquely reported mortality …


Feral Horses, Feral Asses, And Professional Politicians: Broodings From A Beleaguered Biologist, Vernon C. Bleich Jan 2022

Feral Horses, Feral Asses, And Professional Politicians: Broodings From A Beleaguered Biologist, Vernon C. Bleich

Human–Wildlife Interactions

As a member of National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board, I gained insight into several aspects of feral equid management that previously had been somewhat cryptic. Foremost in my experience, though, was the dedication and professionalism of the board members with whom I served. During my tenure, the professional approach to management and the frustration faced by employees within the Horse and Burro Program became increasingly apparent. Further came the realization that the effectiveness of the board and program can be improved substantially, if (1) the board is provided the opportunity to rebut or counter incorrect or misleading information …


Occurrence, Resource Use, And Demography Of The Common Raven In North America: A Research Synthesis, William C. Webb, Peter S. Coates, Seth J. Dettenmaier, David J. Delehanty Jan 2021

Occurrence, Resource Use, And Demography Of The Common Raven In North America: A Research Synthesis, William C. Webb, Peter S. Coates, Seth J. Dettenmaier, David J. Delehanty

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We reviewed the scientific literature to inventory existing studies of common raven (Corvus corax; raven) ecology in western North America. We conducted an intial literature review between June 2015 and March 2018. Prior to completing our review, we revisited the published literature for any additional relevant studies in July 2021. Our goal was to identify knowledge gaps and to synthesize the current understanding of environmental features that may support raven populations that pose general threats to biodiversity and sensitive species in particular. We focused our review on studies with direct conservation applications related to 3 processes of raven …


After Decades Of Suburban Deer Research And Management In The Eastern United States: Where Do We Go From Here?, Paul D. Curtis Jan 2020

After Decades Of Suburban Deer Research And Management In The Eastern United States: Where Do We Go From Here?, Paul D. Curtis

Human–Wildlife Interactions

State wildlife agencies have regulatory authority and oversight over deer (Cervidae) management in the United States. However, increased urban sprawl and overabundant deer populations have created increased human–deer conflicts. Because of the growing controversy surrounding the use of traditional management practices such as regulated hunting in suburban areas in the eastern United States, managers are now using specialized tools and management approaches to reduce deer conflicts in urban areas. However, this has created new challenges as they try to meet the desires of diverse stakeholder groups. Although deer management programs in urban areas differ somewhat in every state, effective management …


A California Without Rodenticides: Challenges For Commensal Rodent Management In The Future, Niamh Quinn, Sylvia Kenmuir, Laura Krueger Jan 2019

A California Without Rodenticides: Challenges For Commensal Rodent Management In The Future, Niamh Quinn, Sylvia Kenmuir, Laura Krueger

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Rodenticides are an essential tool in the integrated pest management of infestations of commensal rodents (Rattus norvegicus, R. rattus, and Mus musculus). With the introduction of Assembly Bill 1788, the California Ecosystems Protection Act of 2019, California is potentially facing a future with new restrictions on the use of anticoagulant rodenticides to manage commensal rodents in urban areas. Assembly Bill 1788 has been proposed specifically to protect predators from anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning and seeks to restrict the application of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) for use in many urban and non-urban areas of California, USA. Exclusion and cultural …


A Review Of Contemporary U.S. Wild Horse And Burro Management Policies Relative To Desired Management Outcomes, Keith A. Norris Jan 2018

A Review Of Contemporary U.S. Wild Horse And Burro Management Policies Relative To Desired Management Outcomes, Keith A. Norris

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Legally defined “wild” horse (Equus ferus caballus ) and burro (E. asinus ; WHB) populations in the United States exceed established population objectives. The context of WHB policy and management can be categorized into ecological, geographical, legal, social, and political perspectives. Ecologically, all WHB populations in the United States are considered feral animals, but certain populations are afforded protection and management by the federal Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFRHBA) of 1971. The current policy and management paradigms under which the WFRHBA is being implemented has contributed to rangeland degradation, poor WHB health, and impacts to native wildlife. This …


Framing Contemporary U.S. Wild Horse And Burro Management Processes In A Dynamic Ecological, Sociological, And Political Environment, J. Derek Scasta, Jacob D. Hennig, Jeffrey L. Beck Jan 2018

Framing Contemporary U.S. Wild Horse And Burro Management Processes In A Dynamic Ecological, Sociological, And Political Environment, J. Derek Scasta, Jacob D. Hennig, Jeffrey L. Beck

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFRHBA) of 1971 established all “unbranded or unclaimed” equids on U.S. public lands as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West.” Today, >72,000 feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) and burros (E . asinus ; WHB) live on western U.S. public rangelands. The number of WHBs exceeds the Bureau of Land Management’s maximum Appropriate Management Level (AML) of 26,715 by a factor of approximately 2.7 and has nearly doubled from 2007–2015. The AML was set to balance WHB numbers with rangeland health and support other uses such as wildlife habitat …


The Three Creeks Allotment Consolidation: Changing Western Federal Grazing Paradigms, Taylor Payne Jan 2018

The Three Creeks Allotment Consolidation: Changing Western Federal Grazing Paradigms, Taylor Payne

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The federal government owns approximately 47% of all land in the western United States. In the state of Utah, about 64% of the land base is managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The government has historically issued permits to owners of private lands to allow the owners to graze their livestock on public lands. The permits (allotments) are generally of 10-year duration and allow for an annual season of use. In some cases, continued and repeated historical annual grazing practices may not be ideal for permit holders and their communities nor …


Multiple-Use Management Of Western U.S. Rangelands: Wild Horses, Wildlife, And Livestock, Rick E. Danvir Jan 2018

Multiple-Use Management Of Western U.S. Rangelands: Wild Horses, Wildlife, And Livestock, Rick E. Danvir

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Since 1959, the U.S. Congress has legislated the treatment and management of wild horses (Equus ferus caballus ) and burros (E. asinus ; WHB). While the legislation has ensured WHB a place as western rangeland icons, subsequent congressional actions, in response to public lobbying, have limited federal managers’ ability to manage WHB populations under the U.S. public land multiple-use doctrine. Federal land managers tasked with managing for multiple and competing interests on public lands of the western United States must not only consider WHB habitat requirements, but also wildlife species diversity and livestock grazing. Developing multiple-use management strategies while fulfi …