Fertility control of overabundant species; Can it work for feral rabbits?

Twigg, Laurie E.; Williams, CK

doi:10.1046/j.1461-0248.1999.00085.x

Cited by 37 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 7 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Compensatory population changes that may occur in response to fertility control are likely to be less pronounced than those following population reduction by lethal methods, depending on whether populations are regulated by density-dependent mortality or recruitment (Johnson and Tait 1983;Bomford 1990;Bomford and O'Brien 1997). For instance, in populations of mice and rabbits, a compensatory response in female productivity did not offset the effects of sterilisation when 60-80% of the females were made infertile (Chambers et al 1999;Twigg and Williams 1999;Twigg et al 2000) (Table 2).…”

Section: Fertility-control Impact On Wildlife Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fertility control to mitigate human–wildlife conflicts: a review

2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. As human populations grow, conflicts with wildlife increase. Concurrently, concerns about the welfare, safety and environmental impacts of conventional lethal methods of wildlife management restrict the options available for conflict mitigation. In parallel, there is increasing interest in using fertility control to manage wildlife. The present review aimed at analysing trends in research on fertility control for wildlife, illustrating developments in fertility-control technologies and delivery methods of fertility-control agents, summarising the conclusions of empirical and theoretical studies of fertility control applied at the population level and offering criteria to guide decisions regarding the suitability of fertility control to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. The review highlighted a growing interest in fertility control for wildlife, underpinned by increasing numbers of scientific studies. Most current practical applications of fertility control for wild mammals use injectable single-dose immunocontraceptive vaccines mainly aimed at sterilising females, although many of these vaccines are not yet commercially available. One oral avian contraceptive, nicarbazin, is commercially available in some countries. Potential new methods of remote contraceptive delivery include bacterial ghosts, virus-like particles and genetically modified transmissible and non-transmissible organisms, although none of these have yet progressed to field testing. In parallel, new species-specific delivery systems have been developed. The results of population-level studies of fertility control indicated that this approach may increase survival and affect social and spatial behaviour of treated animals, although the effects are species-and context-specific. The present studies suggested that a substantial initial effort is generally required to reduce population growth if fertility control is the sole wildlife management method. However, several empirical and field studies have demonstrated that fertility control, particularly of isolated populations, can be successfully used to limit population growth and reduce human-wildlife conflicts. In parallel, there is growing recognition of the possible synergy between fertility control and disease vaccination to optimise the maintenance of herd immunity in the management of wildlife diseases. The review provides a decision tree that can be used to determine whether fertility control should be employed to resolve specific human-wildlife conflicts. These criteria encompass public consultation, considerations about animal welfare and feasibility, evaluation of population responses, costs and sustainability.

show abstract

Section: Fertility-control Impact On Wildlife Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fertility control to mitigate human–wildlife conflicts: a review

2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, these actions allowed us to explore the implications of the combined effect in controlling of consecutive actions on the management of a so-called overabundant species. Many populations of overabundant species of birds and mammals are subject to extensive management programs designed to control their numbers (Mate et al 1998, Anderson and Devlin 1999, Twigg and Kent Williams 1999. These actions mainly aim to either reduce breeding success (Thomas 1972, Merrill et al 2006 or to eliminate adults by culling (Bosch et al 2000, Baker andHarris 2006).…”

Section: Implications For the Management Of Overabundant Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population control of an overabundant species achieved through consecutive anthropogenic perturbations

Payo‐Payo

Oró

Igual

et al. 2015

Ecological Applications

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. The control of overabundant vertebrates is often problematic. Much work has focused on population-level responses and overabundance due to anthropogenic subsidies. However, far less work has been directed at investigating responses following the removal of subsidies. We investigate the consequences of two consecutive perturbations, the closure of a landfill and an inadvertent poisoning event, on the trophic ecology (d 13 C, d 15 N, and d 34 S), survival, and population size of an overabundant generalist seabird species, the Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis). We expected that the landfill closure would cause a strong dietary shift and the inadvertent poisoning a decrease in gull population size. As a long-lived species, we also anticipated adult survival to be buffered against the decrease in food availability but not against the inadvertent poisoning event. Stable isotope analysis confirmed the dietary shift towards marine resources after the disappearance of the landfill. Although the survival model was inconclusive, it did suggest that the perturbations had a negative effect on survival, which was followed by a recovery back to average values. Food limitation likely triggered dispersal to other populations, while poisoning may have increased mortality; these two processes were likely responsible for the large fall in population size that occurred after the two consecutive perturbations. Life-history theory suggests that perturbations may encourage species to halt existing breeding investment in order to ensure future survival. However, under strong perturbation pulses the resilience threshold might be surpassed and changes in population density can arise. Consecutive perturbations may effectively manage overabundant species.

show abstract

“…Conflicting reports on the effect of density on demographic parameters (Trout and Smith, 1998;Twigg and Williams, 1999;Smith, 1997) led us to simplify the model to assume no density dependence. The assumption that density is relatively unimportant is supported by the steady decline in rabbit populations in southwestern Europe over the last decades (Rogers et al, 1994;Villafuerte et al, 1998).…”

Section: Model Testingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling hunting strategies for the conservation of wild rabbit populations

Angulo

Villafuerte

2004

Biological Conservation

105

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Recently, European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) populations have undergone a sharp decline that may be exacerbated by hunting. We investigate the effects of the timing of hunting on the conservation of wild rabbit using a model for rabbit population dynamics. Scenarios with different hunting rates and age strategies were simulated for different population qualities. We interviewed hunters to ascertain the degree to which they would accept a change in the timing of hunting. We also investigated the hunting pressure applied by hunters and its relationship with rabbit abundance. Modelling results indicate that the current hunting season has the greatest impact on rabbit abundance. Hunting in late spring optimises hunting extraction while conserving rabbit populations. When the rabbit population quality is low the effects of age strategies and the timing of hunting are less important than the effect of the hunting rate applied. Almost half the hunters would agree to policy changes. More than 75% of hunters implemented self-imposed hunting restrictions to improve rabbit populations, that were more frequently applied in high rabbit abundance areas. Therefore, changing the timing of hunting and increasing the participation of hunters in low abundance areas could optimise both the exploitation and the conservation of wild rabbit populations in southwestern Europe. .

show abstract

Fertility control of overabundant species; Can it work for feral rabbits?

Cited by 37 publications

References 7 publications

Fertility control to mitigate human–wildlife conflicts: a review

Fertility control to mitigate human–wildlife conflicts: a review

Population control of an overabundant species achieved through consecutive anthropogenic perturbations

Modelling hunting strategies for the conservation of wild rabbit populations

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About