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- Human–wildlife conflicts (54)
- White-tailed deer (14)
- Odocoileus virginianus (13)
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Articles 61 - 90 of 136
Full-Text Articles in Environmental Health and Protection
Deer–Vehicle Collision Prevention Techniques, Lauren L. Mastro, Michael R. Conover, S. Nicole Frey
Deer–Vehicle Collision Prevention Techniques, Lauren L. Mastro, Michael R. Conover, S. Nicole Frey
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Every year in the United States approximately 1.5 million deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) occur resulting in >29,000 human injuries, >200 human fatalities, 1.3 million deer fatalities, and >1 billion dollars worth of property damage. Despite the magnitude of this problem, there are relatively few well-designed studies that have evaluated techniques that can be used to reduce DVCs. Techniques to reduce DVCs fall into 4 categories: reducing the number of deer (Odocoileus spp.), reducing the number of vehicles, modifying deer behavior, and changing motorist behavior. Techniques to reduce the number of deer include decreasing the deer population or excluding deer from …
Gnrh Immunocontraception Of Male And Female White-Tailed Deer Fawns, Lowell A. Miller, James P. Gionfriddo, Jack C. Rhyan, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Donald C. Wagner, Gary J. Killian
Gnrh Immunocontraception Of Male And Female White-Tailed Deer Fawns, Lowell A. Miller, James P. Gionfriddo, Jack C. Rhyan, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Donald C. Wagner, Gary J. Killian
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Immunocontraceptive vaccines based on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) have been tested in adult white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), but their effects on fawns are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine if early immunization against GnRH would induce a long-lasting immune response in fawns, and if it would delay or prevent sexual development. We gave primary and subsequent booster injections of a KLH-GnRH/Freund’s vaccine to 6 male and 6 female fawns. This vaccine contained the same active ingredients as GonaCon™ vaccine, but it contained Freund’s adjuvant instead of AdjuVac™ adjuvant. Two 450-μg injections were given 1 month apart …
Landscape And Traffic Factors Influencing Deer–Vehicle Collisions In An Urban Enviroment, Janet W. Ng, Charlene Nielson, Colleen Cassady St. Clair
Landscape And Traffic Factors Influencing Deer–Vehicle Collisions In An Urban Enviroment, Janet W. Ng, Charlene Nielson, Colleen Cassady St. Clair
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) are steadily increasing across North America. The increase is particularly pronounced in urban green spaces where deer (Odocoileus spp.) populations and road densities are high. In the greater city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 333 DVCs occurred from 2002 to 2004. To identify landscape and traffic correlates of these collisions, we built 3 statistical models. The first model assessed the importance of local variables and was based on a spatial precision of the nearest intersection to which collisions were referenced. The second model was based on landscape characteristics and used the nearest township intersection to aggregate collisions. …
Factors Affecting Autumn Deer–Vehicle Collisions In A Rural Virginia County, William J. Mcshea, Chad M. Stewart, Laura J. Kearns, Stefano Liccioli, David Kocka
Factors Affecting Autumn Deer–Vehicle Collisions In A Rural Virginia County, William J. Mcshea, Chad M. Stewart, Laura J. Kearns, Stefano Liccioli, David Kocka
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Vehicular collisions with white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are a safety and economic hazard to motorists. Many efforts to reduce deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) have proven unsuccessful, but deer reduction has been a primary management tool in several states. The Virginia Department of Transportation geo-located all known DVCs in Clarke County, Virginia, from August through December 2005 (n = 246) and 2006 (n = 259). We estimated harvest intensity, deer population density, amount of forest and housing development, presence of row crops, and traffic volume and speed for 228 road segments (each 500 m in length) within the county to …
Hunting Helps Maintain Deer As A Valued Public Resource, Robert Southwick
Hunting Helps Maintain Deer As A Valued Public Resource, Robert Southwick
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Deer are a precious natural resource. They spellbind us with their grace. Their freedom to roam wild without boundaries reaches into our soul. But deer can spring without warning into the paths of oncoming vehicles, causing accidents that result in >1 billion dollars in damages annually. They extend their grazing into suburban yards, garden nurseries, orchards, and farms. They harbor the ticks that transmit pathogens that cause illnesses such as Lyme disease. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 23,763 cases of Lyme disease during 2002. Deer will even overeat their own food supply, causing them to face …
Avoiding The Blame Game In Managing Problem Black Bears, Michael L. Wolfe
Avoiding The Blame Game In Managing Problem Black Bears, Michael L. Wolfe
Human–Wildlife Interactions
In June 2007 a black bear (Ursus americanus) took an 11-year-old boy from the tent in which he was sleeping at a semi-wilderness campsite in the Uinta National Forest in Utah and killed him. The off ending bear, a 381-pound adult male, subsequently was destroyed by personnel of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services. The tragic incident, raises the number of recorded human fatalities caused by black bears during the period 1900–2007 to about 52. Although deaths caused by large carnivores are rare, the media attention associated with them focuses public concern for the responsibility …
How People Should Respond When Encountering A Large Carnivore: Opinions Of Wildlife Professionals, Dylan E. Brown, Michael R. Conover
How People Should Respond When Encountering A Large Carnivore: Opinions Of Wildlife Professionals, Dylan E. Brown, Michael R. Conover
Human–Wildlife Interactions
We conducted telephone surveys of wildlife professionals who work with large carnivores to ask their opinions about how people should respond to avoid being injured when confronted by a black bear (Ursus americana), grizzly bear (Ursus arctos), mountain lion (Puma concolor), or gray wolf (Canis lupus). The respondents agreed that the most appropriate response was to try to increase the distance between a person and the carnivore. In the event of an attack by a black bear, mountain lion, or wolf, most respondents said to fight back. Opinion was divided over the …
Mammalian Hazards At Small Airports In Indiana: Impact Of Perimeter Fencing, Travis L. Devault, Jacob E. Kubel, David J. Glista, Olin E. Rhodes Jr.
Mammalian Hazards At Small Airports In Indiana: Impact Of Perimeter Fencing, Travis L. Devault, Jacob E. Kubel, David J. Glista, Olin E. Rhodes Jr.
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Fences are used at many airports and small airfields to exclude wildlife from entering critical areas. However, not all fences exclude hazardous mammals reliably, and effective fences can be too expensive for small airports to purchase and maintain. In this study, we evaluated fencing at 10 small airports in Indiana and documented the presence and relative abundance of wildlife within airport boundaries using remote cameras and spotlight surveys. Only 4 airports were completely fenced, and four were Odocoileus virginianus) or coyotes (Canis latrans) at nine of the airports with remote cameras and during spotlight surveys. There were fewer …
Why Are So Many People Attacked By Predators?, Michael R. Conover
Why Are So Many People Attacked By Predators?, Michael R. Conover
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Predator attacks on humans have proliferated during the last few decades. This is especially true for attacks by large species of predators, including black bears, grizzly bears, polar bears, cougars, wolves, alligators, and sharks (Conover 2002). What is causing so many different predators to sink their teeth into people these days?
Misconceptions Hamper Protection Of Bears, Bruce D. Leopold
Misconceptions Hamper Protection Of Bears, Bruce D. Leopold
Human–Wildlife Interactions
When Dr. Conover notified me of the special topic for this issue of Human–Wildlife Conflicts, I was excited. Dr. Conover has a talent for selecting relevant topics that reflect pressing issues in our field! The last issue of HWC focused on deer–human conflicts, a topic that is very important to Mississippi and the eastern United States.
Resolving Conflicts Between Humans And The Threatened Louisiana Black Bear, Walter Cotton
Resolving Conflicts Between Humans And The Threatened Louisiana Black Bear, Walter Cotton
Human–Wildlife Interactions
The Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus) is one of 16 subspecies of American black bear. At the time of English settlement, this subspecies was abundant throughout Louisiana, the southern two-thirds of Mississippi, eastern Texas, and extreme southern Arkansas. By the 1950s, Louisiana black bears had been extirpated from most of their original range due to habitat destruction and fragmentation and over-harvest by hunters (Leigh and Chamberlain 2008). It is believed that only about 100 black bears remained; existing in isolated, extremely rural areas of eastern Louisiana. Bears became so scarce during the 1960s that the Louisiana Department …
Conflicts Between Local Villagers And Tibetan Brown Bears Threaten Conservation Of Bears In A Remote Region Of The Tibetan Plateau, Fiona R. Worthy, J. Marc Foggin
Conflicts Between Local Villagers And Tibetan Brown Bears Threaten Conservation Of Bears In A Remote Region Of The Tibetan Plateau, Fiona R. Worthy, J. Marc Foggin
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Tibetan brown bears (Ursus arctos pruinosus) are rare across most of the Tibetan Plateau (Schaller 1998, Harris 2008). Yet, contacts between bears and local herders are increasing. Unlike other countries where nuisance bears may be shot or relocated (Peine 2001, Gunther et al. 2004), China forbids these practices, and most hunting is forbidden. In addition, all firearms were confiscated from local herders in 2000. Thus, despite their increasing threats to Tibetan communities, Tibetan brown bears generally are safe from retaliatory killings by local villagers.
Relationship Between Raccoon Abundance And Crop Damage, James C. Beasley, Olin E. Rhodes Jr.
Relationship Between Raccoon Abundance And Crop Damage, James C. Beasley, Olin E. Rhodes Jr.
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Wildlife damage to crops is a widespread concern among agricultural producers and wildlife professionals. In the United States, raccoon (Procyon lotor) damage to field corn (Zea maize) has become a serious concern, as raccoon depredation to corn has increased significantly in recent years. However, little information is available to suggest the underlying factors responsible for recent increases in raccoon depredation on agricultural crops because there is a limited understanding of the ecological factors influencing wildlife damage to crops at local scales. During 2004, we initiated a study to elucidate the ecological factors influencing depredation to field …
Locations Of Deer–Vehicle Collisions Are Unrelated To Traffic Volume Or Posted Speed Limit, John A. Bissonette, Christine A. Kassar
Locations Of Deer–Vehicle Collisions Are Unrelated To Traffic Volume Or Posted Speed Limit, John A. Bissonette, Christine A. Kassar
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Consensus is lacking regarding the influence of vehicle speed and traffic volume on deer–vehicle collision (DVC) rates. Yet, annual average daily traffic fl ow (AADT) and posted speed limit (PSL) typically are used to measure these variables. To resolve this conflict, we studied the effects of traffic volume and vehicle speed on DVCs in Utah. Our results showed no relationship between AADT or PSL and DVC occurrence. There are at least 3 explanations for our results: (1) no causal relationship exists; (2) AADT and PSL, as measured, actually explain little of the variation; and (3) data quality problems exist. We …
Standardizing The Data On Wildlife–Vehicle Collisions, Johan T. Du Toit
Standardizing The Data On Wildlife–Vehicle Collisions, Johan T. Du Toit
Human–Wildlife Interactions
There are few more dramatic manifestations of human– wildlife conflict than squealing brakes, a sickening crunch, flying gravel, and then silence except for the weakly spasmodic scrabbling of a semipulverized deer as it lies dying on the side of a highway. The scientific analysis of wildlife–vehicle collisions is an applied science of increasing importance throughout the industrialized world, but it is yet woefully deficient in theoretical underpinnings and standardized methodology. The overarching discipline of road ecology has only recently gained formal recognition through the publication of the first definitive book on this topic by Forman et al. (2003). And until …
Trans Fatty Acids Provide Evidence Of Anthropogenic Feeding By Black Bears, Gregory W. Thiemann, Randal S. Stahl, Sharon Baruch-Mordo, Stewart W. Breck
Trans Fatty Acids Provide Evidence Of Anthropogenic Feeding By Black Bears, Gregory W. Thiemann, Randal S. Stahl, Sharon Baruch-Mordo, Stewart W. Breck
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Bears (Ursus spp.) that become conditioned to anthropogenic food sources pose a risk to human safety and generally need to be relocated, rehabilitated, or destroyed. Identifying food-conditioned bears may be difficult if the animal is not captured or killed while immediately engaged in the nuisance behavior. Fatty acid signature analysis has been used to examine the dietary habits of bears and other carnivores and is based on the predictable incorporation of ingested fatty acids into the consumer’s fat stores. Unusual fatty acids that are available in only a few food types may be particularly useful dietary markers. In this …
Deer–Vehicle Collision Trends At A Suburban Immunocontraception Site, Allen T. Rutberg, Ricky E. Naugle
Deer–Vehicle Collision Trends At A Suburban Immunocontraception Site, Allen T. Rutberg, Ricky E. Naugle
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Observations of extended estrus seasons in female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) vaccinated with porcine zona pellucida (PZP) immunocontraceptives have led to speculation that management use of PZP would, perversely, increase the rate of deer–vehicle collisions. To test this hypothesis, we studied PZP-treated female deer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland. PZP-treated female deer did not differ from untreated female deer in risk of death by vehicle collision, and the number of deer killed in vehicle collisions was uncorrelated with the number of deer treated with PZP, whether or not population size was controlled for. …
In Memory: Paul Eugene Bucklin, Kraig L. Glazier
In Memory: Paul Eugene Bucklin, Kraig L. Glazier
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Paul Eugene “Gene” Bucklin (1942–2008), a wildlife specialist with USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services, was killed in a fatal car accident near his home in Chinook, Montana, on February 16, 2008. Born in Billings, Montana, he was raised on a sheep and cattle ranch in Redstone, Montana, where he learned to trap and hunt. Gene spent his life on the prairies of the “Highline,” the northern part of Montana that stretches from the Rocky Mountains of Glacier National Park to the North Dakota border. In 1979 he began a lifelong career with USDA/APHIS/ Wildlife Services in Chinook.
Evaluation Of Physical Barriers To Prevent Prairie Dog Colony Expansion, Gary Witmer, James Gionfriddo, Michael Pipas
Evaluation Of Physical Barriers To Prevent Prairie Dog Colony Expansion, Gary Witmer, James Gionfriddo, Michael Pipas
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Expansion of black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies on public and private lands can result in damage to property. Physical barriers to prairie dogs can be used to minimize human–wildlife conflicts. We evaluated 17 existing barriers in the Fort Collins and Boulder, Colorado, areas. Most barriers were made of a single row of vinyl material; these barriers sustained high levels of damage, primarily from wind, and were frequently breached by prairie dogs digging underneath them. Barriers that included a vegetation and a vinyl barrier or a double-vinyl barrier were wind damaged and breached less frequently than the single-vinyl …
Assessment Of Costs Associated With Deer–Vehicle Collisions: Human Death And Injury, Vehicle Damage, And Deer Loss, John A. Bissonette, Christine A. Kassar, Lawrence J. Cook
Assessment Of Costs Associated With Deer–Vehicle Collisions: Human Death And Injury, Vehicle Damage, And Deer Loss, John A. Bissonette, Christine A. Kassar, Lawrence J. Cook
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Collisions between large vertebrates and vehicles along roadways are an increasing concern, not only because of ecological consequences, but also because of associated economic and social costs. We used a large-scale, long-term data set comprising several databases from Utah to summarize and analyze these costs. The overall cost for 13,020 collisions from 1996 to 2001 in Utah was approximately $45,175,454, resulting in an estimated average per year cost of about $7,529,242 and a mean collision cost of $3,470. These figures include human fatality costs of $24 million (53% of total costs); vehicle damage costs of $18 million (39%); loss of …
Echinacea And Deer Whistles: Science And Trust In The Wildlife Arena, Ben C. West
Echinacea And Deer Whistles: Science And Trust In The Wildlife Arena, Ben C. West
Human–Wildlife Interactions
“We must educate the public.” Few mantras have been used as often in the wildlife management profession, particularly in the arena of human–wildlife conflicts. In a modern era where people increasingly are separated from the natural world, wildlife professionals frequently note a lack of basic understanding about ecological systems among our stakeholders and cooperators. In response, we have created a plethora of educational programs and yet continue to call for more.
Demographics Of Non-Hunted White-Tailed Deer Populations In Suburban Areas, Anthony J. Denicola, Dwayne R. Etter, Thomas Almendinger
Demographics Of Non-Hunted White-Tailed Deer Populations In Suburban Areas, Anthony J. Denicola, Dwayne R. Etter, Thomas Almendinger
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Burgeoning deer populations in urban and suburban areas, along with the inherent problems stemming from this increase, are becoming increasingly widespread. To address these problems, wildlife biologists need quality baseline data of herd composition for harvest and treatment forecasts for management and fertility control research programs. In this study, we provide white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population data from 4 areas where localized suburban white-tailed deer populations were substantially reduced utilizing sharpshooting as a management tool. In each area, legal hunting was nonexistent for >10 years preceding the sharpshooting program. The areas ranged in size from 300 ha to …
Comparison Of 2 Vegetation-Height Management Practices For Wildlife Control At Airports, Thomas W. Seamans, Scott C. Barras, Glen E. Bernhardt, Bradley F. Blackwell, Jonathon D. Cepek
Comparison Of 2 Vegetation-Height Management Practices For Wildlife Control At Airports, Thomas W. Seamans, Scott C. Barras, Glen E. Bernhardt, Bradley F. Blackwell, Jonathon D. Cepek
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Vegetation-height management is a potential method to reduce bird numbers at airports. Based on studies in Europe, researchers recommended vegetation heights around 25 cm; however, preliminary studies in the United States produced conflicting results regarding the effect of tall (18 to >25 cm) vegetation on bird numbers at airports. From 1999 to 2002, we compared birds and other wildlife use of 4 short-vegetation plots (mean maximum height of 15.6 cm ± 5.1 SE and visual obstruction reading of 4.6 ± 3.0 cm) and 4 tall-vegetation plots (mean maximum height of 26.9 ± 8.4 cm and visual obstruction reading of 10.0 …
Demographic And Spatial Characteristics Of Feral Hogs In The Chihuahuan Desert, Texas, Roger N. Adkins, Louis A. Harveston
Demographic And Spatial Characteristics Of Feral Hogs In The Chihuahuan Desert, Texas, Roger N. Adkins, Louis A. Harveston
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Feral hogs (Sus scrofa) have recently expanded their range to include portions of the arid regions of the Chihuahuan Desert, Texas. We examined feral hog density, survival rates, range size, and habitat use in the Davis Mountains, Texas, to understand hog ecology in a desert environment. We tested the hypothesis that densities of feral hogs across Texas would be positively related to precipitation. Feral hog densities in the Chihuahuan Desert were low (0.65 individuals/km2), supporting our prediction. Annual home range sizes (100% minimum convex polygon) were also high and averaged 48.3 ± 4.4 km2 and …
A Landscape-Level Survey Of Feral Hog Impacts To Natural Resources Of The Big Thicket National Preserve, Pedro M. Chavarria, Roel R. Lopez, Gillian Bowser, Nova J. Silvy
A Landscape-Level Survey Of Feral Hog Impacts To Natural Resources Of The Big Thicket National Preserve, Pedro M. Chavarria, Roel R. Lopez, Gillian Bowser, Nova J. Silvy
Human–Wildlife Interactions
We conducted a survey of the impact of feral hog (Sus scrofa) on the natural resources of the Big Thicket National Preserve (BTNP), a unit of the National Park Service. We worked in 3 management units: Lance Rosier, Big Sandy, and Turkey Creek. Random stratified sampling was conducted to assess impacts from hog damage on resources by vegetation type at a landscape scale. Landscape features such as topography, soil moisture, soil type, and dominant vegetative cover types were used to predict hog damage. The overall damage to vegetation from hog rooting or wallowing averaged 28% within the 3 …
Hogs Gone Wild, William H. Clay
Hogs Gone Wild, William H. Clay
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Wildlife damage management professionals deal with very few animals that pose as many conflicts or threats as those caused by feral hogs. Whether it’s crop damage, livestock predation, environmental degradation, or disease transmission, feral hogs play a substantial role. Earlier this year, headlines in major newspapers and other media outlets highlighted the latest incidence of an E. coli outbreak in California; more than 200 people across the United States became sick, and 3 people died as a result of eating fresh spinach contaminated with this bacteria. The source of the outbreak was traced back to feral hogs in California.
Effi Cacy Of Cpth-Treated Egg Baits For Removing Ravens, Peter S. Coates, Jack O. Spencer, Jr., David J. Delehanty
Effi Cacy Of Cpth-Treated Egg Baits For Removing Ravens, Peter S. Coates, Jack O. Spencer, Jr., David J. Delehanty
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Human-altered landscapes have provided resource subsidies for common ravens (Corvus corax) resulting in a substantial increase in raven abundance and distribution throughout the United States and Canada in the past 25 years. Ravens are effective predators of eggs and young of ground-nesting birds. During 2002–2005, we tested whether chicken egg baits treated with CPTH (3-chloro-p-toluidine hydrochloride) could be used to manage raven numbers in an area where raven depredation was impacting sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations in Nevada. We performed multiple raven surveys at a treatment site and …
Use Of Decoy Traps To Protect Blueberries From Juvenile European Starlings, Michael R. Conover, Richard A. Dolbeer
Use Of Decoy Traps To Protect Blueberries From Juvenile European Starlings, Michael R. Conover, Richard A. Dolbeer
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Fruit consumption by large flocks of juvenile European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) is a serious problem for growers of strawberries, grapes, apples, cherries, blueberries, and other small fruit. This study examined if numbers of juvenile European starlings foraging in blueberry orchards could be reduced by catching them in decoy traps and relocating the birds elsewhere. From late July through August of 1989, 620 juvenile starlings were captured in 2 decoy traps at a blueberry orchard in Connecticut. A similar number were caught during the same period in 1990. During these 2 years, numbers of juvenile starlings foraging daily in …
Ipm And Iwdm: Is There A Difference?, Michael J. Bodenchuck
Ipm And Iwdm: Is There A Difference?, Michael J. Bodenchuck
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Integrated pest management (IPM) has been the model for pest management for more than half a century. IPM has been defined as “the process of integrating and applying practical methods of prevention and control to keep pest situations from reaching damaging levels while minimizing potentially harmful effects of pest control measures on humans, nontarget species and the environment” (USDA 1994). The IPM model taught in invertebrate pest management classes includes the concept of an economic threshold (a level at which the benefits of control exceed the costs of the damage plus the costs of control). The methods which are “integrated” …
Why This Journal Was Created, Johan T. Du Toit
Why This Journal Was Created, Johan T. Du Toit
Human–Wildlife Interactions
The publication of this second issue of Human–Wildlife Conflicts is something of a triumph, not only because it reflects the continued support of the journal by contributing authors, but also because it confirms the journal’s ability to survive through lean times. The Jack H. Berryman Institute is dependent on Congressionally directed federal funding passed through USDA/ APHIS/Wildlife Services, but that was disrupted by the power shift that occurred in the U.S. Congress in January. The resolution of Congress to withhold approval of most spending bills until presentation of the fiscal 2008 budget later this year meant that the Berryman Institute’s …