Free-roaming cats (e.g., owned, semi-feral, and feral) impact wildlife worldwide through predation, competition, and disease transmission. Baseline ecological information necessary for population management is lacking. We radiocollared free-roaming cats (feral, n ¼ 30; semi-feral, n ¼ 14; owned, n ¼ 10) in Caldwell, Texas, USA between October 2004 and November 2005 and compared population demographics among sex and ownership classification. We found ranges and movements declined across ownership classes whereas survival and fecundity increased. Our findings suggest that human interactions (e.g., feeding) may result in high, localized free-roaming cat densities, which may concentrate feral cat impacts and should be considered when evaluating population control strategies. (JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 71(3): 915-919; 2007)

Global estimates of the number of domestic cats (Felis catus) are >400 million. Issues associated with freeroaming cats are of global importance because of animal-welfare and public-health concerns and impacts on native wildlife through predation, competition and disease transmission. In the United States, proposed control solutions for managing urban free-roaming cat populations include euthanasia and trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs. We evaluated control methods using a demographic population model for a 25-year period, with parameters estimated from an unmanaged, free-roaming cat population in Texas. We modelled euthanasia and TNR at 25%, 50% and 75% implementation rates and a 50 : 50 combination of euthanasia and TNR at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% implementation rates for 0%, 25% and 50% maximum immigration rates. We compared final population size, total number of cats treated and treatment effort relative to population reduction. Population decreases were comparable among euthanasia, TNR and a 50 : 50 combination for all treatment rates when the immigration rate was 0%; however, they were higher for euthanasia at 25% and 50% maximum immigration rates. Euthanasia required higher treatment effort than TNR. Our results indicate that immigration must be prevented and high (>50%) treatment rates implemented to reduce free-roaming cat populations.

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The extraordinary growth of human populations and development in coastal areas over the last half century has eliminated and degraded coastal habitats and threatened the persistence of associated wildlife. Moreover, human‐induced sea‐level rise (SLR) is projected to further eliminate and alter the same coastal ecosystems, especially low‐lying regions. Whereas habitat loss and wildlife population declines from development are well documented, contemporary SLR has not yet been implicated in declines of coastal faunal populations. In addition, the projection of severe synergistic impacts from the combination of development and SLR is well described, yet the scientific literature offers little empirical evidence of the influence of these forces on coastal wildlife. Analysis of aerial photographs from 1959 to 2006 provided evidence of a 64% net loss of the endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbit's (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri; LKMR) habitat, the majority due to SLR (>48%). Furthermore, there was a strong negative relationship between the proportion of development per island and the amount of new habitat formed. Islands with modest development (less than 8% of land area) saw formation of new areas of marsh vegetation suitable for rabbits, whereas islands with 8% or more of their lands developed between 1959 and 2006 saw little to no addition of LKMR habitat. Only 8% of habitat loss was directly due to conversion to impervious surfaces, indicating that the greatest threats from development were indirect, including blocking of the inland migration of habitat triggered by SLR. Our results were consistent with an ongoing squeeze of coastal ecosystems between rising seas and development as a threat to LKMR habitat, which raises concern for a wide variety of coastal species. Our results provide evidence that SLR has become a contemporary conservation concern, one that is exacerbated by development, and expected to increase in magnitude as ocean waters continue to rise.

ABSTRACT. The distance covered by foraging animals, especially those that radiate from a central area when foraging, may affect ecosystem, community, and population dynamics, and has conservation and landscape planning implications for multiple taxa, including migratory waterfowl. Migrating and wintering waterfowl make regular foraging flights between roosting and feeding areas that can greatly impact energetic resources within the foraging zone near roost sites. We reviewed published studies and gray literature for oneway foraging flight distances (FFDs) of migrating and wintering dabbling ducks and geese. Thirty reviewed studies reported FFDs and several reported values for multiple species or locations. We obtained FFD values for migration (n = 7) and winter (n = 70). We evaluated the effects of body mass, guild, i.e., dabbling duck or goose, and location, i.e., Nearctic or Palearctic, on FFDs. We used the second-order Akaike's Information Criterion for model selection. We found support for effects of location and guild on FFDs. FFDs of waterfowl wintering in the Nearctic (7.4 ± 6.7 km, mean ± SD; n = 39 values) were longer than in the Palearctic (4.2 ± 3.2 km; n = 31 values). The FFDs of geese (7.8 ± 7.2 km, mean ± SD; n = 24 values) were longer than FFDs of dabbling ducks (5.1 ± 4.4 km, mean ± SD; n = 46 values). We found mixed evidence that distance flown from the roost changed, i.e., increased or decreased, seasonally. Our results can be used to refine estimates of energetic carrying capacity around roosts and in biological and landscape planning efforts.Distances parcourues pour la recherche alimentaire par les oies et les canards hivernants : une synthèse.RÉSUMÉ. La distance parcourue par les animaux aux fins de recherche alimentaire, particulièrement chez ceux qui rayonnent à partir d'un point central, peut influencer l'écosystème, la biocénose, ainsi que les dynamiques de population. Pour beaucoup de taxons incluant les anatidés migrants, la distance parcourue a également des implications sur la conservation et la planification des paysages. Les vols réguliers des anatidés (migrants ou hivernants) entre l'espace de nourrissage et de repos, peuvent impacter lourdement les ressources énergétiques au sein de la zone de nourrissage proche des sites de repos. Nous avons examiné les études et la littérature grise concernant les distances des allés vers les sites de nourrissage (DASN) des barboteurs et des oies migrants et hivernants. Trente études examinées ont indiqué les DASN dont un certain nombre ont mentionné des valeurs pour plusieurs espèces ou lieux. Nous avons obtenu des valeurs de DASN pour la migration (n=7) et pour l'hiver (n=70). Nous avons évalué les effets de la masse corporelle, guilde, i.e., barboteur ou oie, et lieu, i.e., Néarctique ou Paléarctique, sur les DASN. Nous avons utilisé comme modèle de sélection le Critère d'Information d'Akaike de second ordre. Nous avons trouvé des effets de lieu et guilde sur les DASN. Les DASN des anatidés hivernant dans le Néarctique (7.4 ± 6.7km, moyenne...

Indigenous people inhabit approximately 85% of areas designated for biodiversity conservation worldwide. They also continue to struggle for recognition and preservation of cultural identities, lifestyles, and livelihoods--a struggle contingent on control and protection of traditional lands and associated natural resources (hereafter, self-determination). Indigenous lands and the biodiversity they support are increasingly threatened because of human population growth and per capita consumption. Application of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to tribal lands in the United States provides a rich example of the articulation between biodiversity conservation and indigenous peoples' struggle for self-determination. We found a paradoxical relationship whereby tribal governments are simultaneously and contradictory sovereign nations; yet their communities depend on the U.S. government for protection through the federal-trust doctrine. The unique legal status of tribal lands, their importance for conserving federally protected species, and federal environmental regulations' failure to define applicability to tribal lands creates conflict between tribal sovereignty, self-determination, and constitutional authority. We reviewed Secretarial Order 3206, the U.S. policy on "American Indian tribal rights, federal-tribal trust responsibilities, and the ESA," and evaluated how it influences ESA implementation on tribal lands. We found improved biodiversity conservation and tribal self-determination requires revision of the fiduciary relationship between the federal government and the tribes to establish clear, legal definitions regarding land rights, applicability of environmental laws, and financial responsibilities. Such actions will allow provision of adequate funding and training to tribal leaders and resource managers, government agency personnel responsible for biodiversity conservation and land management, and environmental policy makers. Increased capacity, cooperation, and knowledge transfer among tribes and conservationists will improve biodiversity conservation and indigenous self-determination.

Obtaining reliable population estimates is imperative in managing wildlife populations, particularly when attempting to implement nuisance control measures. Free-roaming cats (Felis catus) impact wildlife worldwide through predation, competition and disease transmission. Ideally, measures of controlling free-roaming cat populations should be evaluated a priori, which requires obtaining population estimates for use in population control programs (e.g., euthanasia, trap/treat/neuter/release). We compared markresight and distance sampling abundance estimates of free-roaming cats in an urban landscape, where limited public access to habitat frequently hinders the use of probabilistic sampling designs and associated sampling methodologies. We marked a subset of free-roaming cats (n = 52) with radio-collars in Caldwell, Texas to aid in obtaining our estimates. From road surveys (n = 20) conducted in August 2005, we found mark-resight estimates (N = 744, 95% CI 518-1,135) were significantly different (p = 0.008) to distance sampling estimates (N = 296, 95% CI 262-333). Study results suggest that distance sampling provides wildlife managers a viable alternative for estimating freeroaming cat populations in urban areas where minimal cost and training influence policy decisions regarding the implementation of monitoring and population control measures.

Bird aircraft collisions (bird strikes) are a recognized safety hazard and land uses that attract birds hazardous to aircraft should be avoided on and near airports. Many airfields contain large areas of anthropogenic grassland habitats, often dominated by cool season grasses. Land managed as native warm season grasses (NWSG) potentially could increase bird strike hazards on and near airports by attracting hazardous birds and harboring small mammals that are prey for hazardous raptors. We investigated bird and small mammal communities at three NWSG areas and three adjacent on airfield grassland areas in western Ohio, U.S.A. to determine whether NWSG increased bird strike hazards. Species specific differences in bird abundance and density were evident between the two landcover types, presumably the result of differences in plant community characteristics. Seven species of birds were found exclusively in NWSG or airfield grasslands. Birds of species categorized as 'moderate' to 'extremely high' in regard to hazard (severity) level to aircraft accounted for only 6% and 2% of all birds observed in airfield grasslands and NWSG areas, respectively. Small mammal capture success was approximately three times higher in NWSG areas, although raptor abundance did not differ between the two landcover types. Our findings suggest that NWSG might be considered a viable land use adjacent to airfields; however, similar research at additional locations, including larger NWSG areas, should be conducted.