Chlorophacinone Baiting for Belding's Ground Squirrels
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CHLOROPHACINONE BAITING FOR BELDLNG'S GROUND SQUIRRELS CRAJG A. RAMEY, USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA GEORGE H. MATSCHKE , USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA RICHARD M. ENGEMAN, USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA Abstract: The efficacy of using 0.0 l % chlorophacinone on steam-rolled oat (SRO) groats applied in CA alfalfa by spot-baiting /hand baiting around burrow entrances ( ~ l 1.5 g) to control free -ranging Belding's ground squirrels (Spermophilus beldingi) were compared in 6 randomly assigned square treatment units (TUs). Four TUs were given the rodenticide and 2 treated with placebo bait. Each TU was a 0.4 ha square surrounded by a similarly treated 5.5 ha square buffer zone. Baits were applied on May 13 and re-applied , on May 20 and May 22, after 7 days of un-forecasted cool wet weather greatly reduced their above ground activity. Pesticide (EPA SLN CA-890024) efficacy was calculated as% reduction (PR) of ground squirrels on each TUs measured directly by visual counts (VCs) and indirectly by active burrow counts (ABCs). VCs and ABCs provided mean PRs that met US EPA's 70% minimum standard efficacy threshold for field rodenticides (x = 73.5%, SD+ 13.3; x = 80%, SD ±_6.2, respectively). ANOVA results of the PRs were highly significant (F = 29.72, df 1/4, p = 0.0055 and F = 72.92, df l/4, P = 0.00 1, respectively) . All carcasses (38) located above ground were analyzed for pesticide and 80% had detectable levels in whole animals (x = 0.1131 ppm, SD ±_0.0928) . Suggestions to improve the pesticide's efficacy and lessen its potential non target hazards were discu ssed. Key words: alfalfa, anticoagulant, Belding's ground squirrels, chlorophacinone, efficacy, rodenticide Proc eedings of the lih Wildlife Damage Management Conference (D.L. Nolte, W.M. A1jo, D.H. Stalman, Eds). 2007 LNTRODUCTION Gadd 1990, Tobin 1992, Fagerstone and Ground squirrels cause damage to Ramey 1996). Successful control of wild agricultural crops such as alfalfa both from rodents has occurred using hand baits, bait clipping and trampling (Sauer l 976). stations, tracking powders (Advani 1992), and Warfarin was the first anticoagulant burrow builders (Guedon and Combes 1990). rodenticide used in California agriculture to Clark (1978) and more recently Silberhorn et control such ground squirrel depredations al. (2003) have discussed chlorophacinone's (Ball 1950). Recently , chlorophacinone (2- long history of use in ground squirrel control [(p-chlorophenyl) phenylacetyl]-1 ,3- in California as a multiple dose rodenticide. indandione) (CAS No. 3691-35-8) has been Rodents usually consume the bait over a successfully used as a rodenticide with both period of a week or more to produce effective commensal rodents (Gill 1992, Advani 1992) control. Because it and other anticoagulants and wild rodents (Giban 1974: Vossen and do not produce bait shyness (Marsh 1994), it 526 can be used whenever rodents are active and MATERIALS AND METHODS consuming seeds (Passof 1974, Marsh 1994). Other favorable pesticide attributes include its Study Site low solubility in water (making it less likely The study was conducted California ' s to be transported through soils and plant tissue Siskiyou County , in the northeast comer of membranes), large molecular weight (which the Butte Valley . Average elevation was generally precludes its passage through root 1,230 m with surface soils predominantly membranes) (Askham 1986), and Poman-Fordney (fine sandy loam) (USDA , decomposition into nontoxic elements when 1994). The local climate was tempered by exposed to ultraviolet light (sunlight) winds from the Pacific Ocean. During the 26- (Askham 1986) or wet conditions (Spare day study in May 1996, the average daily 1992; Ramey et al. , 2000) . Sauer ( 1976) maximum temperature was l 8.3°C and a total successfully utilized 0.005% and 0.0 l % of 4.45 cm of precipitation fell (Table I) . The chlorophacinone in bait stations placed in a valley's location , topography , soil , and grid pattern to control Belding's ground climate made it suitable for livestock grazing squirrels (Spermophilus beldingi). Marsh and the production of alfalfa , wheat , barley , ( 1994) stated its effectiveness for ground oats, and potatoes (Ramey et al. 2000). On squirrel control as a toxic grain bait was the study site, alfalfa was irrigated using a closely linked to the squirrel 's life cycle. pivoting overhead sprinkler system because of Therefore , it has been mainly used in concerns about rapid water loss . California from mid May - July to control most species of ground squirrels when the Chlorophacinone Bait and Baiting annual wild grasses and forbs produce seeds . The 0.01 % chlorophacinone and 0.0% The California Department of Food placebo baits were formulated according the and Agriculture (CDF A) has had a state CDFA ' s Confidential Statement of Formula registration with the United States for EPA SLN CA-890024 as discussed in the Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Vertebrate Pest Control Handbook (Clark , for the use of chlorophacinone in controlling 1986). Using a commercial supplier , the California rangeland rodents including the subsequent grain baits had a mean (x) percent Belding 's ground squirrel , California ground of chlorophacinone (w/w) of0 .0109 % (SD ± squirrel (S. beecheyi), pocket gophers 0.00008 %) for the nominal 0.0 I% (Thomomys spp.) , deer mice (Peromyscus concentration and 0.000% (SD ± 0.0000 %) spp.) , and house mice (Mus musculus). The for the placebo. Chlorophacinon e primary objective of this research conducted concentration in SRO groat bait s was by the National Wildlife Research Center determined according to the standardized (NWRC) for CDF A was to determine the methods later published by Primu s et al. bait 's efficacy for reregistration by the EPA ( 1998) . Bait formulations were the same as for spot-baiting (i.e. hand-baiting) using reported in a concurrent study by Ramey et al. 0.01 % chlorophacinone on steam rolled oats (2000) . The 0.0 l % chlorophacinone bait (SRO) groats (EPA SLN CA-890024) to (formulated on April 15, 1996) and placebo control Belding's ground squirrels in alfalfa. baits were brought to the study site for the first day of baiting on May 13 (Table l ). Unused baits were returned to the Siskiyou County Department of Agriculture on May 24. 527 Table 1. Daily temperatures, precipitation, and study events including visual counts (VC), closing holes (CH), active burrow counts (ABC), and carcass searching (CS) with number found (X) in chronological order at the Dorris site, May 1996 (Reprinted with the authors permission, Ramey et al., 2000). Study Day May Date Temperature (0C) Precipitation Study Events Minimum Maximum (cm)3 l 4 -5 .6 15.6 Treatment Unit Layout 2 5 0.0 16. l Treatment Unit Layout 3 6 -2 .8 18.3 Pre-treatment VC 4 7 -1.1 17.2 Pre-treatment VC 5 8 -2.8 17.2 Pre-treatment VC 6 9 -3.9 18.9 Pre-treatment CH 7 10 -2 .2 22.2 Pre-treatment Activities 8 11 1.7 26.7 Pre-treatment ABC 9 12 7.2 27.8 Pre-treatment Activities 10 13 7.8 26.7 Spot /Hand Baiting & CS (0) 1 i 14 8.9 20.6 0.69 Carcass Searching (0) 12 15 8.3 14.4 0.91 Carcass Searching (0) 13 16 6. 1 12.2 0.71 Carcass Searching (0) 14 17 6.7 12.2 0.18 Carcass Searching (0) 15 18 3.9 12.2 0.48 Carcass Searching (0) 16 19 1.1 12.8 0.13 Carcass Searching (0) 17 20 -2.2 17.8 0.03 Spot Baiting & CS (l2t 18 21 5.0 17.8 0.86 Carcass Searching (6) 19 22 0.0 12.2 0.05 Spot Baiting & CS (6t 20 23 -2.8 l l. I Carcass Searching (I) 21 24 1.1 17.8 CS (2) & Excess Bait Returned 22 25 5.0 22.2 Post-treatment YC & CS (6) 23 26 5.0 22.8 Post-treatment YC & CS (5) 24 27 6. 1 22 .2 0.41 Post-treatment YC , CH & CS (6) 25 28 0.0 17.8 Post-treatment CS (2t 26 29 - I. l 17.2 Post-treatment ABC & CS (0) 27 30 - I. I 17.8 Post-treatment CS (0) 28 31 2.2 20 .6 Post-treatment CS (0) " Precipitation is for a 24-h period starting at 12:00 am b One partial carcass was not analyzed on each of two days for ch lorophacinone residues c Two decompo sed carcasse s were not analyzed for chlorophacinone residue s Spot-bait applications confonned to bait applications occurred later than originally the label specifications and the first day of anticipated because an arctic storm brought baiting occurred on May 13. Trained un-forecasted cold and wet weather to the pesticide applicators used metal dippers study area. This weather greatly reduced (small cups with handles) to dispense - 11.5 g above ground squirrel activity in the alfalfa over l m2 at burrow entrances. Additional when compared to the pre-treatment counts so 528 the study was delayed. Spot-baiting resumed employed in this study were similar to those on May 20 and was concluded on May 22. recommended by the U. S. Environmental The weatherability of this bait has been Protection Agency (US EPA 1982) and previously reported by Ramey et al. (2000) Fagerstone ( 1983). For each TU, 5 ground and will only be summarized here. On May squirrel counts were recorded at about the 19 (6 days after the initial baiting) , a 71 % same time each morning (starting - 0800) chlorophacinone loss had occurred , with l O minute intervals between the 5 counts disregarding mass changes and mold growth, for 3 consecutive days.