Translocation of problematic individual animals is commonly used to reduce human-wildlife conflicts, especially to reduce the presence or abundance of raptors within airport environments, where they pose a risk to safe aircraft operations. Although this method has strong public support, there have been no scientific evaluations of its efficacy or to determine which factors might influence the return of translocated birds to the airport. We conducted a study to determine which biological and logistical factors might influence the return of red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) translocated from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) during 2010-2013. We live-captured and translocated red-tailed hawks various distances from the ORD airfield and monitored for returning birds. We found the odds of hawk return increased by 2.36 (95% CI ¼ 0.99-5.70) times for older birds (>1 yr of age) relative to younger birds ( 1 yr of age). Odds of hawk return went up 4.10 (95% CI ¼ 0.75-22.2) times when translocations were conducted during the breeding season relative to the non-breeding season. The odds of hawk return increased 11.94 (95% CI ¼ 3.29-43.38) times for each subsequent translocation event involving the same hawk. The cost of 1 translocation event to the release sites that were 81, 121, 181, and 204 km from ORD was $213, $284, $362, and $426, respectively. Management programs that use release sites 80 km from the airport minimize translocation events to include only younger birds during the non-breeding season, and undertake only 1 translocation event for an individual hawk would increase program efficacy and greatly reduce program implementation costs. The decision matrix regarding the use of a raptor trapping and translocation program involves a variety of biological, logistical, economic, and sociopolitical variables. This study represents an important first step in providing a scientific foundation for informing such management decisions. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Broad-scale data show SARS-CoV-2 occurrence in white-tailed deer throughout much of their range in the conterminous United States and reinforce findings of substantial SARS-CoV-2 infection and exposure. Results shed light on both current infections and prior exposure, with prevalence decreasing over time and seroprevalence increasing.

Avian radar technologies have the potential to serve an important role in the quantification of bird movements and determining patterns of bird use in areas where human–wildlife conflicts might occur (e.g., airports, wind‐energy facilities). However, capabilities and limitations of these technologies are relatively unknown and ground‐truthing studies are needed to help wildlife managers understand the biological meaning of radar information. We evaluated the efficacy of 3 X‐band marine radar sensors for tracking birds and flocks of birds observed on the airfield at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, USA, during March 2011–November 2012. We used specific information regarding field observations of birds or flocks to determine how frequently the 3 radar sensors provided corresponding tracks of these avian targets. In addition, we examined various factors to determine if they had any influence on the frequency of correspondence between visual observations and radar tracks. Of the 972 sightings of individual birds (49%) or flocks of birds (51%) by observers on the airfield that had the potential to be observed by the radar, 143 (15%) were tracked by ≥1 radar sensor. All confirmed tracks of individual birds or flocks were ≤4.8 km from these radars. Among the 3 radar sensors, larger bodied bird species, bird/flocks flying at higher altitudes, and bird/flocks closer to the radars increased the ability of those units to track avian targets. This study provides new information regarding the performance of radar systems for tracking birds on the airfield of one of the largest and busiest airports in the world. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Avian radar technologies have the potential to serve an important role in the quantification of bird movements and determining patterns of bird use in areas where human–wildlife conflicts might occur (e.g., airports, wind energy facilities). Ground-truthing studies are needed to help wildlife managers understand the biological meaning of radar information, as the capabilities and limitations of these technologies are relatively unknown. We conducted a study to evaluate the efficacy of three X-band marine radar sensors for tracking red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) on or near the airfield at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport from September 2010 to May 2014. Specific information regarding red-tailed hawk locations derived from satellite telemetry was used to determine how frequently the three radar sensors provided corresponding tracks of these avian targets (i.e., synchronized monitoring). We examined various factors (e.g., bird altitude and distance to the radar) to determine if they had any influence on the frequency of synchronicity between satellite telemetry locations and radar tracks. We found evidence that as the distance between a hawk and the radars increased, the radars’ ability to detect and track known avian targets decreased. Overall, the frequency of synchronization events for red-tailed hawks was low. Of the 1977 red-tailed hawk locations that should have been visible to the radar sensors, 51 of these bird movements were tracked by at least one of the radar sensors (2.6%). This study provides a new methodology for evaluating the performance of radar systems for tracking birds and determining what factors might influence overall performance.

, "Locating and eliminating feral swine from a large area of fragmented mixed forest and agriculture habitats in north-central USA" (2019).

the human-mediated spread of exotic and invasive species often leads to unintentional and harmful consequences. invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are one such species that have been repeatedly translocated throughout the United States and cause extensive damage to natural ecosystems, threatened and endangered species, agricultural resources, and private lands. In 2005, a newly established population of wild pigs was confirmed in Fulton County, Illinois, U.S. In 2011, a statewide wild pig damage management program involving federal, state, and local government authorities directed a concerted effort to remove wild pigs from the county until the last wild pig (of 376 total) was successfully removed in 2016. We examined surveillance data from camera traps at bait sites and records of wild pig removals during this elimination program to identify environmental and anthropogenic factors that optimized removal of this population. our results revealed that wild pigs used bait sites most during evening and nocturnal periods and on days with lower daily maximum temperatures. increased removals of wild pigs coincided with periods of cold weather. We also identified that fidelity and time spent at bait sites by wild pigs was not influenced by increasing removals of wild pigs. Finally, the costs to remove wild pigs averaged $50 per wild pig (6.8 effort hours per wild pig) for removing the first 99% of the animals. Cost for removing the last 1% increased 84-fold, and averaged 122.8 effort hours per wild pig removed. Our results demonstrated that increased effort in removing wild pigs using bait sites should be focused during periods of environmental stress to maximize removal efficiency. These results inform elimination programs attempting to remove newly established populations of wild pigs, and ultimately prevent population and geographic expansion. There has been a dramatic surge in invasive wild pig (Sus scrofa) populations, geographic range, and ecological and economic impact in the United States over the last three decades 1-4. Wild pigs cause millions of dollars in damage annually 5-7 , negatively affecting native habitats, endangered species, agricultural crop and livestock production, and transmitting diseases 1,8,9. To counter these negative impacts, state (e.g.,

A burgeoning ring-billed gull population along Chicago's Lake Michigan beaches contributes to degraded water quality through fecal contamination. Egg oiling was conducted at Chicago's gull colonies to reduce production and the influx of hatch-year (HY) gulls using Chicago's beaches, with a second, long-term objective of eventually reducing adult gull numbers through attrition. We also investigated swim season water quality trends through the course of this work. From 2007 to 2009, 52, 80, and 81%, of nests at the two primary nest colonies had their eggs rendered inviable by corn oil application. Counts of HY and after hatch-year (AHY) gulls were analyzed during treatment years for 10 beaches. Water quality data were available from the Chicago Park District during our three treatment years and the prior year (baseline) for 19 beaches. HY counts declined at all 10 surveyed beaches from the initial year (52% nests with oiled eggs) to subsequent years with ~80% of nests oiled. Overall, HY gulls numbers on beaches decreased 86% from 2007 to 2009. Decreases in beach usage by AHY gulls were not detected. Compared to pretreatment, the number of beaches with improved water quality test rates increased each year through the course of the study. The frequency of water quality tests showing bacterial exceedances compared to 2006 declined at 18 of 19 beaches by 2009. Egg oiling resulted in fewer HY gulls using Chicago's beaches and was likely a beneficial factor for reduced frequencies of swim advisories and swim bans.

A standardized procedure for e\timating dcer damagc in cabbage is uscd to settle claims for compensation of losscs in tlie state of Wisconsin. By completely enumerating all datiiagcd heads of cabbage in a field. we validated the standard procedure for accuracy. The general paradigm used for assessing losses requires a subjective examination of the ticld to define strata with and without datnage. obtaining representative sa~nples o f ~lndamagcd heads in each stl-ata \\it11 3 quadrats. then converting the difference in density of undamagcd hcads between strata into an cstitnatc of damage for the entire tield. Weighing a sa~nple of undamaged hcads allo\\s cstitiiation of the total weight lost to deer datnage and tlic calculatio~i of a cost valuc. Wc also applied a form of variable arca transect (VAT) sampling without stratification of the field to test whether this less labor-intensive satnpling method could produce adequate loss cstitiiates. The field had 1265 con~mercial-quality cabbage heads damaged by dcer. Tlic standard assessment procedure cstitnated 1330 datnaged heads. whereas VAT sanlpling cstirnated at most 346 damaged l~cads. We concluded that the standard procedure was qilitc accurate, and u,e suggested tnodilications to tlic VAT sampling t1i;lt might lead to greater uccui.acy in futnrc trials. C