Veterinary Microbiology and Immunobiology Commons^™

An Ode To Owls: Review Of What An Owl Knows: The New Science Of The World’S Most Enigmatic Birds By Jennifer Ackerman, Alan B. Franklin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Owls are mysterious creatures, mainly because we humans hardly ever encounter them. They are mostly nocturnal, are silent in their flight, and tend to unnerve us with their ghostly and sometimes quavering vocalizations. There have been numerous books on the natural history of owls written for nonexperts, but Jennifer Ackerman’s What an Owl Knows takes a novel tack, blending natural history and scientific discovery with a discussion of recent technological innovations. The result is a fascinating read on how scientists are beginning to better understand the lives and ecology of these secretive and rarely visible birds.

The book’s nine chapters …

Tourism‑Supported Working Lands Sustain A Growing Jaguar Population In The Colombian Llanos, Matthew Hyde, Esteban Payán, Jorge Barragan, Diana Stasiukynas, Sanmantha Rincón, William L. Kendall, Jerónimo Rodríguez, Kevin R. Crooks, Stewart W. Breck, Valerie Boron

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Understanding large carnivore demography on human-dominated lands is a priority to inform conservation strategies, yet few studies examine long-term trends. Jaguars (Panthera onca) are one such species whose population trends and survival rates remain unknown across working lands. We integrated nine years of camera trap data and tourist photos to estimate jaguar density, survival, abundance, and probability of tourist sightings on a working ranch and tourism destination in Colombia. We found that abundance increased from five individuals in 2014 to 28 in 2022, and density increased from 1.88 ± 0.87 per 100 km² in 2014 to 3.80 …

Science‐Driven Guidelines Needed To Better Manage And Conserve Black Vultures In North America, Scott A. Rush, Neil J. Buckley, Patrick A. Zollner, Bryan M. Kluever, Brooke Mcwherter, Grant C. Burcham, Zhao Ma, Marian L. Wahl, Adrián Naveda‐Rodríguez

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Black vultures (Coragyps atratus) provide invaluable ecological services through disposal of carrion and the mobilization of energy within the landscape. Human‐wildlife conflicts with these birds have increased as populations have grown and the species distribution has expanded. We identify critical science needed to understand conflict between black vultures and humans to inform effective management of this species in North America. It is imperative that diagnostic criteria supporting the identification of the impacts of black vulture on livestock be standardized and verified. Management guidelines that take these criteria into account will enable reduction in the potential for black‐vulture‐farmer conflict …

Fertility Control Options For Management Of Free-Roaming Horse Populations, Ursula S. Bechert, John W. Turner Jr., Dan L. Baker, Douglas C. Eckery, Jason E. Bruemmer, Candace C. Lyman, Tulio M. Prado, Sarah B. King, Mark A. Fraker

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The management of free-roaming horses (Equus ferus) and burros (E. asinus) in the United States has been referred to as a “wicked problem” because, although there are population control options, societal values will ultimately determine what is acceptable and what is not. In the United States, free-roaming equids are managed by different types of organizations and agencies, and the landscapes that these animals inhabit vary widely in terms of access, size, topography, climate, natural resources, flora, and fauna. This landscape diversity, coupled with contemporary socioeconomic and political environments, means that adaptive management practices are needed to regulate these free-roaming populations. …

Texas Hunters' Attitudes Toward Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) And Their Management: An Applied Approach For Wildlife Managers, Lauren M. Jaebker, Alan D. Bright, Hailey E. Ellis, John M. Tomeček, Maureen G. Frank, Rachel L. Connally, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Keith M. Carlisle

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Choosing and executing a wild pig management strategy is often a considerable challenge for wildlife managers due to the wide variety of potential strategies and stakeholder preferences. Our research aims to understand management preferences for and tolerance of wild pigs among Texas resident hunters within 8 managerial districts of Texas. We applied the Potential for Conflict Index (PCI2) to estimate potential management preference conflicts within each district. From 24,201 questionnaires completed in 2019, we found that, on average, 74% of respondents across all management actions in each district were found to be acceptable. Resident respondents were overall intolerant of wild …

Differences In Feeder Visitation By Invasive Rose-Ringed Parakeets (Psittacula Krameri) Between Hawaiian Islands, Steven C. Hess, Jane Anderson, Eric A. Tillman, William P. Bukoski, Aaron B. Shiels, Page Klug, Shane R. Siers, Bryan M. Kluever

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri; parakeets) are among the most invasive bird species worldwide. In their introduced range, populations of this species have caused negative effects on native species, natural environments, economies, and human safety. Lethal population management has been complicated by the intelligence of the birds, as they quickly alter behavior to avoid risks. Further, lethal control programs have been halted due to public opposition, as parakeets are considered to be charismatic by animal welfare advocates. The contraceptive DiazaCon has been demonstrated to effectively reduce fertility in captive parakeets. In field applications, any chemical control agents (e.g., toxicants or contraceptives) …

Commonly Collected Thermal Performance Data Can Inform Species Distributions In A Data‑Limited Invader, Natalie M. Claunch, Colin M. Goodman, Bryan M. Kluever, Narayani Barve, Robert P. Guralnick, Christina M. Romagosa

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Predicting potential distributions of species in new areas is challenging. Physiological data can improve interpretation of predicted distributions and can be used in directed distribution models. Nonnative species provide useful case studies. Panther chameleons (Furcifer pardalis) are native to Madagascar and have established populations in Florida, USA, but standard correlative distribution modeling predicts no suitable habitat for F. pardalis there. We evaluated commonly collected thermal traits– thermal performance, tolerance, and preference—of F. pardalis and the acclimatization potential of these traits during exposure to naturally-occurring environmental conditions in North Central Florida. Though we observed temperature-dependent thermal performance, chameleons maintained …

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease, J. Jeffrey Root, Tom Gidlewski

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The étiologie agents of rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) are rabbit hemorrhagic disease viruses (RHDVs). These highly contagious viruses are members of the viral family Caliciviridae, genus Lagovinis (Schoch et al. 2020) and negatively affect various lagomorph species, often causing high mortality rates in select taxa. While other lagomorph-associated caliciviruses exist, we focus on RHDV (aJso known ais classical RHDV including subtype RHDVa) and RHDV2 (also know as subtype RHDVb and RHDV serotype 2) within this chapter, with a major emphasis on recent outbreaks of RHDV2 in wildlife in North America. Although the bulk of the research associated with environmental persistence, …

Raccoons (Procyon Lotor) Show Higher Trypanosoma Cruzi Detection Rates Than Virginia Opossums (Didelphis Virginiana) In South Carolina, Usa, David A. Bernasconi, Madison L. Miller, Jacob E. Hill, Pooja Gupta, Richard Chipman, Amy Gilbert, Olin E. Rhodes Jr., Guha Dharmarajan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Chagas disease, a significant public health concern in the Americas, is caused by a protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. The life cycle of T. cruzi involves kissing bugs (Triatoma spp.) functioning as vectors and mammalian species serving as hosts. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) and opossums (Didelphis virginiana) have been identified as important reservoir species in the life cycle of T. cruzi, but prevalence in both species in the southeastern United States is currently understudied. We quantified T. cruzi prevalence in these two key reservoir species across our study area in South Carolina, USA, and …

Genomic Regions Associated With Pseudorabies Virus Infection Status In Naturally Infected Feral Swine (Sus Scrofa), Courtney F. Bowden, Jennifer N. Kiser, Ryan S. Miller, Alexandra C. Buckley, Paola M. Boggiatto, Rachael M. Giglio, Vienna R. Brown, Dorian Garrick, Holly L. Neibergs, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Scott E. Speidel, Timothy J. Smyser

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Pseudorabies virus (PRV)—the causative agent of Aujeszky’s disease—was eliminated from commercial pig production herds in the United States (US) in 2004; however, PRV remains endemic among invasive feral swine (Sus scrofa). The circulation of PRV among abundant, widespread feral swine populations poses a sustained risk for disease spillover to production herds. Risk–based surveillance has been successfully implemented for PRV in feral swine populations in the US. However, understanding the role of host genetics in infection status may offer new insights into the epidemiology and disease dynamics of PRV that can be applied to management strategies. Genetic mechanisms underlying …

Estimating Northern Spotted Owl (Strix Occidentalis Caurina) Pair Detection Probabilities Based On Call-Back Surveys Associated With Long-Term Mark-Recapture Studies, 1993–2018, Katie M. Dugger, Alan B. Franklin, Damon B. Lesmeister, Raymond J. Davis, J. David Wiens, Gary C. White, James D. Nichols, James E. Hines, Charles B. Yackulic, Carl J. Schwarz, Steven A. Ackers, L. Steven Andrews, Larissa L. Bailey, Robin Bown, Jesse Burgher, Kenneth P. Burnham, Peter C. Carlson, Tara Chestnut, Mary M. Conner, Krista E. Dilione, Eric D. Forsman, Scott A. Gremel, Keith A. Hamm, Dale R. Herter, J. Mark Higley, Rob B. Horn, Julianna M. Jenkins, William L. Kendall, David W. Lapmphear, Christopher Mccafferty, Trent L. Mcdonald, Janice A. Reid, Jeremy T. Rockweit, David C. Simon, Stan G. Sovern, James K. Swingle, Heather Wise

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina; hereinafter NSO) was listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act in 1990 and population declines have continued since that listing. Given the species’ protected status, any proposed activities on Federal lands that might impact NSO require consultation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and part of that consultation often includes surveys to determine presence and occupancy status of the species in the proposed activity area. The objective of this report is to present study-area specific estimates of the probability of detection for NSO pairs from twelve 2-week seasonal survey periods …

Light Wavelength And Pulsing Frequency Affect Avoidance Responses Of Canada Geese, Ryan B. Lunn, Patrice E. Baumhardt, Bradley F. Blackwell, Jean Paul Freyssinier, Esteban Fernández-Juricic

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Collisions between birds and aircraft cause bird mortality, economic damage, and aviation safety hazards. One proposed solution to increasing the distance at which birds detect and move away from an approaching aircraft, ultimately mitigating the probability of collision, is through onboard lighting systems. Lights in vehicles have been shown to lead to earlier reactions in some bird species but they could also generate attraction, potentially increasing the probability of collision. Using information on the visual system of the Canada goose (Branta canadensis), we developed light stimuli of high chromatic contrast to their eyes. We then conducted a controlled …

Risk Of African Swine Fever Virus Transmission Among Wild Boar And Domestic Pigs In Poland, Kim M. Pepin, Tomasz Borowik, Maciej Frant, Kamila Plis, Tomasz Podgórski

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Introduction

African swine fever (ASF) is a notifiable disease of swine that impacts global pork trade and food security. In several countries across the globe, the disease persists in wild boar (WB) populations sympatric to domestic pig (DP)operations, with continued detections in both sectors. While there is evidence of spillover and spillback between the sectors, the frequency of occurrence and relative importance of different risk factors for transmission at the wildlife-livestock interface remain unclear.

Methods

To address this gap, we leveraged ASF surveillance data from WB and DP across Eastern Poland from 2014–2019 in an analysis that quantified the relative …

Changes In Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites In Captive Coyotes (Canis Latrans): Influence Of Gender, Time, And Reproductive Status, Eric M. Gese, Patricia A. Terletzky, Cole A. Bleke, Erika T. Stevenson, Susannah S. French

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Simple summary

Biologists have long considered producing offspring a demanding time in the life of any animal, with reproducing and raising offspring being physiologically stressful. We examined whether breeding and producing pups was more stressful than other life-history stages among captive coyotes (Canis latrans) using fecal sampling and subsequent assays for glucocorticoid metabolites. Using 12 pairs of coyotes (five pairs produced pups, seven pairs did not), we examined fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM) covering 11 biological time periods for one year. We found high individual variability among both females and males with no apparent statistical effect of reproduction on …

Differential Canid Predation Of Translocated Juvenile Desert Tortoises (Gopherus Agassizii) Using Chemical Signature Differences, Derek B. Hall, Bruce A. Kimball, Jennifer M. Germano, Eric M. Gese, Jeanette A. Perry

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Differential predation was observed in a population of 59 translocated juvenile desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) of known sex during a juvenile translocation survival study between September 2012 and November 2017. The main source of mortality was attributed to coyote (Canis latrans) and kit fox (Vulpes macrotis) predation. Predation was skewed with higher female mortality than male mortality. We tested the hypothesis that juvenile females smell different than males, which leads to increased canid predation. We also explored differences in chemical signatures of resident adult female and male desert tortoises. We collected oral, cloacal, and …

Assessment Of Trichostrongyles Resistance Against Anthelmintics Commonly Used In Sheep Reared In Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, Mahmoud R. Saleh, Ibrahim Abbas, Moustafa Al-Araby, Salah Abu-Elwafa

Mansoura Veterinary Medical Journal

Objective: To investigate, for the first time, the anthelmintic resistance of different trichostrongle-infecting sheep in the Dakahlia governorate, Egypt.

Design: Randomized controlled study.

Animals: 820 sheep were reared within 10 free-grazing herds with infrequent deworming practices.

Procedures: Fresh fecal samples were collected, and their floats were examined for trichostrongyle eggs, which were then identified using fecal cultures and/or ITS2-PCR amplification. Sheep (n=500) whose samples had egg counts ≥ 150 eggs per gram (EPG) of feces were selected and divided in each herd into five equal groups; each group received one of the tested anthelmintics, including albendazole (5 mg/kg BW), levamisole …

Host-Genetic-Based Outcome Of Co-Infection By Pcv2b And Prrsv In Pigs, Christian W. Eaton, Hiep Vu, Arabella L. Hodges, Seth P. Harris, Stephen D. Kachman, Daniel C. Ciobanu

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Replication of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), an important worldwide swine pathogen, has been demonstrated to be influenced by host genotype. Specifically, a missense DNA polymorphism (SYNGR2 p.Arg63Cys) within the SYNGR2 gene was demonstrated to contribute to variation in PCV2b viral load and subsequent immune response following infection. PCV2 is known to induce immunosuppression leading to an increase in susceptibility to subsequent infections with other viral pathogens such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). In order to assess the role of SYNGR2 p.Arg63Cys in co-infections, pigs homozygous for the favorable SYNGR2 p.63Cys (N = 30) …

Space Use And Movements Of Southeastern Breeding Double-Crested Cormorants (Nannopterum Auritum) In The United States, Leah L.K. Moran, Brian S. Dorr, Katie C. Hanson-Dorr, R. J. Moore, Scott A. Rush

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Abstract: Seasonal movements of Double-crested Cormorants (Nannopterum auritum) have been studied at breeding and wintering sites in the southeastern United States, but little information exists on the movements of these birds within and from their southern breeding sites in lacustrine systems. Since 2001, cormorants have established nesting colonies on islands in Guntersville Reservoir in Alabama, USA. Following the movements of tagged cormorants using satellite telemetry, we found that the mean home range during the 2017 breeding season (May–August) was 41.76 km², with a core use area of 6.36 km². The mean home range used …

Variance In Offspring Sex Ratio And Maternal Allocation In A Highly Invasive Mammal, Sarah M. Chinn, Timothy J. Smyser, James C. Beasley

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Skewed sex ratios at birth are widely reported in wild populations, however, the extent to which parents are able to modulate the sex ratio of offspring to maximize their own fitness remains unclear. This is particularly true for highly polytocous species as maximizing fitness may include trade-offs between sex ratio and the size and number of offspring in litters. In such cases, it may be adaptive for mothers to adjust both the number of offspring per litter and offspring sex to maximize individual fitness. Investigating maternal sex allocation in wild pigs (Sus scrofa) under stochastic environmental conditions, we predicted that …

Invasive Frogs Show Persistent Physiological Differences To Elevation And Acclimate To Colder Temperatures, Jack R. Marchetti, Karen H. Beard, Emily E. Virgin, Erin L. Lewis, Steven C. Hess, Kwanho C. Ki, Layne O. Sermersheim, Adriana P. Furtado, Susannah S. French

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The coqui frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) was introduced to the island of Hawai’i in the 1980s and has spread across much of the island. Concern remains that this frog will continue to expand its range and invade higher elevation habitats where much of the island’s endemic species are found. We determined whether coqui thermal tolerance and physiology change along Hawai’i’s elevational gradients. We measured physiological responses using a short-term experiment to determine baseline tolerance and physiology by elevation, and a long-term experiment to determine the coqui’s ability to acclimate to different temperatures. We collected frogs from low, medium, and …