Frequent Cross-Species Transmission of Parvoviruses Among Diverse Carnivore Hosts

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Frequent Cross-Species Transmission of Parvoviruses Among Diverse Carnivore Hosts University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln U.S. Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Publications from USDA-ARS / UNL Faculty Research Service, Lincoln, Nebraska 2-2013 Frequent Cross-Species Transmission of Parvoviruses among Diverse Carnivore Hosts Andrew B. Allison Cornell University Dennis J. Kohler USDA-APHIS-WS, [email protected] Karen A. Fox Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife Justin D. Brown University of Georgia, [email protected] Richard W. Gerhold University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, [email protected] See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usdaarsfacpub Allison, Andrew B.; Kohler, Dennis J.; Fox, Karen A.; Brown, Justin D.; Gerhold, Richard W.; Shearn-Bochsler, Valerie I.; Dubovi, Edward J.; Parrish, Colin R.; and Holmes, Edward C., "Frequent Cross-Species Transmission of Parvoviruses among Diverse Carnivore Hosts" (2013). Publications from USDA-ARS / UNL Faculty. 1260. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usdaarsfacpub/1260 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the U.S. Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service, Lincoln, Nebraska at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Publications from USDA-ARS / UNL Faculty by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Authors Andrew B. Allison, Dennis J. Kohler, Karen A. Fox, Justin D. Brown, Richard W. Gerhold, Valerie I. Shearn- Bochsler, Edward J. Dubovi, Colin R. Parrish, and Edward C. Holmes This article is available at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ usdaarsfacpub/1260 Frequent Cross-Species Transmission of Parvoviruses among Diverse Carnivore Hosts Andrew B. Allison,a Dennis J. Kohler,b Karen A. Fox,c Justin D. Brown,d Richard W. Gerhold,e Valerie I. Shearn-Bochsler,f Edward J. Dubovi,g Colin R. Parrish,a Edward C. Holmesh,i* Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USAa; USDA-APHIS- WS/National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USAb; Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife, Wildlife Health Program, Fort Collins, Colorado, USAc; Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USAd; Center for Wildlife Health, Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, Tennessee, USAe; United States Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin, USAf; Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USAg; Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USAh; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USAi Although parvoviruses are commonly described in domestic carnivores, little is known about their biodiversity in nondomestic species. A phylogenetic analysis of VP2 gene sequences from puma, coyote, gray wolf, bobcat, raccoon, and striped skunk re- vealed two major groups related to either feline panleukopenia virus (“FPV-like”) or canine parvovirus (“CPV-like”). Cross- species transmission was commonplace, with multiple introductions into each host species but, with the exception of raccoons, relatively little evidence for onward transmission in nondomestic species. etermining how viruses infect and spread in new host species resulting in loss of the canine host range and altering neutralizing Dis central to the study of disease emergence (1, 2). The spread antibody epitopes (17, 18). of canine parvovirus (CPV) in dogs during the late 1970s is one of To further clarify virus-host relationships, we characterized the best documented examples of viral emergence leading to a parvoviruses that circulate in several species of wild carnivore in pandemic in a new host (3). It has been widely assumed that the the United States, determining those which represent viable hosts new canine virus (initially known as CPV-2) emerged in dogs for parvoviruses by sustaining prolonged viral transmission and following the cross-species transfer of feline panleukopenia virus those in which parvovirus infections are apparently transient spill- (FPV) from cats or a related carnivore host (2, 4, 5). Comparing overs. Accordingly, we sampled 58 novel parvoviruses from either isolates of FPV and CPV has provided important insights into the free-ranging (gray wolf, coyote, bobcat, puma, striped skunk, and viral mutations controlling host range and how different interac- raccoon) or wild species that were brought into captive outdoor tions with the host transferrin receptor type-1 (TfR) enabled both facilities for rehabilitation (raccoon) or containment (gray adaptation to dogs and the later evolution of the CPV-2a, CPV-2b, [Mexican] wolf) purposes (Table 1). All new FPV and CPV se- and CPV-2c variants that exhibit characteristic differences in an- quences were obtained from carnivores that either were showing tigenic sites and in cell tropism (3, 6, 7). typical clinical signs of parvovirus infection (e.g., hemorrhagic A variety of host species other than domestic cats and dogs enteritis) or were asymptomatic, suggestive of either an active but harbor closely related parvoviruses, and it has become increas- subclinical infection or recovery from a previous infection in ingly apparent that nondomestic animals are commonly infected, which persistent DNA could be detected in tissues. The detection even though little disease is observed in many cases (8–12). How- of viral DNA in animals without active infection is likely due to ever, those parvoviruses previously detected in a variety of other residual DNA in tissues after virus was inactivated by the host species, including many different large cats, raccoons, raccoon immune response and parallels the results reported for lifelong dogs, arctic foxes, and mink, often represent opportunistic sam- residual DNA of human parvoviruses (19), as well as recent re- ples obtained from animals in artificial settings such as zoos or fur ports of persistent DNA in cats (20). In most cases, tissue samples (gastrointestinal tract, mesenteric lymph node, spleen, tongue, or farms (13–15), with the majority of these viruses falling into a 3 single FPV-like clade distinct from CPV in dogs (4, 16). More feces) approximately 0.5 mm in size were placed in 1.5-ml micro- centrifuge tubes and stored at Ϫ20°C until further processing. recently, raccoons from a variety of locations in the United States DNA was extracted from tissues using a commercial kit (Qiagen, have been shown to commonly harbor parvoviruses, which they have likely been associated with for at least 20 years (17). Notably, most raccoon parvovirus sequences, as well as a single isolate from Received 5 September 2012 Accepted 28 November 2012 a bobcat, fell in intermediate locations between the dog-associated Published ahead of print 5 December 2012 CPV-2 and CPV-2a strains in a phylogenetic tree of the VP2 pro- Address correspondence to Edward C. Holmes, [email protected]. tein (17). Hence, raccoon parvoviruses may have played a central * Present address: Sydney Emerging Infections and Biosecurity Institute, School of role in the transition between CPV-2 and the later CPV-2a, -2b, Biological Sciences and Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, and -2c variants that not only infected dogs but regained the abil- NSW, Australia. ity to infect cats (a property lost in CPV-2). Indeed, the CPV-like Copyright © 2013, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved. viruses from raccoons possess multiple amino acid changes on the doi:10.1128/JVI.02428-12 surface of their capsids that affect binding to the host-specific TfR, 2342 jvi.asm.org Journal of Virology p. 2342–2347 February 2013 Volume 87 Number 4 Phylogenetic Diversity of Carnivore Parvoviruses TABLE 1 Carnivore parvoviruses sequenced and analyzed in this study GenBank Isolate Virus Host County State Yr accession no. CPV-2b/Gray wolf/AZ/16382-01/99 CPV-like Canis lupus baileyi Greenlee Arizona 1999 JX475240 CPV-2b/Gray wolf/NM/16401-01/99 CPV-like Canis lupus baileyi Socorro New Mexico 1999 JX475241 CPV-2b/Gray wolf/WI/18268/02 CPV-like Canis lupus nubilus Langlade Wisconsin 2002 JX475242 CPV-2c/Gray wolf/ID/22772/09 CPV-like Canis lupus occidentalis Camas Idaho 2009 JX475243 CPV-2b/Puma/CO/2235/09 CPV-like Puma concolor Douglas Colorado 2009 JX475251 FPV/Puma/CO/952/10 FPV-like Puma concolor Yuma Colorado 2010 JX475245 CPV/Puma/CO/2503/10 CPV-like Puma concolor Larimer Colorado 2010 JX475246 CPV-2b/Puma/CO/1246/10 CPV-like Puma concolor Jefferson Colorado 2010 JX475247 CPV-2b/Puma/CO/898/10 CPV-like Puma concolor Larimer Colorado 2010 JX475249 CPV-2b/Puma/CO/728/10 CPV-like Puma concolor Larimer Colorado 2010 JX475250 CPV-2c/Puma/CO/1316/10 CPV-like Puma concolor Boulder Colorado 2010 JX475252 FPV/Puma/CO/546/10 FPV-like Puma concolor Jefferson Colorado 2010 JX475253 FPV/Puma/CO/977/10 FPV-like Puma concolor Clear Creek Colorado 2010 JX475254 CPV-2b/Puma/CO/1237/10 CPV-like Puma concolor Weld Colorado 2010 JX475257 CPV/Puma/CO/1321/10 CPV-like Puma concolor Larimer Colorado 2010 JX475258 FPV/Puma/CO/545/10 FPV-like Puma concolor Chaffee Colorado 2010 JX475259 CPV-2c/Puma/CO/704/10
Recommended publications
  • MOLECULAR GENETIC IDENTIFICATION of a MEXICAN ONZA SPECIMEN AS a PUMA (PUMA CONCOLOR) in the Americas, There Are Two Documented
    Cryptozoology, 12, 1993-1996, 42-49 © 1996 International Society of Cryptozoology MOLECULAR GENETIC IDENTIFICATION OF A MEXICAN ONZA SPECIMEN AS A PUMA (PUMA CONCOLOR) PE tit A. DRATCH Laboratory of Viral Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Building 560/Room 21-105, Frederick, Maryland 21702, U.S.A. and National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory Ashland, Oregon 96520, U.S.A. WENDY RosLuND National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory Ashland, Oregon 96520, U.S.A. JANICE S. MARTENSON, MELANIE CULVER, AND STEPHEN J. O'BRIEN' Laboratory of Viral Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Building 560/Room 21-105, Frederick, Maryland 21702, U.S.A. ABSTRACT: Tissue samples from an alleged Mexican Onza, shot in the western Sierra Madre in 1986, were subjected to several biochemical assays in an attempt to determine the specimen's relationship to felid species of North America. Protein analyses included isoenzyme electrophoresis and albumin isoelectric focusing. Mi- tochondrial DNA was assayed for restriction fragment lengths with 28 restriction enzymes, and the NÐ5 gene was sequenced. The resulting protein and rnitochondrial DNA characteristics of the Onza were indistinguishable from those of North Amer- ican pumas. INTRODUCTION In the Americas, there are two documented species of large cats: 1) Puma concolor, the puma, also called mountain lion, cougar, and panther in dif- ferent regions of North America, and known as leon in Mexico; and 2) Panthera onca, the jaguar, or tigre as it is known south of the U.S. border. To whom correspondence should be addressed. 42 DRATCH ET AL.: ONZA MOLECULAR GENETIC IDENTIFICATION 43 Flo.
    [Show full text]
  • Spatial Characteristics of Residential Development Shift Large Carnivore Prey Habits
    The Journal of Wildlife Management; DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21098 Research Article Spatial Characteristics of Residential Development Shift Large Carnivore Prey Habits JUSTINE A. SMITH,1 Department of Environmental Studies, Center for Integrated Spatial Research, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA YIWEI WANG, San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, 524 Valley Way, Milpitas, CA 95035, USA CHRISTOPHER C. WILMERS, Department of Environmental Studies, Center for Integrated Spatial Research, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA ABSTRACT Understanding how anthropogenic development affects food webs is essential to implementing sustainable growth measures, yet little is known about how the spatial configuration of residential development affects the foraging behavior and prey habits of top predators. We examined the influence of the spatial characteristics of residential development on prey composition in the puma (Puma concolor). We located the prey remains of kills from 32 pumas fitted with global positioning system (GPS) satellite collars to determine the housing characteristics most influencing prey size and species composition. We examined how differences in housing density, proximity, and clustering influenced puma prey size and diversity. We found that at both local (150 m) and regional (1 km) spatial scales surrounding puma kill sites, housing density (but not the clustering of housing) was the greatest contributor to puma consumption of small prey (<20 kg), which primarily comprised human commensals or pets. The species-specific relationships between housing density and prey occupancy and detection rates assessed using camera traps were not always similar to those between housing density and proportions of diet, suggesting that pumas may exercise some diet selectivity.
    [Show full text]
  • Redalyc.MOUNTAIN LION Puma Concolor ATTACKS on a MANED
    Mastozoología Neotropical ISSN: 0327-9383 [email protected] Sociedad Argentina para el Estudio de los Mamíferos Argentina Mazzolli, Marcelo MOUNTAIN LION Puma concolor ATTACKS ON A MANED WOLF Chrysocyon brachyurus AND A DOMESTIC DOG IN A FORESTRY SYSTEM Mastozoología Neotropical, vol. 16, núm. 2, diciembre, 2009, pp. 465-470 Sociedad Argentina para el Estudio de los Mamíferos Tucumán, Argentina Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=45712497020 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Mastozoología Neotropical, 16(2):465-470, Mendoza, 2009 ISSN 0327-9383 ©SAREM, 2009 Versión on-line ISSN 1666-0536 http://www.sarem.org.ar MOUNTAIN LION Puma concolor ATTACKS ON A MANED WOLF Chrysocyon brachyurus AND A DOMESTIC DOG IN A FORESTRY SYSTEM Marcelo Mazzolli Projeto Puma, R. Liberato Carioni 247, Lagoa, 88062-205, Florianópolis - SC, Brazil <[email protected]> ABSTRACT: Two independent attacks of mountain lions Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771) on different canid species are reported in this note. One of the canids was a sub-adult captive maned wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus (Illiger, 1815), revealing skull damaged by canine tooth perforation and several bruises along the body. Examination of the wounds and the killing site provided reasonable details on how the attack was conducted. The mountain lion grabbed the maned wolf from behind with both forepaws, and killed it with a bite at the nape of the neck and at the back of the skull.
    [Show full text]
  • Cats of Belize Jaguar Average 4.25 Ft
    WEC314 A Guide to Living with Wild Cats1 Venetia S. Briggs-Gonzalez, Rebecca G. Harvey, Frank J. Mazzotti, and William M. Giuliano2 lands. This research suggests that more wild cats live near farms than people are aware of. Considering the number of wild cats living near villages, attacks on livestock and people are rare in Belize. However, conflicts between people and cats sometimes occur when cats lack food, water and habitat, when livestock is threat- ened, or when people are unaware of the benefits to living with cats. Cats of Belize Jaguar average 4.25 ft. long, 160 lbs. Figure 1. Jaguar (Panthera onca) Credits: © Tony Rath Photography, www.tonyrath.com Sharing the Landscape Belize is home to five species of wild cats. They live mainly in forests and wetlands, and hunt animals such as paca (gibnut), coatimundi, deer, peccary, birds, reptiles, and small rodents. When farms and villages are next to forests, people and wild cats live side-by-side. In the New River area of Orange Walk District, the Lamanai Field Research Center and University of Florida are studying cats using Figure 2. Jaguar (Panthera onca) “camera traps” placed in a variety of locations on private Credits: © Tony Rath Photography, www.tonyrath.com 1. This document is WEC314, one of a series of the Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date October 2011. Reviewed October 2014. Revised June 2018. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu. 2. Venetia S. Briggs-Gonzalez, research ecologist; Rebecca G. Harvey, environmental education coordinator; Frank J.
    [Show full text]
  • Puma Field Guide, Available At
    In our on-going efforts to assist wildlife agencies, field researchers, and the general public, The Cougar Network is proud to present the Puma Identification Guide, developed with the help of leading wildlife biologists Harley Shaw, Paul Beier, Melanie Culver, and Melissa Grigione, and edited with the help of Chuck Anderson, Mark Dowling, Dave Hamilton, and Bob Wilson. This document is an abbreviated summary of guidelines used to identify Puma concolor. It discusses how the appearance, tracks, and kill sites of the puma differ from other species, which is not to say that other differentiators do not exist; scat size and segmentation might assist in determining a species in certain circumstances, but these differences are much more subtle and often require laboratory testing to confirm. The intent of this guide is to assist with the more concrete means of identifying the puma in the field. It is not intended to be used as a comprehensive guide to identifying the puma. This guide is not to be construed as a statement of policy; the document is provided only as a tool. This document does not discuss documenting identification. For more information on puma identification – along with information on biological considerations, life history, assessment, and management – see the full-length Puma Field Guide, available at www.cougarnet.org. Appearance Puma concolor has many names, including cougar, mountain lion, puma, catamount, panther and painter. A puma is a large, slender cat with a relatively small head, small, rounded ears that are not tufted, powerful shoulders and hindquarters, and a cylindrical tail that is long and heavy.
    [Show full text]
  • Jaguar and Puma Attacks on Livestock in Costa Rica
    Human–Wildlife Interactions 7(1):77–84, Spring 2013 Jaguar and puma attacks on livestock in Costa Rica RONIT AMIT1, Instituto Internacional en Conservación de Vida Silvestre, Universidad Nacional, Here- dia, Costa Rica [email protected] ELIAS JOSÉ GORDILLO-CHÁVEZ, División Académica de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, México RAQUEL BONE, Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica Abstract: Human–felid conflicts threaten long-term conservation of jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor). We interviewed ranchers from 50 ranches and inspected farms in northern Costa Rica that reported recent attacks on livestock by these 2 felids. We analyzed ranch characteristics, livestock management practices, details of predation, estimated market- value of economic losses, and ranchers’ perception of damage. Ranchers reported 81 felid attacks on livestock, including 60 head of cattle, 16 horses, 3 sheep, 1 pig, and 1 goat. Mean size of ranches was 233 km2, and mean livestock herd size was 109, including cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, and water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Mean value of an attacked animal was U.S. $177.75 (range = $15 to $854, n = 51), and cumulative loss for all cattle was U.S. $9,065. Eighty-four percent of ranchers reported the presence of jaguars on their property, and 36% perceived the presence of pumas. Economic losses were overestimated by ranchers. Management strategies to address these problems must take into account the small size of ranches and limitations of the cattle and livestock production system in Costa Rica. Damage quantification based on market values can provide a guide to establish an incentive program, but provisions are needed due to ranchers’ potential discontent.
    [Show full text]
  • Kill Rates and Predation Patterns of Jaguars (Panthera Onca) in the Southern Pantanal, Brazil
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Publications Plant Health Inspection Service 2010 Kill rates and predation patterns of jaguars (Panthera onca) in the southern Pantanal, Brazil Sandra M. C. Cavalcanti Utah State University, Logan, Department of Wildland Resources, Eric M. Gese USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research Center, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons Cavalcanti, Sandra M. C. and Gese, Eric M., "Kill rates and predation patterns of jaguars (Panthera onca) in the southern Pantanal, Brazil" (2010). USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff Publications. 879. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc/879 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Journal of Mammalogy, 91(3):722–736, 2010 Kill rates and predation patterns of jaguars (Panthera onca) in the southern Pantanal, Brazil SANDRA M. C. CAVALCANTI AND ERIC M. GESE* Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5230, USA (SMCC) United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5230, USA (EMG) * Correspondent: [email protected] Jaguars (Panthera onca) often prey on livestock, resulting in conflicts with humans.
    [Show full text]
  • Puma Concolor, Puma Errata Version Assessment By: Nielsen, C., Thompson, D., Kelly, M
    The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ ISSN 2307-8235 (online) IUCN 2008: T18868A97216466 Scope: Global Language: English Puma concolor, Puma Errata version Assessment by: Nielsen, C., Thompson, D., Kelly, M. & Lopez-Gonzalez, C.A. View on www.iucnredlist.org Citation: Nielsen, C., Thompson, D., Kelly, M. & Lopez-Gonzalez, C.A. 2015. Puma concolor. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T18868A97216466. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T18868A50663436.en Copyright: © 2017 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale, reposting or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission from the copyright holder. For further details see Terms of Use. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN Red List Partners are: Arizona State University; BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation International; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas A&M University; and Zoological Society of London. If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown in this document, please provide us with feedback so that we can correct or extend the information provided. THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™ Taxonomy Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Animalia Chordata Mammalia Carnivora Felidae Taxon Name: Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771) Synonym(s): • Felis concolor Linnaeus, 1771 Common Name(s): • English: Puma, Cougar, Deer Tiger, Mountain Lion, Red Tiger • Spanish: León Americano, León Bayo, León Colorado, León De Montaña, Mitzli, Onza Bermeja Taxonomic Notes: The taxonomy is currently under review by the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group.
    [Show full text]
  • American Black Bear Ecology in Southeastern Oklahoma: Population Status and Capture Methodology
    AMERICAN BLACK BEAR ECOLOGY IN SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA: POPULATION STATUS AND CAPTURE METHODOLOGY By MORGAN A. PFANDER Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona 2011 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE May, 2016 AMERICAN BLACK BEAR ECOLOGY IN SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA: POPULATION STATUS AND CAPTURE METHODOLOGY Thesis Approved: Dr. W. Sue Fairbanks Thesis Adviser Dr. David M. Leslie, Jr. Dr. Barney Luttbeg ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to all of the people who have made this research project possible. It has been a wonderful experience working with all of the graduate students, faculty, and staff here at Oklahoma State University and I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to spend a couple of years in the bear woods of Oklahoma. Thank you especially to my thesis advisor, Dr. W. Sue Fairbanks, for the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing project and for all of the encouragement and advice throughout the research process. I am also grateful to my committee members, Dr. Chip Leslie and Dr. Barney Luttbeg, for their invaluable contributions to the development and analysis of this study. Thank you to Sara Lyda for introducing me to the bear woods and for all of her help with training and project logistics. I would also like to thank all of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation officials, especially Jeff Ford and Joe Hemphill, and my summer technicians and volunteers for all of their help in the field.
    [Show full text]
  • Mountain Lion Identification and Methods of Determining Sex and Age
    MOUNTAIN LION IDENTIFICATION AND METHODS OF DETERMINING SEX AND AGE Introduction South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) is responsible for managing wildlife and its habitat as well as providing outdoor-related recreation. Our public outreach programs promote appreciation, understanding, and stewardship of South Dakota’s wildlife. SDGFP is funded through hunting and fishing license sales. The purpose of this document is to provide information to anyone who wants to hunt mountain lions and for anyone interested in mountain lion ecology. This document presents information about mountain lion biology, physiology, and behavior; explains how to determine the gender of a mountain lion; and details some of South Dakota’s laws and regulations pertaining to mountain lion hunting. Mountain Lions in South Dakota Mountain lions are native to the Black Hills of South Dakota. Dispersals outside of the Black Hills have been documented; however, there has been no evidence of an established prairie population. Mountain lions are efficient predators that primarily prey on deer and other small mammals In South Dakota their natural predators include other lions, disease, vehicles and humans. South Dakota State University and SDGFP have studied in the past, and continue to study a wide range of topics related to mountain lions in the Black Hills including home range size, survival, dispersal, population size, prey selection, survey methods, hunting impacts, and disease. Results of these studies continue to guide management activities for mountain lions in South Dakota and can be found at http://gfp.sd.gov/wildlife/management/research-projects/default.aspx. South Dakota Mountain Lion Hunting Regulations 1) No person may harvest or attempt to harvest a mountain lion with a spotted coat (kitten) or any mountain lion accompanying another mountain lion 2) No person may release dogs (where allowed) on tracks indicating multiple mountain lions traveling together.
    [Show full text]
  • Forest Carnivore Research in the Northern Cascades of Oregon (Oct 2012–May 2013, Oct 2013–Jun 2014)
    Final Progress Report Forest Carnivore Research in the Northern Cascades of Oregon (Oct 2012–May 2013, Oct 2013–Jun 2014) 2 July 2014 Jamie E. McFadden-Hiller1,2, Oregon Wildlife, 1122 NE 122nd, Suite 1148, Portland, OR 97230, USA Tim L. Hiller1,3, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Division, 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE, Salem, OR 97302, USA One of several red foxes detected in the northern Cascades of Oregon. Suggested citation: McFadden-Hiller, J. E., and T. L. Hiller. 2014. Forest carnivore research in the northern Cascades of Oregon, final progress report (Oct 2012–May 2013, Oct 2013–Jun 2014). Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Salem, Oregon, USA. 1 Current address: Mississippi State University, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Box 9690, Mississippi State, MS 39762-9690, USA 2 Email: [email protected] 3 Email: [email protected] Oregon Cascades Forest Carnivore Research, Final Progress Report, Jun 2014 2 Habitat for American marten (Martes americana)4 typically includes late successional coniferous and mixed forests with >30% canopy cover (see Clark et al. 1987, Strickland and Douglas 1987). The Pacific Northwest has experienced intensive logging during the past century and the distribution of martens in this region is largely discontinuous because of fragmented patches of forest cover (Gibilisco 1994). Based on state agency harvest data, the average annual number of martens harvested in the Oregon Cascades (and statewide) has decreased substantially during recent decades, but disentangling the potential factors (e.g., decreasing abundance, decreasing harvest effort) attributed to changes in harvest levels continues to prove difficult (Hiller 2011, Hiller et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Bug Club Big Cats Sample
    w This is your free sample of Bug Club. Big Cats Brown B NC 3B Contents BIG CATS Introducing cats 2-3 Cat habitats 4-5 Written by Sarah Walker Tiger tales 6-7 King of the beasts 8-9 Water cat 10-11 Did you know that a lion’s roar can be heard up to eight kilometres Lounging leopards 12-13 away? Or that two-thirds of Snow cat 14-15 the world’s big cats are rare or Powerful pumas 16-17 endangered? Discover the Speed king 18-19 fantastic world of big cats, Curious cats 20-21 from the shy snow leopard to Forest felines 22-23 the powerful Amur tiger. Cat families 24-25 “I liked finding Solitary killers 26-27 Jacket Images Front Getty Images: out about the Minden Pictures/Jim Brandenburg habitats of the Team tactics 28-29 All other images © Dorling Kindersley. For further information see www.dkimages.com wild cats” Super senses 30-31 Kurtis www.bugclub.co.uk Glossary and Index 32 ISBN 978-0-435-07583-5 www.pearsonschools.co.uk T 0845 630 33 33 [email protected] F 0845 630 77 77 9 780435 075835 1 178886_Big_Cats_Jkt_FINAL.indd 1 14/02/2012 11:16 178886_BigCats_FINAL.indd 1 14/02/2012 11:18 120 cm Big Cats Introducing cats The height of a big cat is measured from its shoulder Cat-like creatures have existed for millions of to the tips of its paws. How tall are you compared years. In size order, the seven biggest cats in the to these cats? world today are: the tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, snow leopard, puma, and cheetah.
    [Show full text]