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" Population Modeling of Prairie Dog Contraception as a Management Tool "
Yoder, Christi A.; Miller, Lowell A.; Fagerstone, Kathleen A.
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AL
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| Record Number
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943603
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LA504370fc
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| Language of Document
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English
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| Main Entry
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Yoder, Christi A.; Miller, Lowell A.; Fagerstone, Kathleen A.
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| Title & Author
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Population Modeling of Prairie Dog Contraception as a Management Tool [Article]\ Yoder, Christi A.; Miller, Lowell A.; Fagerstone, Kathleen A.
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| Title of Periodical
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Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference
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23
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| Date
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2008
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| Abstract
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Recently, wildlife contraception became a reality with the registration of OvoControl for geese and pigeons. A data submission to the Environmental Protection Agency for the registration of GonaCon™ for white-tailed deer is forthcoming. The question that is now facing wildlife managers is if, and how, to implement contraception as part of an overall management plan. Population models offer a method of predicting the long-term efficacy of management actions without investing time and money in expensive field studies. Black-tailed prairie dogs were used as a target species for the purposes of these models. Four different management options were modeled for a 100-year period including no control, lethal control only, fertility control only, or a combination of lethal and fertility control. Yearly culling resulted in a more rapid rate of population decline than yearly contraception. Culled populations (50-90% culling) went extinct more quickly than populations contracepted at the same rate. Populations could be stabilized at their current size with 12.79% yearly culling or 33.25 % yearly contraception. Populations also remained relatively stable over 100 years when 50% of the population was culled initially, followed by 85.8% contraception once every 3 years. These models will help provide a scientific basis for further discussion on the usefulness of wildlife contraceptives, and will help highlight the areas that need further research.
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