Managing the Spread of Pseudogymnoascus Destructans and Conserving Bats Threatened by White-Syndrome North America
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2018 Abstracts ORTWS, WATWS, SNVB, NWPARC Joint Annual Meeting SPORTSMEN AND THE NON-LEAD ALTERNATIVE. JIM AKENSON*, Oregon Hunters Association, 72531 Farmers Ln., Enterprise, OR 97828; [email protected]. American sportsmen have a heritage of embracing wildlife conservation issues dating back to, and even before, the efforts of Teddy Roosevelt. However, regulating the basic “tools of the trade” used by hunters have not been as notable as wise habitat and species stewardship. Just a couple decades ago, converting from lead to steel shot for waterfowl hunting took education, regulation, and time to accomplish. Now, with a parallel non-lead movement getting started in Oregon with rifle and pistol ammunition used for hunting, there needs to be lessons applied from initial efforts, using examples from California and Arizona, to achieve any broader scale success. Gaining acceptance from sportsmen in today’s world of information will take a coordinated three-pronged approach mixed with patience and leadership. One prong involves continuing the current efforts informing hunters of the technical efficiency of alternatives-to-lead ammunition. Another prong deals with the science on how lead effects terrestrial mammal and scavenging bird populations, through the food-chain. The third prong involves establishing a voluntary non- lead bullet use program which includes enough incentives to appeal to a significant number of hunters in Oregon. The Oregon Hunters Association recognizes the importance of this educational effort and is actively partnering with the Oregon Zoo, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon Nature Conservancy, and others to achieve success with this important conservation effort. UPDATING THE CONSERVATION STATUS OF THE CASCADE RED FOX USING NONINVASIVE METHODS. JOCELYN AKINS*, Cascades Carnivore Project, 1514 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; [email protected]; KEITH AUBRY, USFS PNW; [email protected]; BEN SACKS, UC Davis; [email protected]. The Cascade Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes cascadensis) is part of the mountain red fox subclade, which has a distinct evolutionary history in North America. These foxes became isolated into sky-island populations and may be experiencing a dramatic range contraction. However, the cause(s) of this apparent decline remains unclear. We conducted noninvasive camera surveys and genetic sampling in southern Washington from 2008 to 2016. Our objectives were to (1) determine distribution in southern Washington and predict rangewide occurrence, (2) assess genetic integrity and potential hybridization, and (3) determine how landscape features influence connectivity. First, we developed species distribution models that reflect the key habitat correlates of fox occurrence and estimate occupancy. Second, we identified 51 foxes genetically and found that individuals in the southern portion of their range comprise a single widespread population with a very low contemporary genetic effective population size. Third, we applied a landscape genetics approach and found that subalpine parklands and upper montane forests facilitate gene flow. While this study improves our understanding of their conservation status, a lack of knowledge of their basic ecology suggests the impacts of climate change in the mountains, which we are currently witnessing, remain largely unknown. Moving forward, a clearer understanding of threats to their long-term persistence is fundamental to effectively conserving this unique, montane carnivore. Page 1 of 104 2018 Abstracts ORTWS, WATWS, SNVB, NWPARC Joint Annual Meeting WILDLIFE SERVICES' NON-LEAD AMMUNITION SELECTION PROCESS. MATTHEW ALEX*, USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services, 6135 NE 80th Ave., Portland, OR 97218; [email protected]; KEVIN CHRISTENSEN, USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services; [email protected]. USDA Wildlife Services (WS) in Oregon provides assistance to the public, government agencies, tribes, and other entities on integrated wildlife damage management (IWDM) to protect human/pet health and safety, threatened and endangered species, livestock, crops, and property. The WS Decision Model provides for the consideration of non-lethal and lethal methods and allows WS to use and recommend the most effective and practical methods available, while accounting for the many variables in each unique IWDM situation. Given the diversity of calls for assistance that WS receives, selecting the right tool for the job is critical to achieving IWDM objectives in an effective, reliable, and safe manner. When using firearms, it is essential that the ammunition selected performs in such a way to ensure minimal opportunities for pass-through; versatility given the wide variety of species and locales; reliability of performance in all IWDM situations (which have a low tolerance for error); and humane euthanasia through instantaneous incapacitation. With this in mind, we will discuss our decision process for selecting non-lead ammunition alternatives, the associated challenges, and the opportunities for further research and use. WHAT’S HURTING OUR HERPS? MAJOR DISEASES OF REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. MATT ALLENDER*, Wildlife Epidemiology Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802; KATIE HAMAN, Wildlife Program, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, WA 98501; LAURA ADAMOVICZ, Wildlife Epidemiology Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802; SARAH BAKER, Wildlife Epidemiology Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802; KELSEY LOW, Wildlife Epidemiology Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802. The North American landscape has undergone unprecedented change in the last 100 years, and many environments no longer resemble the ecosystems where species evolved. In some cases, these changes have created ideal conditions for the emergence of infectious diseases. Herpetofauna are among the most imperiled vertebrate taxa, and pathogens are playing a role in their decline. In the past 15 years, widespread epidemics have been observed, such as those associated with Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (a type of chytrid fungus) and ranavirus. Recently, Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Snake Fungal Disease) in the eastern and midwestern U.S. and a new species of chytrid fungus in Europe (B. salamandrivorans) emerged. In Washington, a shell disease of unknown etiology is impacting populations of western pond turtle and potentially limiting recovery of this state endangered species. Conserving the health of herpetofaunal populations is fundamental to conserving the integrity and biodiversity of ecosystems. With disease at the forefront of amphibian and reptile population decline issues, a new Herpetofauna Disease Alert System has been created by the PARC Disease Task Team (http://parcplace.org/parcplace/resources/disease-task-team.html). This team and the alert system aim to expedite communication of disease events to relevant authorities in North America. The presentation will review shell disease in western pond turtles in Washington as well as other Page 2 of 104 2018 Abstracts ORTWS, WATWS, SNVB, NWPARC Joint Annual Meeting common diseases (i.e., ranaviruses and snake fungal disease) and focus on disease recognition, response, and population impacts. WESTERN POND TURTLE VISUAL ENCOUNTER SURVEYS. DON T .ASHTON*, McBain Associates, 980 7th Street, Arcata, CA 95521; [email protected]; R. BRUCE BURY, Retired; [email protected]; STEVE NIEMELA, Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife; [email protected]; JASON REILLY, Bureau of Land Management; [email protected]; SIMON WRAY, Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife; [email protected]; CHRISTOPHER YEE, Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife; [email protected]. The Jefferson Turtle Group (Southern Oregon/Northern California Chapter of the Oregon Native Turtle Working Group) has refined a standardized visual encounter survey protocol to document turtle presence at sites across the potential range of the species. The survey protocol draws elements from several published resources to provide a hierarchal sampling scheme with simple, repeatable methods applicable across the sampling frame. The protocol will be tested and employed over the next three years (2018-2020) using a sampling frame based on historical survey data and modeled high-quality habitat that is within and adjacent to the known range. Sampling is stratified by watershed. An online data portal allows for handy submission of survey data, and welcomes opportunistic observations (ArcGIS Survey123, iNaturalist). The protocol aims to accommodate for a variety of data needs and habitat types, including flowing (e.g., streams, rivers) and standing waters (e.g., ponds, reservoirs). There are budget constraints. Thus, to cover a large area and reduce associated field costs, we are seeking participation from Western Pond Turtle Working Group members, agency biologists, consultants, and citizens scientists to conduct surveys and submit data online. This protocol fulfills one of the many objectives outlined in the recently awarded Competitive State Wildlife Grant titled “Advancing Western Pond Turtle Conservation in Washington, Oregon, and California.” More rigorous survey efforts will be required for assessing detectability, demographic trends, and life history features, including continued monitoring of long-term study sites. WESTERN POND TURTLE CONSERVATION – A SUMMARY OF RANGE-WIDE