Meghan M. Louis, S. M. Tucker, M. Stoskopf, S. Kennedy-Stoskopf
{"title":"Evaluating Red Wolf Scat to Deter Coyote Access to Urban Pastureland","authors":"Meghan M. Louis, S. M. Tucker, M. Stoskopf, S. Kennedy-Stoskopf","doi":"10.26077/39C3-4222","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26077/39C3-4222","url":null,"abstract":"Depredation of domestic livestock by wildlife is a leading source of human–wildlife conflict, often requiring intervention at the local level. Historically, these interventions have resulted in the use of lethal methods to remove the offending animal. In response to increased public opposition to lethal control methods, wildlife managers have sought to identify effective nonlethal biological options to mitigate wildlife depredations. In 2018, we tested the concept of a biological deterrent using red wolf (Canis rufus) scat that had historically been spread along fence lines to prevent depredation of lambs (Ovis aries) and kid goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine 32-ha Teaching Animal Unit (TAU), North Carolina, USA. To conduct the study, we deployed paired camera traps at 3 locations where we had previously observed coyotes (C. latrans) accessing the TAU. The study was conducted over a 94-day period alternating between no scat and freshly collected scat that was placed every 3 days from adult male red wolves. The study period overlapped lambing and kidding season. In addition to coyotes, the camera traps routinely detected red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and raccoons (Procyon lotor). The red wolf scat we placed at the access point did not deter any of the mesocarnivores from entering the pasture.","PeriodicalId":13095,"journal":{"name":"Human–Wildlife Interactions","volume":"94 1","pages":"9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78223668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Using Bioenergetics and Radar-Derived Bird Abundance to Assess the Impact of a Blackbird Roost on Seasonal Sunflower Damage","authors":"B. A. Clark, Page E. Klug, P. Stepanian, J. Kelly","doi":"10.26077/9C95-48EB","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26077/9C95-48EB","url":null,"abstract":"Methods aimed at reducing avian damage to agricultural crops are routinely implemented in situations where efficacy can be assessed by quantifying blackbird (Icteridae) abundance relative to environmental variables and extrapolating to ensuing crop damage. Concomitantly, Weather Surveillance Radar (WSR) data may have potential to enhance crop damage mitigation through improved monitoring of nuisance wildlife populations. We used WSR to derive daily abundance estimates of blackbirds at a fall roost in North Dakota, USA from 2012 to 2019. We integrated these estimates with previously developed bioenergeticseconomic models to estimate local sunflower (Helianthus annuus) damage. The greatest losses usually occurred during a brief period in October, when peak blackbird abundance coincided with large percentages (>50%) of mature but unharvested sunflower fields. Most sunflower fields were harvested later than peak blackbird abundance (360,000–1,120,000 birds) and maximum daily damages ($900–$2,000 USD per day). This seasonal trend suggests advancing harvest time as a strategy to avoid the greatest losses in yield (up to $1,800 in savings at this 1 roost), which may be attainable by earlier planting of early-maturing crop varieties or crop desiccation.","PeriodicalId":13095,"journal":{"name":"Human–Wildlife Interactions","volume":"150 1","pages":"13"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88109214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Fink, R. Chandler, Michael J. Chamberlain, S. Castleberry, Shannon Glosenger-Thrasher
{"title":"Distribution and Activity Patterns of Large Carnivores and Their Implications for Human–Carnivore Conflict Management in Namibia","authors":"S. Fink, R. Chandler, Michael J. Chamberlain, S. Castleberry, Shannon Glosenger-Thrasher","doi":"10.26077/658E-E8A8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26077/658E-E8A8","url":null,"abstract":"Human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs) are increasing globally and contributing to the decline of wildlife species. In sub-Saharan African countries such as Namibia, most of the suitable land has been or is currently being converted to crop and livestock production to support income or subsistence agriculture. These changes in land use often incur increased levels of HWCs because of crop and livestock depredation by native species. To quantify livestock predation risks posed by carnivores in Namibia, we deployed 30 trail cameras on a 6,500-ha farm in the Khomas region of Namibia from May to July 2018. We developed occupancy models to make inferences about the factors influencing presence and temporal activity patterns of 2 carnivore species. We found that livestock were most at risk from predation by black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) at night in agricultural areas and from brown hyenas (Parahyaena brunnea) at night in riparian habitats. Our results suggest that farmers can reduce HWC risks by implementing animal husbandry practices to include protecting livestock at night using methods such as nighttime corrals and livestock guarding dogs (C. lupus familiaris), or herders. Increasing livestock producer access to funding (i.e., individual donations or governmental agencies) to implement improved animal husbandry practices could reduce HWCs.","PeriodicalId":13095,"journal":{"name":"Human–Wildlife Interactions","volume":"14 1","pages":"16"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81573955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Erika T. Stevenson, E. Gese, Lorin A. Neuman-Lee, S. French
{"title":"Instability of Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Coyote Scats: Implications for Field Sampling","authors":"Erika T. Stevenson, E. Gese, Lorin A. Neuman-Lee, S. French","doi":"10.26077/5157-0377","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26077/5157-0377","url":null,"abstract":": Studying physiologic stress responses can assist in understanding the welfare of animals. One method of measuring the physiologic stress response is evaluating concentrations of glucocorticoid metabolites in feces. Previously, using an adrenocorticotropic hormone challenge, we found fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels were a reliable indicator of physiologic stress response in coyotes ( Canis latrans ). We determine whether glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations remain stable when collecting feces over a 2-week period, a timeframe commonly used in scat surveys for wild canids. We collected feces from 6 captive coyotes maintained at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Predator Research Facility near Millville, Utah, USA, and exposed them to the environment for 13 days during summer (August 26 to September 8, 2011) and winter (January 11–24, 2012). Every 2 days, we collected a sub-sample from each individual scat and then quantified the concentration of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites. We found changes in fecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations over the 13-day period, with values increasing 45–79% from day 1 to day 3 of sampling. There was also high variation in fecal glucocorticoid metabolites among individuals over time. We provide evidence that fecal samples collected in the field even 3 days after defecation will not provide reliable measures of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites and thus recommend using only fresh fecal samples. We also recommend that, due to high individual variability in fecal glucocorticoid metabolites, a large number of individuals be sampled when a population-wide assessment is desired.","PeriodicalId":13095,"journal":{"name":"Human–Wildlife Interactions","volume":"1 1","pages":"8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75617319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Changing Face of the Wildlife Profession: Tools for Creating Women Leaders","authors":"Wendy Anderson","doi":"10.26077/E3E1-NF19","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26077/E3E1-NF19","url":null,"abstract":": Women continue to be underrepresented in the natural resource sciences arena, including the field of wildlife biology. The gender gap widens further with advancement to higher level positions. This paper explores potential reasons behind the lack of women in leadership and the array of challenges that women may face in their career paths. A variety of tools are proposed to support and encourage career advancement for women. Studies show that organizations with higher numbers of women in leadership roles perform better and diverse teams are more dedicated and committed to the mission. Understanding gender issues and generating organizational change is necessary to not only achieve an inclusive and diverse workforce, but one that is more creative and productive. The purpose of this paper is to help mitigate gender bias in the natural resource sciences profession and provide recommendations for transforming the workplace environment.","PeriodicalId":13095,"journal":{"name":"Human–Wildlife Interactions","volume":"116 1","pages":"15"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86796662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"One Step Closer to a Better Starling Trap","authors":"James R. Thiele","doi":"10.26077/DB44-2844","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26077/DB44-2844","url":null,"abstract":"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 be restricted. To address this need, I developed a unique and effective starling trap to increase catch rates. I began testing multiple trap designs in November 2007 at cattle (Bos taurus) feedlots, meat processing plants, and urban staging areas in a 45-km radius of the city of Omaha, Nebraska, USA. In December 2011, I designed a 4-chamber, basket-style starling trap that has been instrumental in a nearly 90% reduction of the roosting starling population in downtown Omaha. Herein, I discuss the development and testing of the trap and provide guidelines and instructions for building and strategic placement of the trap.","PeriodicalId":13095,"journal":{"name":"Human–Wildlife Interactions","volume":"11 1","pages":"12"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81390537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
B. Kluever, M. Pfeiffer, S. Barras, Brett G. Dunlap, L. Humberg
{"title":"Black Vulture Conflict and Management in the United States: Damage Trends, Management Overview, and Research Needs","authors":"B. Kluever, M. Pfeiffer, S. Barras, Brett G. Dunlap, L. Humberg","doi":"10.26077/9875-D38F","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26077/9875-D38F","url":null,"abstract":"Contrary to rapid declines of many vulture (Accipitridae, Cathartidea) species worldwide, black vulture (Coragyps atratus) populations are increasing and expanding their range in North America. Vultures exhibit complex behaviors and can adapt to any humandominated landscape or land use. These traits, combined with population growth and range expansion, have contributed to increased human–vulture conflicts. Our goal was to summarize the current status and trends in human–black vulture conflicts (hereafter human– vulture conflicts), review available management strategies, identify knowledge gaps, and provide recommendations to enhance management and understanding of this species and the associated conflicts. We found human–vulture conflicts are increasing in agriculture (livestock), private and public property (both personal and infrastructure-based), and threats to human health and safety. The greatest increases in conflicts were reported in agriculture and private and public property damage. Regarding livestock depredation, good progress has been made toward assessing producer perceptions of the conflicts, including estimates of economic damage and mitigation strategies, but a basic understanding of the underlying mechanism driving the conflict and advancing strategies to mitigate damage is lacking. For damaged property, little information is available regarding economic losses and perceptions of stakeholders who are experiencing the damage, and most of the tools recommended for mitigating this damage have not been rigorously evaluated. Regarding human health and safety, recent research quantifying flight behavior of black vultures has direct implications for reducing aircraft collision risks. However, it is unclear what factors influence roost site selection and the most effective means to leverage the sensory ecology of the species to mitigate risks. We identify additional knowledge gaps and research needs that if addressed could increase managers’ understanding of black vulture ecology and facilitate enhanced management of this species while simultaneously allowing for the species to provide valuable ecosystem services.","PeriodicalId":13095,"journal":{"name":"Human–Wildlife Interactions","volume":"33 1","pages":"8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79739819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assessing Vulture Translocation as a Management Tool to Mitigate Airport Bird Strikes","authors":"W. G. Novaes, T. L. Abreu, R. S. Guerta","doi":"10.26077/AEBF-B24E","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26077/AEBF-B24E","url":null,"abstract":"Collisions between wildlife and aircraft are a major safety concern for international aviation. In the Americas, vultures (Cathartidae) are considered to be one of the most hazardous bird species to airport operations. In this study, we evaluated the use of translocations as a management technique to reduce vulture abundance near the Manaus International Airport (MAO), Manaus, Brazil. The MAO is one of the busiest and most strategically important airports in South America, often referred to as the gateway to the Brazilian Amazon. We captured, wing-tagged, and translocated 98 vultures between August and October 2013 and between January and April 2014. The wing-tags were colored plastic tags specifically developed to tag vultures to enhance identification in flight and not alter bird behavior. The tagged vultures were translocated different distances (100, 150, and 200 km) from MAO. Only 25.5% of translocated vultures returned to the airport. However, the relative abundance of vultures did not differ between monitoring periods before and after captures and translocations. Our results demonstrated that the translocations failed to decrease MAO vulture abundance. We recommend habitat modifications associated with nonlethal (dispersion by bird repellents) and lethal (kill some individuals reinforcing dispersion) strategies to reduce vulture bird strike risks.","PeriodicalId":13095,"journal":{"name":"Human–Wildlife Interactions","volume":"10 1","pages":"19"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91264874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}