Effects of a Bird Hazard Reduction Force on Reducing Bird/Aircraft Strike Hazards at the Atlantic City International Airport, NJ.

Bird-aircraft strikes at the Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) increased from 18 in 1989 to 37 in 1990. The number of bird-aircraft strikes involving gulls (Larus spp.) during this time rose from 6 to 27, a 350% increase. The predominant species involved in bird strikes was the laughing gull (L. atricilla). Pursuant to an interagency agreement between the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/ Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)/ Animal Damage Control (ADC), ADC established a Emergency/Experimental Bird Hazard Reduction Force (BHRF) at ACY in 1991. An Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the 1991 Emergency/Experimental BHRF was executed and signed by the FAA on 19 May 1991. The BHRF was adopted at this time by the FAA Technical Center as an annual program to reduce bird strikes at ACY. The BHRF goals are to minimize or eliminate the incidence of bird-aircraft strikes and runway closures due to increased bird activities. A BHRF team consisting of ADC personnel patrolled ACY for 95 days from 26 May until 28 August 1992, for a total of 2,949 person-hours. The BHRF used a combination of pyrotechnics, amplified gull distress tapes and live ammunition to harass gulls away from the airport from dawn to dusk. Gull-aircraft strikes were reduced during BHRF operations in 1992 by 86% compared to gull strikes during summer months of 1990 when there was not a BHRF team. Runway closures due to bird activity decreased 100% compared to 1990 and 1991 closures. The BHRF should continue at ACY as long as birds are a threat to human safety and aircraft operations

Accelerated evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in free-ranging white-tailed deer

The zoonotic origin of the COVID-19 pandemic virus highlights the need to fill the vast gaps in our knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 ecology and evolution in non-human hosts. Here, we detected that SARS-CoV-2 was introduced from humans into white-tailed deer more than 30 times in Ohio, USA during November 2021-March 2022. Subsequently, deer-to-deer transmission persisted for 2–8 months, disseminating across hundreds of kilometers. Newly developed Bayesian phylogenetic methods quantified how SARS-CoV-2 evolution is not only three-times faster in white-tailed deer compared to the rate observed in humans but also driven by different mutational biases and selection pressures. The long-term effect of this accelerated evolutionary rate remains to be seen as no critical phenotypic changes were observed in our animal models using white-tailed deer origin viruses. Still, SARS-CoV-2 has transmitted in white-tailed deer populations for a relatively short duration, and the risk of future changes may have serious consequences for humans and livestock

DEER ON AIRPORTS: AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN

The authors analyzed data on civil aircraft strikes with wild ungulates (deer [Odocoileus spp.], elk [Cervus canadensis] and moose [Alces alces]) in the U.S. from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Wildlife Strike Database and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Aviation Accident Database for 1983 to 1997. Prior to 1991, the FAA Form 5200-7 for reporting strikes was designated solely for bird strike data, thus, strike reports for non-avian species prior to 1991 are underrepresented. A total of 343 ungulate strikes was reported, 48 from 1983 to 1990 and 295 from 1991 to 1997. Forty-four states reported ungulate strikes with 77% of the reports from states east of the Mississippi River. November had more (P \u3c 0.01) strikes (23 %) than any other month. The strike rate (number/hr) was four to nine times greater (P \u3c 0.01) at dusk than at night or dawn. Almost two-thirds of strikes (P \u3c 0.01) occurred during landing, making landing at dusk in November the most likely time for deer strikes. About 79% of strikes had an effect on flight. Aircraft were damaged in 83% of strikes. Only 14% of reports indicating damage provided estimates of cost of repairs. The mean cost for these reports was $74,537. Reported human injuries have been few, but the potential exists for a major disaster. Aircraft with capacity of 101 to 380 passengers were involved in 45 (14%) of the reported strikes. Airports should adopt a zero tolerance for deer within the operations area. Deer removal by professional shooters, in conjunction with permanent exclusion with 3 m high fencing, is the preferred management action

Eradication of a Bovine Tuberculosis-Positive Captive Cervid Herd in Northeast Michigan

In December 1997, bovine tuberculosis was detected in a white-tailed deer taken at a commercial deer hunting ranch in Presque Isle County, Michigan. Since captive cervidae are considered agricultural livestock in Michigan, the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) ordered the depopulation of the herd. In 1998, USDA, Wildlife Services (WS) entered into a cooperative agreement with MDA to depopulate the herd from the ranch. The facility covered approximately 1500 ac of natural vegetation, including 400 ac of dense cedar swamp. The captive herd was thought to contain approximately 600 animals, most of which were white-tailed deer. This project presented two significant challenges: 1) removing no less than 100% of the deer and, 2) providing verification to MDA that 100% depopulation had been achieved. The depopulation effort began in February 1998 and was completed in March 1999 with the removal of 325 cervids. The successful depopulation strategy which included various shooting techniques, fencing, dogs and helicopters is described as well as the verification efforts