Effect of Presentation on the Attractiveness and Palatability to Wild Dogs and Other Wildlife of 2 Unpoisoned Wild-Dog Bait Types

1989 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 593 ◽  
Author(s):  
LR Allen ◽  
PJS Fleming ◽  
JA Thompson ◽  
K Strong

Factory-prepared beef crackle cubes and fresh meat baits are routinely used with the poison 1080 to prevent or reduce predation by wild dogs, Canis familiaris. Four field trials totalling 674 bait nights per bait type were conducted in southern Queensland to assess the relative attractiveness and palatability of the two baits to wild dogs and non-target animals. Buried meat and surface-laid meat baits were also compared to assess the effect that bait presentation can have on control programme efficiency and non-target hazard. Fresh meat was found to be significantly more palatable to wild dogs than factory baits. Factory baits, despite being equally attractive to wild dogs as fresh meat, had significantly more visits by wild dogs where baits were not eaten. Fresh meat was significantly more attractive and palatable to non-target species than factory baits. Buried baits were equally attractive and palatable to wild dogs compared with surface-laid meat baits, yet had greatly reduced non-target bait take. The significance of the results is discussed with regard to the potential 1080 hazard to birds and reptiles (which removed 28% and 10% of baits, respectively) and the influence that non-target removal of baits may have on the efficiency and design of wild-dog control programmes. Extra keywords: Compound 1080, poison, SEA, sodium fluoroacetate.

1986 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 447 ◽  
Author(s):  
JC Mcilroy ◽  
EJ Gifford ◽  
RJ Cooper

Populations of birds and small mammals in a mountain forest area of New South Wales were not significantly affected by two trail-baiting campaigns involving 1080 poison that were carried out against wild dogs, Canis familiaris, during the winters of 1980 and 1981. Factors which probably minimized the effect on the non-target species were the sparse distribution of baits, the placement of the baits in habitats not favoured by small mammals, their initially rapid rate of removal by foxes, Vulpes vulpes, the dietary preferences of the non-target animals and the low risk they would face if they did consume a bait.


2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 528 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. L. Kreplins ◽  
M. S. Kennedy ◽  
P. J. Adams ◽  
P. W. Bateman ◽  
S. D. Dundas ◽  
...  

Context Livestock predation is a worldwide phenomenon, causing financial losses and emotional strain on producers. Wild dogs (Canis familiaris) cause millions of dollars of damage to cattle, sheep and goat production in Australia every year, and despite on-going control (baiting, trapping, shooting, and fencing), they remain a significant problem for livestock producers across many pastoral and agricultural regions of Australia. Aims We aimed to quantify the uptake of dried meat baits by wild dogs and determine whether an olfactory lure (fish oil) could increase uptake. Methods Camera traps and sand pads were used to monitor bait uptake for three baiting events on two pastoral properties in the southern rangelands of Western Australia in 2016 and 2017. Key results Of the 337 monitored baits with a known outcome, young wild dogs (<8 months old) removed only four, three of which were covered in a fish-oil lure. In warmer months, baits were largely consumed by varanids, and in cooler months, when baits were taken it was predominantly by corvids. Varanids and corvids took more baits than expected on the basis of activity indices. Kangaroos, feral cats and wild dogs consumed significantly fewer baits than expected from their activity on camera. Conclusions We have no evidence that adult wild dogs removed baits, despite many opportunities to do so (wild dogs passing cameras), and fewer wild dogs took baits than expected on the basis of activity events seen on camera. Olfactory lures may have the potential to increase bait uptake by naïve individuals (i.e. young dogs), but the sample size was small. Implications Increasing the number of baiting events per year, trialling novel baits, and baiting during low non-target activity are some of the recommended methods that may increase bait persistence and uptake by wild dogs.


2003 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alistair S. Glen ◽  
Chris R. Dickman

The removal of non-toxic baits was monitored during a simulated trail-baiting programme for foxes and wild dogs in the central tablelands of New South Wales. Ninety-one buried baits were removed by a number of species including spotted-tailed quolls, Australian brush-turkeys, superb lyrebirds, small mammals, wild dogs and a red fox. Spotted-tailed quolls were significantly less likely to remove baits buried under the ground surface than baits buried in raised mounds of soil. By means of remote photography, individual quolls were identified removing 3–4 baits in one night from bait stations 400 m apart. The results of this study show that spotted-tailed quolls and other non-target species may face substantial risk of consuming baits intended for wild dogs and foxes. However, the risk of poisoning spotted-tailed quolls may be significantly reduced by appropriate planning. Recommendations are made to increase the target-specificity of baiting programmes in areas with populations of spotted-tailed quolls.


2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malcolm S. Kennedy ◽  
Ken Rose ◽  
Gary Martin

Context Aerial baiting using fixed-wing aircraft is an effective method of bait delivery for wild-dog control in remote locations. However, aerial baiting may result in loss of baits to positions that are inaccessible to wild dogs. Attempts, by landholders, to address such bait loss through compensatory baiting may increase baiting costs and potential risks to non-target species. Aims To assess bait drift under standard baiting conditions. To assess the availability of aerially deployed baits to wild dogs across several commonly baited landforms in the northern rangelands of Western Australia. Methods We determined drift characteristics of baits deployed under standard fixed-wing baiting conditions. We then determined the availability of aerially deployed baits by deploying baits with embedded radio-transmitters across four commonly baited landforms (riparian vegetation, tussock grassland, gorges and breakaways). We then visually assessed the availability of relocated baits (as ‘high’, ‘moderate’ or ‘low’). Key results Under standard fixed-wing baiting conditions, on average, baits fell 100.9 m forward, and 8.3 m laterally, from the point-of-release. Across all landforms, most baits (91.8%) were highly available, with a further 7.0% falling into the moderate category and 1.2% in the low category. There were significant differences in bait availability among landforms, with the proportion of moderate-low availability baits greatest in gorges and lowest on tussock grassland. Conclusions Within the northern rangelands of Western Australia, bait wastage owing to deployment in inaccessible locations is minimal. Implications Compensatory baiting for lost baits is unnecessary and increases costs to land managers.


1996 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 665 ◽  
Author(s):  
PJS Fleming ◽  
JA Thompson ◽  
HI Nicol

The efficacy of aerial baiting with 1080 poison (sodium fluoroacetate) for the control of wild dogs (Canis familiaris familiaris and C. familiaris dingo) in the temperate rangelands of north-eastern New South Wales was studied. In each year from 1991 to 1993, 2 indices of the abundance of dogs, one a raw count of sets of footprints per km of transect (SF) and the other an ln-transformed frequency corrected for sightability of signs (CI), were used to quantify the changes in abundance caused by aerial baiting. Abundance of dogs at a nil-treatment site was estimated concurrently. The SF index found the 1991 baiting to be efficacious. Both measures of abundance showed baiting to be efficacious in 1992 and 1993. Reductions of 66.3-84.5% in the abundance of dogs at the treatment site were found for the CI measure. The SF measure displayed abundance changes of 76.1-91.1%. The indices of abundance measured prior to the annual baiting in 1992 and 1993 were similar, indicating that populations returned to their initial abundance within 1 year.


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Meek ◽  
Stuart C. Brown ◽  
Jason Wishart ◽  
Heath Milne ◽  
Paul Aylett ◽  
...  

Context Wildlife and pest managers and stakeholders should constantly aim to improve animal-welfare outcomes when foot-hold trapping pest animals. To minimise stress and trauma to trapped animals, traps should be checked at least once every 24h, normally as soon after sunrise as possible. If distance, time, environmental or geographical constraints prevent this, toxins such as strychnine can be fitted to trap jaws to induce euthanasia. However, strychnine is considered to have undesirable animal-welfare outcomes because animals are conscious while clinical signs of intoxication are present. A toxin considered more humane, para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP), is available to induce euthanasia in trapped animals but is untested for presentation and efficacy. Aim We tested the efficacy of two types of lethal trap device (LTD’s), each using a paste formulation of PAPP as the active toxin to replace the use of strychnine on foot-hold jaw traps. Methods Elastomer LTDs and PAPP-cloths were fitted to jaw traps set to capture wild dogs (Canis familiaris). Camera-trap data was used to record animal behaviours after capture and to determine the efficacy of both modalities. Key results Every trapped wild dog (n=117) gnawed at the elastomer LTD’s or PAPP-cloth attached to the trap jaws that restrained them; one dog failed to liberate the toxin. From the dogs caught in the main trial (n=56), a mortality rate of 84% and 87% was reported respectively. The mean time from trap-to-death for elastomer LTDs was 64min and 68min for PAPP-cloths. Conclusions Elastomer LTDs and PAPP cloths combined caused the mortality of 85% of captured dogs. This efficacy could be improved by adopting the recommendations discussed in the present study for deploying PAPP-based LTDs during trap deployment. Implications PAPP-based LTDs offer an alternative option to the use of strychnine and improve the welfare outcomes for trapped predators, especially where traps are not checked within the recommended 24-h period.


1998 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Belcher

Captive trials were undertaken to determine whether tiger quolls and eastern quolls could detect baits that were either buried or covered with soil following the methods employed in normal buried-poisoned-bait programmes. Both tiger quolls and eastern quolls detected, dug up and consumed buried FOXOFF baits. Consumption trials showed that tiger quolls were capable of consuming 2–3 FOXOFF baits in a single meal and more than three baits overnight. Eastern quolls could consume up to 1.5 baits in a single meal. Field trials were undertaken to investigate whether tiger quolls in the wild could also detect and consume buried baits. Trials with both fresh meat and FOXOFF baits were undertaken at a site near a tiger quoll latrine, using a remote camera to record visits to the site and bait uptake. The results confirmed that tiger quolls in the wild can detect and consume both fresh meat and FOXOFF baits that have been buried or placed on the surface and covered with soil to a depth of 5–8 cm. The results indicate that the buried-bait technique is not specific for introduced predators, and free- feeding may not preclude non-target species from taking buried baits. Reliance on the identification of the species visiting bait stations from tracks may also be unreliable as foxes dug up bait stations searching for baits, even after the bait had been removed, potentially obliterating other tracks.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 217-220

This report provides an overview of the 2017 official control activities on pesticide residues carried out in the European Union (EU) Member States, Iceland and Norway. It summarises the results of both the 2017 EU-coordinated control programme (EUCP) and the national control programmes (NP). While the NPs are mostly risk based (so called enforcement samples) focusing on pesticides or products originating from countries where a number of exceedances have been observed in the past, the EUCP aims to present a statistically representative snapshot of the situation of pesticide residues in food products that are mostly consumed in the EU following a random sampling procedure. The report includes the outcome of a dietary risk assessment based on the results of the overall 2017 control programmes. The comprehensive analysis of the results of all reporting countries provides risk managers with sound-based evidence for designing future monitoring programmes, in particular for taking decisions on which pesticides and food products should be targeted in risk-based national programmes.


Oryx ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Helen M. K. O'Neill ◽  
Sarah M. Durant ◽  
Stefanie Strebel ◽  
Rosie Woodroffe

Abstract Wildlife fences are often considered an important tool in conservation. Fences are used in attempts to prevent human–wildlife conflict and reduce poaching, despite known negative impacts on landscape connectivity and animal movement patterns. Such impacts are likely to be particularly important for wide-ranging species, such as the African wild dog Lycaon pictus, which requires large areas of continuous habitat to fulfil its resource requirements. Laikipia County in northern Kenya is an important area for wild dogs but new wildlife fences are increasingly being built in this ecosystem. Using a long-term dataset from the area's free-ranging wild dog population, we evaluated the effect of wildlife fence structure on the ability of wild dogs to cross them. The extent to which fences impeded wild dog movement differed between fence designs, although individuals crossed fences of all types. Purpose-built fence gaps increased passage through relatively impermeable fences. Nevertheless, low fence permeability can lead to packs, or parts of packs, becoming trapped on the wrong side of a fence, with consequences for population dynamics. Careful evaluation should be given to the necessity of erecting fences; ecological impact assessments should incorporate evaluation of impacts on animal movement patterns and should be undertaken for all large-scale fencing interventions. Where fencing is unavoidable, projects should use the most permeable fencing structures possible, both in the design of the fence and including as many purpose-built gaps as possible, to minimize impacts on wide-ranging wildlife.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Jones ◽  
M. T. Fountain ◽  
C. S. Günther ◽  
P. E. Eady ◽  
M. R. Goddard

AbstractDrosophila suzukii flies cause economic losses to fruit crops globally. Previous work shows various Drosophila species are attracted to volatile metabolites produced by individual fruit associated yeast isolates, but fruits naturally harbour a rich diversity of yeast species. Here, we report the relative attractiveness of D. suzukii to yeasts presented individually or in combinations using laboratory preference tests and field trapping data. Laboratory trials revealed four of 12 single yeast isolates were attractive to D. suzukii, of which Metschnikowia pulcherrima and Hanseniaspora uvarum were also attractive in field trials. Four out of 10 yeast combinations involving Candida zemplinina, Pichia pijperi, M. pulcherrima and H. uvarum were attractive in the laboratory. Whilst a combination of M. pulcherrima + H. uvarum trapped the greatest number of D. suzukii in the field, the efficacy of the M. pulcherrima + H. uvarum combination to trap D. suzukii was not significantly greater than traps primed with volatiles from only H. uvarum. While volatiles from isolates of M. pulcherrima and H. uvarum show promise as baits for D. suzukii, further research is needed to ascertain how and why flies are attracted to certain baits to optimise control efficacy.


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