WellBeing International WBI Studies Repository 1983 Biological Control of Aleutian Island Arctic Fox: A Preliminary Strategy Edward W. West University of California - Davis Robert L. Rudd University of California - Davis Follow this and additional works at: https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/acwp_hmap Part of the Animal Studies Commons, Nature and Society Relations Commons, and the Population Biology Commons Recommended Citation West, E.W., & Rudd, R.L. (1983). Biological control of Aleutian Island Arctic fox: A preliminary strategy. International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems, 4(4), 305-311. This material is brought to you for free and open access by WellBeing International. It has been accepted for inclusion by an authorized administrator of the WBI Studies Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. }.K. Blackshaw-lnduced Nest-building in Sows Original Article tration may be responsible for the differ­ Hanson, R.P. and Karstad, L. (1959) Feral ences in nest building intensity over the swine in the southeastern United States. oestrous cycle. j Wild/ Mgmt 23:64-73. The acute effects of PG F2cr on the Hughes, P.E. and Varley, M.A. (1980) Re­ Biological Control sow also raises the question of its suita­ production in the pig. Butterworth & bility as a drug to induce farrowing. It is Co. Ltd., pp. 50-51,138-141. of Aleutian Island Arctic Fox: easy to ignore these effects if the end re­ Jones, J. E. T. (1966) Observations on par­ sult is achieved. If the welfare of the ani­ turition in the sow. Part 1: The pre-par­ A Preliminary Strategy mal is considered seriously it is impor­ tum phase. Brit Vet j 122:420-426. tant to look at all aspects of drug therapy. Kurz, J.C. and Marchinton, R.L. (1972) Ra­ diotelemetry studies of feral hogs in References South Carolina. j Wild/ Mgmt 36:1240 Edward W. West and Robert L. Rudd Blackshaw, J .K. and Blackshaw, A.W. -1248. (1982) The effects of prostaglandin Pullar, E.M. (1950) The wild (feral) pigs of Drs. West and Rudd are with the Department of Zoology, University of California, Davis, California. (PGF2cr) on the behavior of the Australia and their role in the spread domestic non-pregnant sow and boar. of infectious diseases. Aust Vet j 26: Proc Aust Soc Anim Prod 14th Bien­ 99-110. Intentional introduction of exotic animals can normally be expected to yield un­ nial Conf Brisbane 14:550-552. Riddel, 0., Bates, R.W. and Lahr, E.L. (1935) anticipated biological consequences. Single-purpose introductions frequently result Blackshaw, J .K. and Smith, I .D. (1982) Maternal behavior induced in virgin in ecological catastrophe. Islands are particularly vulnerable to such assault. Behavioral effects of PGF2cr in the rats by prolactin. Proc Soc Exper Bioi Arctic foxes [A/apex /agopus), released for the purpose of fur farming on the Aleu­ non-pregnant sow. App/ Anim Etho/ & Med 32:730-734. tian Islands formerly devoid of land predators, have significantly altered nesting avi­ 8:581-583. Signoret, J.P., Baldwin, B.A., Fraser, D. and fauna/ diversity, abundance and productivity. A program for restoring the historic dis­ Diehl, J.R. and Day, B.N. (1974) Effect of Hafez, E.S.E. (1975). The behavior of tribution and abundance of critically affected bird species is described. In a long-term prostaglandin F2cr on luteal function swine. In E.S.E. Hafez (Ed.), Behavior study biological control methods are proposed to test the hypothesis that introduced in swine. j Anim Sci 39:392-396. of domestic animals. London: Bailliere sterile red foxes [Vulpes fulva), apparently a competitively superior species, will markedly Fradrich, H. (1974) A comparison of be­ Tindall. reduce or extirpate resident Arctic foxes. havior in the Suidae. Vol. 1. The behav­ Taverne, M., Willemse, H.H., Dielman, S.J. ior of ungulates and its relation to and Bevers, M. (1978/79) Plasma pro­ management. International Symposium lactin, progesterone and oestradiol- Introduction held at the University of Calgary, Alber­ 17{3 concentrations around partu ri­ Attitudes toward population con­ tion reduction (Rudd, 1964). The present ta, Canada, in November 2-5, 1971, tion in the pig. Anim Reprod Sci 1: trol of introduced mammals range from article describes an example of attempts 133-143. 257-263. regarding them equal or superior to na­ at eradication of a predatory mammal tive forms to irrational hostility toward population in the Aleutian Islands by an introduced species. Most introductions specific biological means. can be viewed as detrimental in some as­ The target species is the Arctic fox, pect (Roots, 1976). Although population re­ A/apex lagopus. Displacement by biologi­ Animals Bights-Animal Souls? ductions (and the extreme form- eradica­ cal and behavioral means subsumes our Veterinarian L.T. Keenan of Pomona, New York, writing in the tion) may be generally regarded as benefi­ methods and purposes. The specific method Journal of the American Veterinary :Medical Association (Vol. 183, cial, controversy inevitably accompanies is generally known as the sterile male July 1, 1983, p. 10) states that he is "tired of being an 'animal doc­ the methodologies by which reductions technique. Detailed ecological informa­ tor.' I want to become a 'real doctor.' This can only be achieved if are attemped (Hutchins eta/., 1982). Trap­ tion is vital to biological control of this animals are believed to have souls and the same basic rights as our ping, shooting, exclusion, and poisoning sensitive character. Especially impor­ fellow human beings. Only then can I justify to clients large money are the traditional methods used in mam­ tant is the fact that fox populations to malian population control. Novel, often be controlled are only those on small outlays for reconstructions, repairs, or treatment modalities. It species-specific, methods such as bio­ is I ands (West et a/., 1982). Throughout would help my professional status if an Animal Bill of Rights were logical control have been introduced in­ all our work is the background attitude to be proposed and eventually made into the law of the land .... The to insect and weed control practices but that humane and scientific considera­ sooner this is accomplished, the better it will be for me, my fellow have been rarely attempted in mammal tions can be effectively combined, as veterinarians, and our fellow animals." control. One of us has extensively re­ well described by Kellert (1982). viewed the many aspects of pest popula- The delicate balance of natural 304 /NT j STUD ANIM PROB 4(4) 1983 /NT j STUD ANIM PROB 4(4) 1983 305 E. W. West and R.L. Rudd- Aleutian Island Fox Original Article E. W. West and R.L. Rudd- Aleutian Island Fox Original Article 174° 177° lBO' 177' 174' 171° 168' 165' The full impact of fox introductions cula) are still heavily preyed upon by fox was first assessed in 1936. Murie (1959) on St. Lawrence Island. Horned puffins ALEUTIAN ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ALASKA conducted a two-year faunal survey of (Fratercula corniculata) and tufted puf­ 22 islands along the chain. His findings fins (Lunda cirrhata) are also taken in r-------------------------, : G real S1fkln I : showed significant reductions in bird high numbers. On Big Koniuji Island, Moe species diversity, distribution and pro­ (1977) determined that 6 adult and 7 1 AVakI Lillie 1 1 Tanag~~a Unimak~ ductivity. These changes, he concluded, juvenile fox killed 763 crested auklets i;ilanaqal .~: 54' were primarily due to fox predation. Large and 95 horned puffins over a three-month :I I :I 54° colonies of ancient murrelets (Synthlibo­ period. On a recent survey of the Alaska : Kagaloska I: I I L ______________________ j rampus antiquus) and Cassin's auklets (Pty­ Peninsula, which have, or have had foxes, A flu I choramphys aleuticus) vanished from Sa­ no nocturnal seabirds were found (Bailey, ~ BERING SEA 52° nak Islands. Storm petrels (Oceanodroma 1978). The most significant, and current­ e::]Agattui Kanagal sp) were entirely eliminated from Salt ly most pressing, ecological concern is ',c 0 Klska~ Tanaqo/7~~~~;. ~-=:- 0 25 50 100 150 200 0 and llak islands. Cassin's auklets went the near total extinction of the Aleutian "- ~- ~~>\~''-xaqalaska I STATUTE MILES PACIFIC OCEAN .. Adak! 0 50 100 150 200 extinct on Keegaloo and Adugak Islands . Canada goose (Branta canadensis leuco­ KILOMETERS Whiskered auklets (Aethia pygmaea) were pareia). It has vanished from its former LNEARJ L____ RAT___j L__ANDREANOF__j '--------FOX----___j also eliminated from the Near Islands. extensive nesting range in the Aleutians ISLANDS ISLANDS ISLANDS ISLANDS Recent bird surveys of other Alas­ except for a small population on Buldir kan Islands document a continued and Island (Jones and Byrd, 1979). FIGURE 1 Aleutian Islands in Alaska more widespread reduction in bird pop­ ulations by the foxes (Stephenson, 1970; Early Management Programs island ecosystems can be easily upset by ies on ecology and population dynamics Bailey, 1978; Bailey and Faust, 1980, 1981). Former attempts by the United States the introduction of foreign organisms. of interactions between the two species Crested auklets (Aethia cristatel/a) and Fish and Wildlife Service to reduce the Island species, isolated from complex will provide an empirical test of the po­ parakeet auklets (Cyclorrhynchos psitta- impact of fox predation on the Aleutians mainland ecosystems, evolve to form rela­ tential for complete competitive exclu­ tively simple communities. These systems sion of the arctic fox by red foxes. generally lack sufficient natural con­ trols to respond effectively to competi­ History tion or predation by introduced species. Foxes were first introduced to the Without strong checks on their growth, Aleutian Islands in 1886 by the Russian­ non-island species increase rapidly. This American Company for the purpose of population growth invariably occurs at the establishing fur "ranches" (Ashbrook expense of many forms of endemic fauna.