Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Behavioral Principles Governing Conditioned Food Aversions Based On Deception, Michael R. Conover

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

We often are unable to reduce wildlife damage because of our inability to apply a repellent directly to the plant, animal, or item that needs protection. Conditioned food aversions based on deception (CFABD) is one method that can be used to extend protection to these items (hereafter called models). In CFABD, the model is not treated; instead mimics of the model are created and then treated with a chemical that will sicken, but not kill, the animal consuming them. This approach is a reverse form of Batesian mimicry; normally the models are poisonous and the mimics are innocuous. Yet, the …

Contributors

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

Contributors

Sucrose As A Feeding Deterrent For Fruit-Eating Birds, Carlos Martinez Del Rio, Michael L. Avery, Kristin E. Brugger

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

Economic losses due to bird damage to small fruits such as blueberries, grapes, and cherries can be very high and are expected to increase in the future. The primary sugars in these fruits are glucose and fructose. Sucrose is present in very low concentrations only. Our research has unveiled a physiological trait common to many fruit-eating species in the phylogenetically related families Muscicapidae, Mirnidae, and Sturnidae. These birds are unable to digest sucrose because they lack the intestinal enzyme sucrase which hydrolyzes sucrose into glucose and fructose prior to absorption. In cage tests these birds prefer glucose and fructose to …

Comparative Analysis Of Deer Repellents, Abderrahim El Hani, Michael R. Conover

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

The deer repellent literature is fragmented and hard to interpret because there is no standard method to measure repellent effectiveness. Instead, studies differ in (1) which repellents were tested, (2) which plant or food was used as a carrier, (3) repellent concentration, (4) test duration, (5) experimental design, and (6) criteria for success. Despite these difficulties, we analyzed the literature seeking over-arching trends in repellent effectiveness. Deer-Away Big Game Repellenta (BGR) and predator odors were usually more effective than other repellents. In most field tests, the best repellents usually reduced deer damage by < 60%. There was no significant difference in the effectiveness of area repellents and contact repellents. Factors affecting repellent effectiveness include relative palatability of the plant to be protected, size of local deer populations, availability of alternative forage, weather, amount and concentration of repellent used, and test duration. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer ( …

Effectiveness Of Capsaicin As A Repellent To Birdseed Consumption By Gray Squirrels, Christopher S. Fitzgerald, Paul D. Curtis, Milo E. Richmond, Joseph A. Dunn

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

We evaluated the efficacy of capsaicin as an aversive agent to captive and free-ranging gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinenssi). Capsaicin appeared more aversive in lipid-based formulations. Sunflower hearts treated with capsaicin oleoresins at 100,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU's) demonstrated near-complete aversiveness to captive squirrels. These treatments were sampled by food-deprived captive squirrels, but were not consumed due to their extreme pungency. Additionally, capsaicin-treated suet was very effective at lower concentrations than was observed with seeds (24,000 SHU-suet versus 100,000 SHU-seed). Three ground-pepper treatments (A = 8,250 SHU's, B = 27,500 SHU's, and C = 82,500 SHU's) offered simultaneously with …

Foreword

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

There is an increasingly critical need for the development of repellents and other non-lethal methods for wildlife damage management. This increase in importance reflects the preferences of an urbanized citizenry for alternatives to traditional management methods, and a growing conviction among an increasing number of wildlife professionals that repellents and other nonlethal tools should be an important component of integrated wildlife damage management.

Norway Rats' Communication About Foods And Feeding Sites, Bennett G. Galef Jr.

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

After interacting with a recently fed "demonstrator" rat (Rattus norvegicus), a naive "observer" rat exhibits substantial enhancement of its preference for whatever food its demonstrator ate. Such social effects on food preference in rats are surprisingly robust and able to reverse both congenital flavor preferences and poison-induced, learned flavor aversions. Analysis of the pheromonal signals emitted by demonstrator rats that alter the food preferences of their observers indicates that experience of CS₂ (a substance present in rat breath) together with the odor of a food is sufficient to enhance an observer rat's subsequent preference for the food. …

Review Of Regulatory-Imposed Marketing Constraints To Repellent Development, Judith M. Hushon

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

The purpose of this paper is to review the regulatory issues concerned with marketing repellents and to try to identify areas where changes may be needed. Repellents are covered unevenly by the various Federal and State pesticide laws. These laws were generally formulated to deal with pesticides and other highly toxic chemicals used to control "pests." However, repellents discourage pests due to their disagreeable properties rather than their toxicity. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recently introduced reduced risk pesticide guidance which limits reporting requirements and hastens review. Those states that follow the Federal lead do not represent a problem. …

Dilution And Detoxication Costs: Relevance To Avian Herbivore Food Selection, Walter J. Jakubas, Christopher G. Gulgielmo, William H. Karasov

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

Toxicity and digestive inhibition are commonly thought of as the primary postingestive consequences by which plant secondary metabolites (PSM's) limit herbivore food selection. However, food selection may also be modified by nutritional costs imposed by detoxication processes and nutrient dilution. Few studies have determined the magnitude of these costs for vertebrate herbivores and their ecological significance. Research clarifying the mechanisms by which PSM's repel animals may give new insights into the development of repellents for nuisance wildlife and improve our ability to predict ecological interactions involving herbivores. Using captive ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus), we tested whether PSM ingestion …

The Role Of Analytical Chemistry In Repellent Research, Bruce A. Kimball, Dale L. Nolte, Kevin L. Kelly, John J. Johnston

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

Development of effective repellents requires in depth investigation of the interaction of animals with their chemical environment. This multidisciplinary field, chemical ecology, has received much attention in the area of plant/invertebrate herbivore interactions. At the Denver Wildlife Research Center (DWRC), we have benefited by the close collaboration of chemists and biologists when studying the interactions of vertebrates with natural products. Typically, this combines chemical assays that provide information on the characteristics of chemical cues with bioassays that generate information on the mechanisms that drive animal behavior. The chemistry role in this research can be either supportive or interactive. Two recent …

In-Water Electroshock Techniques To Repel Aquatic Mammals And Birds, A. Lawrence Kolz, Richard E. Johnson

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

Nonlethal electroshocking devices have been developed at the Denver Wildlife Research Center for repelling aquatic mammals and birds from selected areas. These devices are augmented with infrared motion sensors to turn on the apparatus only when warm-blooded animals are present, thereby conserving electrical energy and allowing battery operation. Electronic safety controls are incorporated to prevent animals from being over-exposed or repeatedly exposed to the electrical fields. The technical basis for this equipment is based upon research originally reported in the electrofishing literature. Obviously, any animal immersed in water is highly susceptible to electrical shock, but permanent injury can be avoided …

Review Of Synthetic Predator Odor Semiochemicals As Repellents For Wildlife Management In The Pacific Northwest, Pontus M.F. Lindgren, Thomas P. Sullivan, Douglas R. Crump

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

The use of synthetic predator odor semiochemicals as area repellents has considerable potential for protection of forest and agricultural crops. Certain predator odors originating from feces, urine, or scent (anal) gland secretions elicit a "fear" response when detected by prey species. At least some genera (e.g., Microtus) appear to have an innate response to these odors. Synthetic constituents from the weasel family (Mustelidae) have been particularly effective in laboratory and field bioassays with a variety of mammal species. Semiochemicals from the stoat (Mustela erminea) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) have successfully reduced feeding damage to …

The Public Is Attracted By The Use Of Repellents, Cathy A. Liss

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

Americans have long been in favor of humane treatment of animals. Increasingly, the public is involved in dictating acceptable wildlife management practices. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal Damage Control program has been the recipient of much adverse publicity regarding its killing of target and nontarget animals. Growing opposition to various methods of lethal control such as use of steel jaw leghold traps or poisons likely will result in continuing restrictions or outright prohibitions against their use in the future. Alternative methods of wildlife control are critical.

Nonlethal techniques are key to the future of the Animal Damage Control program. …

Avian Repellents: Options, Modes Of Action, And Economic Considerations, J. Russell Mason, Larry Clark

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

The present manuscript considers visual, auditory, tactile, chemosensory, and physiologic repellents currently available for use in the United States. Discussion of tactile, chemosensory, and physiologic repellents is emphasized for three reasons. First, these products are preferred by users. Second, application of these substances is regulated by state and federal agencies. Third, only four active ingredients are legally available at the present time. This lack reflects difficulties in obtaining regulatory approval and limited market size.

Predator Odors As Repellents To Brushtail Possums And Rabbits, David R. Morgan, Anthony D. Woolhouse

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

Repellents are being developed as an alternative to the use of poisons, traps, or firearms for controlling damage to forest and farm plantings by the introduced Australian brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) and European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Such repellents need to protect seedlings from irreversible damage for at least 6 months after application. Seven synthetic predator odor compounds were compared with "Treepel", a moderately effective commercial repellent, by assessing relative browse on treated Pinus radiata seedlings in pen tests. Predator odors were repellent to both animals. Generally they were more repellent to possums than to rabbits, but the predator odor-based TOM …

Recent Studies On Flavor Aversion Learning In Wildlife Damage Management, Russell F. Reidinger Jr.

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

Flavor aversion learning (FAL) occurs experimentally when a mammal is presented with a distinctive-flavored food followed by a postingestional illness. Birds may learn aversions to visual cues. Aversions follow a single pairing and may be robust. During the past decade, at least four directions were followed in evaluating FAL for managing wildlife damage: compounds already registered for use on crops such as herbicides, insecticides, or fungicides were tested for their abilities to also repel birds and small mammals from crops; naturally occurring compounds such as sucrose or charcoal were similarly evaluated; eggs were treated with different compounds in attempts to …

Bird Deterrent Research And Development: Marine Oil Spills, Timothy J. Reilly

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

A wide range of techniques are available for deterring birds from coastal oil spills, including (but not limited to) pyrotechnics, aircraft, boats, flags, reflecting devices, and artificial sounds. Many of these deterrent devices have had little field testing to determine optimal deterrent strategies. The Marine Spill Response Corporation (MSRC) developed a research and development (R&D) plan which has identified critical research which would need to be conducted to determine these optimal strategies. This program was initiated through the generation of a report which described the state-of-the-art of deterring birds from marine oil spills. Following this report, MSRC hosted a workshop …

An Integrated Strategy To Decrease Eared Dove Damage In Sunflower Crops, Ethel N. Rodriguez, Richard L. Bruggers, Roger W. Bullard, Robert Cook

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

Eared doves (Zenaida auriculata) damage mature sunflowers in Uruguay. Although repellents might be useful as a control method, durability and expense have discouraged their use. In the present report, we describe laboratory, aviary, and field research designed to evaluate methiocarb and calcium carbonate as durable, economical repellents. Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) was as effective as CaCO₃ /methiocarb in combination in deterring consumption of sunflowers. Moreover, treating field borders with CaCO₃ or the CaCO₃ /methiocarb combination was as effective as treating the entire field for at least 12 days. This period is sufficiently long to …

Repellency Of Predator Urine To Woodchucks And Meadow Voles, Robert K. Swihart, Mary Jane I. Mattina, Joseph J. Pignatello

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

Woodchucks (Marmota monax) and meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) can be serious pests in orchards where they damage young fruit trees by gnawing on main stems. Previous work indicated that topical application of bobcat (Lynx rufus) urine to apple trees could reduce woodchuck damage by an average of 98%. Here, we report on field trials designed to determine whether various fractions of bobcat urine could achieve comparable reductions in gnawing activity. Trials with smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) resulted in an average reduction in gnawing over a 4-week period, relative to controls, of 86% …

Table Of Contents

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

Repellents in Wildlife Management Symposium
Table of Contents

Repellency Of Mongoose Feces And Urine To Rats (Rattus Spp.), Mark E. Tobin, Ann E. Koehler, Robert T. Sugihara, Michael E. Burwash

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

Chemical repellents derived from predators might offer more effective and longer lasting protection from vertebrate depredations than current damage control measures. Thus, we conducted laboratory and field studies to evaluate the repellency of mongoose feces and urine to black rats (Rattus rattus) and Polynesian rats (R. exulans ) . We exposed captive wild rats to water, butyric acid, mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) feces, or mongoose urine in a 150- x 60- x 120-cm partitioned arena and recorded their behavior with a video camera. None of the test substances had any apparent effect (P> 0.05) on behavior …

Repellent Trials To Reduce Reforestation Damage By Pocket Gophers, Deer, And Elk, Gary W. Witmer, Rodney D. Sayler, Michael J. Pipas

National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995

We tested selected, potential repellents in pen and field trials to determine their ability to reduce consumption of palatable foods by pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides), deer (Odocoileus spp.), and elk (Cervus elaphus). Only sulfur-based compounds (predator urines and Deer Away®) deterred feeding by captive gophers. Chemically hot, bitter, and noxious compounds and plants did not deter gopher feeding. Rapid reinvasion of available habitat by pocket gophers in a field trial occurred despite the presence of encapsulated, sulfur-based semiochemicals of stoat (Mustela erminea) on trial plots. Coyote urine and Deer Away deterred browsing by …

Conservation At The Zuni Pueblo: Lessons In Sustainability, James E. Enote

Sustainable Use of the West's Water (Summer Conference, June 12-14)

7 pages.

Contains references.

Regional Water Planning In New Mexico: An Opportunity For Citizen Involvement In State Government, Lucy Moore

Sustainable Use of the West's Water (Summer Conference, June 12-14)

12 pages.

Contains references.

The Oregon Watershed Health Program: Local Empowerment To Restore Watersheds, Mary Lou Soscia

Sustainable Use of the West's Water (Summer Conference, June 12-14)

9 pages.

Washington State Initiatives For Sustainable Water Use, Kenneth O. Slattery

Sustainable Use of the West's Water (Summer Conference, June 12-14)

8 pages.

Managing Reclamation Facilities For Ecosystem Benefits, Lawrence J. Macdonnell

Sustainable Use of the West's Water (Summer Conference, June 12-14)

26 pages.

Contains references.

Searching For Sustainable Use Of Montana’S Water: A Series Of Vignettes, Matthew Mckinney

Sustainable Use of the West's Water (Summer Conference, June 12-14)

24 pages.

Contains references.

The Debate: Are Water Rights And Sustainable Water Use Compatible?, Stuart L. Somach

Sustainable Use of the West's Water (Summer Conference, June 12-14)

12 pages.

Contains footnotes and references.

Water Rights And The Commonwealth, Eric T. Freyfogle

Sustainable Use of the West's Water (Summer Conference, June 12-14)

20 pages.