Site Maintanence

Update: August 19th, 2008 8:15pm Eastern Time

We have just updated the software for ActiveFarming.org. We are in the process of making additional updates and changes as well as fixing any pages that 'broke' in the update. -Admin Team

Capturing Wildlife Safely, Effectively

A portable humane wildlife device
ARS scientists have invented a more human portabledevice to restrain deer and other wildlife in order to be able to do fieldresearch such as studying how to control deer ticks and other parasites. Photo courtesy of Mat Pound, USDA-ARS


White-tail deer. Click the image for moreinformation about it.


For further reading

  • Continuing the fightagainst cattle ticks
     
  • Partnership supportstroops with new insect control measures
     
  • U.S. scientists helpScottish counterparts quash ticks

ARS-Developed Apparatus Captures Deer Safely,Effectively and with Minimal Trauma

By AlfredoFlores
July 25, 2008

A portable device that allowsresearchers to humanely trap deer and other wildlife as part of field studiesto control ticks and other parasites has been developed by anAgricultural Research Service (ARS)scientist.

The apparatus, developed by ARS entomologistMatPound in Kerrville, Texas, effectively restrains wildlife with minimaltrauma to the animal. It will permit wildlife biologists and other researchersto quickly capture and handle deer, other wild exotic animals and smalllivestock such as sheep and goats with minimal stress to the animal.

Pound works at the ARS Tick Research Unit, part of the agency'sKnipling-BushlandU.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville.

Many diseases are transmitted from animals to humans by ectoparasites suchas ticks. Deer and other wildlife can harbor large populations of theseectoparasites. Yet monitoring and treating significant numbers ofanimals—especially wildlife that are not easily captured—to controlthese ectoparasites remains difficult.

The new device would greatly assist in ectoparasite control efforts. Itincludes an open front that allows an animal to enter, while the rear endincludes a door that opens and closes, effectively containing the animalwithout injuring it. The animal is immobilized when it enters, and the deviceis designed to gently lift the animal by its trunk so that its legs aresuspended off the ground.

While this device is not yet ready for commercial farmers, it is currentlybeing used by personnel with theCattle Fever TickEradication Program, operated by USDA'sAnimal and Plant Health InspectionService, to reestablish and maintain eradication of cattle fever ticks andthe potentially fatal Texas cattle fever, also known as bovine babesiosis, fromU.S. cattle herds.

The device was constructed at the Kerrville lab, with the assistance ofstudents from the Boerne (Texas) High School welding class.

ARS is a scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

( categories: )