EFFECTS OF A VISUAL BARRIER FENCE ON THE BEHAVIOR AND MOVEMENTS OF BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOGS

Prairie dogs prefer an open view of their surroundings and may abandon an area with visual obstructions. We examined the effects of a visual barrier fence, which had a see-through visibility of 60%, on the foraging, vigilance, and aggressive behaviors of adult female black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in central Nebraska. We expected animals near a visual barrier to spend more time in vigilance and less time foraging. Adult female prairie dogs exposed to a visual barrier spent a greater amount of time foraging and less time in a headbob position than those not exposed to a fence (P = 0.087, P = 0.015). We also examined changes in prairie dog home ranges and use of an area in response to these visual barrier fences, expecting that prairie dogs would move away from fences over a 54-day period. If they invaded other territories, we expected to see more aggression on colonies with a fence. The size, shape, and location of home ranges and core activity areas of adult females did not change over time as a result of the presence of a visual barrier fence. We observed only 1 act of aggression during the study period. This apparent lack of aggression is likely due to the fidelity of study animals to established home ranges. The number of prairie dogs using areas at various distances from a visual barrier fence also did not change over this time (P \u3e 0.90). These results indicate that the visual barrier fence tested did not cause prairie dogs to be more vigilant and aggressive, nor did it affect their pre-established spatial use within the colony

EFFECTS OF CHRONOLOGICAL DEER DAMAGE ON CORN YIELDS

To examine the relationship between the timing of deer (Odocoileus virginianus) damage and subsequent yields of field corn, we conducted 2 studies in 2 cornfields in eastern Nebraska during 1989 and 1991

First Evidence of Plague (\u3ci\u3eYersinia Pestis\u3c/i\u3e) in Nebraska is Found in Panhandle Predators

In September, 1992, plague (Yersinia pestis) antibody was found in the blood of a coyote (Canis latrans) (1:128 titer) and a badger (Taxidea taxus) (1:2048 titer) taken near a suspect black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) town in Sioux County. However, a 1989-1991 survey of 96 coyotes taken from nine Nebraska Panhandle counties demonstrated no plague antibodies. Passive hemagglutination tests of Nobuto blood-sampling paper proved useful to quickly survey a predator population that is distributed across a broad geographic area

Distribution and Prevalence of \u3ci\u3eEchinococcus multilocularis\u3c/i\u3e in Wild Predators in Nebraska, Kansas, and Wyoming

To further determine the distribution and prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis in the central United States, 245 wild canids (125 red foxes, 120 coyotes) and 33 bobcats were collected from Nebraska, Kansas, and Wyoming and examined for this parasite. Animals examined included 11 red foxes from the western panhandle of Nebraska; 5 red foxes and 30 coyotes from southern Nebraska; 56 red foxes and 1 coyote from northeastern Nebraska; 20 red foxes, 63 coyotes, and 13 bobcats from northern Kansas; 2 red foxes, 26 coyotes, and 20 bobcats from southern Kansas; and 31 red foxes from eastcentral Wyoming. Of these, 27 of 72 (37.5%) red foxes from Nebraska were positive, including 2 of 11 (18.2%) from the western panhandle and 25 of 56 (44.6%) from the northeastern part of the state. Mean intensity of infection was 282 worms (range, 1–5,150). New distribution records were established for E. multilocularis in western Nebraska as well as for several northeastern counties. These findings support previous estimates that the southernmost front of the parasite’s range extends along the southern border of Wyoming, eastward through central Nebraska and central Illinois into Indiana and Ohio

Wilderness Serendipity: Planning and Assessing Learning during an Experiential Field Course

Experiential learning opportunities promote skill in problem-solving and critical thinking, but they require unique assessment methods because traditional approaches are difficult to implement in the field. We have conducted a study tour course involving a canoe trip in a wilderness area in northern Minnesota since 2004. Here, we describe how we developed our course\u27s learning experiences, ensured the learning experiences materialized, and assessed the student learning objectives. Proper planning can result in valuable, spontaneous learning experiences. We used a student journal, field-based quiz, and participation grade to effectively assess the breadth of student learning that was inherent in our course. Students indicated that they felt the three forms of assessment were effective and fair

The new internet center for wildlife damage management

Since 1996, the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management (ICWDM) has provided a clearinghouse for research-based information on mitigating wildlife damage. In July 2006, the ICWDM underwent a major revision to better serve the needs of its visitors. The site received a new URL, http://icwdm.org, layout, architecture, and content. Plans for further site enhancements include creating an image library, expanding content to include non-North American species, and encouraging interested parties to join us in eXtension

Influence of underground mining with explosives on a hibernating bat population

Abstract Bats arouse from hibernation both naturally and in response to disturbances. Frequent bat arousals can decrease survival due to increased energetic costs. An active sand mine in west‐central Wisconsin hosted over 52,000 hibernating bats of 4 species in inactive tunnels, and regularly blasted with explosives to remove sand. We collected environmental and acoustic data at this mine during two hibernation seasons (November 1 through February 28 in 2013–2014 and 2014–2015) to examine the effect of blasting on echolocation calls (bat activity), a measure of bat arousal from hibernation. We used total bat activity recorded 7 h before and 7 h after blast time as the response variable, assigned it to a binary category and used that as a fixed effect. We used explosive charge per delay (kg), number of blasts per day, number of consecutive blast days, barometric pressure, temperature, and hibernation season as fixed effects. We used generalized linear mixed models with a negative binomial distribution and Bayesian information criterion (BIC) for model selection. The BIC‐optimal model did not include any of the variables associated with blasting, but included activity timing, temperature, barometric pressure, and season as fixed effects, of which all were significant. Blasting did not influence bat activity significantly in this mine