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National Wildlife Research Center


Alternative Uses for Fladry

December 15, 2022 Gail Keirn, Wildlife Services Communication Program Specialist, APHIS

Wildlife Services (WS) experts are exploring how fladry, a nonlethal tool used to protect cattle, sheep, and other livestock from wolves, can prevent other wildlife damage.

Animals

Dispersing Vultures Goes High Tech

November 16, 2021 Gail Keirn, Legislative and Public Affairs

When turkey vultures gather in large groups in urban areas, they can cause safety concerns due to their abundant fecal droppings and as hazards to air traffic. Wildlife Services (WS) biologists often manage vulture damage by modifying habitats to remove the things that attract them, such as perches...

Animals

Keeping Airline Passengers and Wildlife Safe: APHIS and its Partners Work to Identify Best Management Practices for Wildlife Repellents at Airports

March 29, 2021 Gail Keirn, APHIS Legislative and Public Affairs

A variety of wildlife species—from birds to rodents and rabbits—often visit airport environments leading to safety concerns for both wildlife and airline passengers. Collisions between wildlife and aircraft have increased in the past 30 years because of an increase in both hazardous wildlife species...

Animals

Changing the Narrative on Bats and Rabies

December 04, 2020 Gail Keirn, APHIS Legislative and Public Affairs

Lately, when we hear about bats in the news it's often in the context of emerging infectious diseases. Yet, despite potential public health threats, bats are extremely important to the health of our natural ecosystems.

Animals

USDA Wildlife Services Highlights Wildlife Damage Management Tools

April 03, 2020 Gail Keirn, APHIS Legislative and Public Affairs

Invasive rodents on islands, predators eating livestock, vultures pecking at property, birds colliding with airplanes. Wildlife damage can take many forms. As such, wildlife managers need a variety of tools to help reduce damage.

Animals Technology

10th Anniversary of the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’: USDA Research Reduces Wildlife Hazards at Airports

February 25, 2019 Gail Keirn, USDA APHIS Public Affairs Specialist

Since 2009, researchers located at the USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services’ National Wildlife Research Center have made significant discoveries directly impacting how wildlife hazards are managed at airports.

Animals

Bear Proofing Your Home: Simple Fix Can Reduce Bear Conflicts

June 21, 2018 Gail Keirn, USDA APHIS Public Affairs Specialist

Like the famous cartoon character Yogi Bear, black bears are quick to take advantage of food left out by people. Black bears forage on garbage, bird seed, dog food, and other food items commonly found around homes and businesses. This has led to an increase in conflicts between bears and people in...

Animals

Sniffing Out Disease: Dogs Trained for Wildlife Disease Surveillance

June 12, 2018 Gail Keirn, USDA APHIS Public Affairs Specialist

Odin is a Labrador retriever/border collie mix. By watching his wagging tail and alert expression, Colorado State University researcher Dr. Glen Golden can sense he is eager to begin his training. Odin is one of five dogs recently adopted from shelters and animal rescue centers to become detector...

Animals

Wildlife Partners Unite to Protect Iconic Species from Deadly Plague

October 04, 2017 Gail Keirn, USDA APHIS Public Affairs Specialist

Last month, researchers, wildlife biologists and managers from several federal, state and local agencies gathered at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ (USFWS) National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center to celebrate a breakthrough in wildlife management— the development of an oral vaccine...

Animals

Rabies and Vampire Bats

May 04, 2016 Gail Keirn, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA, APHIS

All this month we will be taking a look at what a changing climate means to Agriculture. For APHIS, changes in environmental conditions will increase the likelihood of shifts in the distribution and nature of current domestic diseases, invasive species and agricultural pests. These changes will...

Animals Plants
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