Management of white-tailed deer in Chicago, Illinois forest preserves

Dwayne, R. Etter; Timothy, Roberta; Daniel, RM; Scott, Natasha; Richard, Emmanuelle

doi:10.5070/v419110290

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…In many regions of the USA, white-tailed deer populations are locally overabundant (Daigle and Crête 1999). Problems associated with overabundant deer include frequent collisions between deer and motor vehicles (Conover 1997;Etter et al 2000), damage to native and ornamental vegetation (Waller and Alverson 1997;Rooney and Waller 2003), effects on forest community composition (Côté et al 2004) and reduction of avian biomass and diversity (DeCalesta 1994;McShea and Rappole 2000). Although sport hunting remains the most effective means of controlling deer, overabundant deer now inhabit many settings, particularly urban or suburban areas, where hunting is prohibited.…”

Section: Development and Registration Of Gonaconmentioning

confidence: 99%

Registration of wildlife contraceptives in the United States of America, with OvoControl and GonaCon immunocontraceptive vaccines as examples

et al. 2008

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Overabundant wildlife populations have the potential to adversely affect wildlife habitats or pose risks to human health and safety through disease transmission and collisions with vehicles and aircraft. Traditional methods for reducing overabundant wildlife, such as hunting and trapping, are often restricted or infeasible in urban and suburban areas. Additional management options are needed. For the past 15 years, scientists with the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Wildlife Services’ National Wildlife Research Center have been developing and testing contraceptive agents. This research has resulted in the development of several reproductive inhibitors and has forced regulatory bodies to determine where the regulatory authority for wildlife contraceptives will reside. The regulatory authority for contraceptives for wildlife and feral animals has recently been moved from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The first contraceptive registered by the EPA since this move was OvoControl-G for reducing the hatchability of Canada goose eggs. OvoControl was registered in 2005 by Innolytics, LLC working in cooperation with the National Wildlife Research Center. A similar product, OvoControl-P, was registered in 2007 as a contraceptive technique for pigeons. Another product developed by the National Wildlife Research Center, GonaCon immunocontraceptive vaccine, is in the registration process for managing white-tailed deer populations. This manuscript will describe the products that have been and are currently undergoing registration as contraceptives in the United States of America, and the data required for those products.

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Section: Development and Registration Of Gonaconmentioning

confidence: 99%

Registration of wildlife contraceptives in the United States of America, with OvoControl and GonaCon immunocontraceptive vaccines as examples

et al. 2008

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“…In many regions of the United States, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations are locally overabundant (Daigle and Crête 1999). Major problems associated with overabundant deer are the increased frequency of collisions between deer and motor vehicles, and the human fatalities, injuries and property damage associated with such collisions (Etter et al 2000). Other problems include extensive damage to native and ornamental vegetation (Rooney and Waller 2003) and adverse effects on forest community composition (Côté et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field test of a single-injection gonadotrophin-releasing hormone immunocontraceptive vaccine in female white-tailed deer

et al. 2009

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The development and use of safe, effective and practical wildlife contraceptive agents could reduce reproduction in locally overabundant deer populations in situations where traditional management tools such as regulated hunting cannot be employed. GonaCon Immunocontraceptive Vaccine (the commercial name for a particular gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-based emulsion) was tested in adult female white-tailed deer in a fenced herd near Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. Observations of udder condition were used to identify does that had become pregnant. Necropsy observations, histopathology and serum concentrations of anti-GnRH antibodies, luteinising hormone and progesterone were used to compare health and reproductive status of treated (n = 28) and control (n = 15) deer. After receiving one injection of GonaCon, 88% of treated deer did not become pregnant during the first year and 47% did not become pregnant during the second year after vaccination. No adverse health effects related to vaccination with GonaCon were detected, except for localised injection-site reactions in five (29%) of 17 examined, vaccinated deer. Treatment with GonaCon can be a safe and effective means of inducing temporary infertility in wild white-tailed deer. Ultimately, the management value of GonaCon will be determined by natural-resource professionals who use it as one of many tools to manage deer populations.

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“…Today, white-tailed deer numbers are estimated at about 25 to 30 million animals (Demarais et al 2000). In some parts of the United States, deer are locally overabundant, and they cause damage to vegetation Alverson 1997, Rooney andWaller 2003) and increased numbers of deervehicle collisions (Blouch 1984, Etter et al 2000. Mike Conover, of the Berryman Institute at Utah State University, has estimated that deer cause at least $750 million in damage to the timber industry each year (Conover 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field Test of GonaCon™ Immunocontraceptive Vaccine in Free-Ranging Female White-Tailed Deer

Gionfriddo¹,

Eisemann²,

Sullivan³

et al. 2006

vertebrate_pest_conference

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Locally overabundant deer herds, particularly those inhabiting fenced or other enclosed areas in urban or suburban settings, are presenting serious problems for wildlife managers, landowners, and the general public. Traditional methods of population control, such as regulated harvest by licensed hunters, often are impractical or illegal in such settings. The development of safe and effective wildlife contraceptives is needed to control locally overabundant populations in situations where traditional management tools cannot be employed. During July 2004, we initiated a field study of GonaCon ™ Immunocontraceptive Vaccine, developed by research scientists at the National Wildlife Research Center in Fort Collins, Colorado. This vaccine had previously been tested successfully as a contraceptive in captive animals including white-tailed deer, feral and domestic swine, and wild horses. The two-year field study was prompted by the need to manage an enclosed, overabundant population of white-tailed deer that had caused considerable ecological damage to a 662-acre, federally-owned, forested site in Silver Spring, Maryland. The U.S. General Services Administration, which manages the property, conducted an environmental assessment, which concluded that sharpshooting followed by immunocontraception would be the most appropriate deer management strategy. After 214 deer were removed from the site by sharpshooters, we set up and tested an automated radio telemetry system for tracking deer and monitoring their mortality. Twenty-eight does were then captured, equipped with ear tags and radio telemetry collars, and injected with GonaCon ™ vaccine. Fifteen additional does were captured, marked, and released without vaccination as untreated control animals. Reproductive behavior and fawn production by the vaccinated and unvaccinated does will be monitored and compared for two years, and will be used to determine the efficacy of GonaCon ™ as a wildlife contraceptive agent. Data from this study will be used to support EPA registration of GonaCon ™ as a wildlife contraceptive agent.

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Management of white-tailed deer in Chicago, Illinois forest preserves

Cited by 10 publications

References 8 publications

Registration of wildlife contraceptives in the United States of America, with OvoControl and GonaCon immunocontraceptive vaccines as examples

Registration of wildlife contraceptives in the United States of America, with OvoControl and GonaCon immunocontraceptive vaccines as examples

Field test of a single-injection gonadotrophin-releasing hormone immunocontraceptive vaccine in female white-tailed deer

Field Test of GonaCon™ Immunocontraceptive Vaccine in Free-Ranging Female White-Tailed Deer

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