Overabundant white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations have been reported in many urban and suburban communities across the United States. Large populations of deer can potentially increase the risk of human-wildlife conflicts, such as deer-vehicle collisions, transmission of disease to humans, and vegetation damage. In 2003, efforts to control white-tailed deer numbers were initiated at the National Aeronautical and Space Agency's (NASA) Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas, using the long-lasting, single-dose contraceptive SpayVac®. Our objectives were to evaluate the effectiveness of SpayVac® for reducing white-tailed deer fertility and determine the partial cost for treatment. Between 2003 and 2004, we monitored 45 adult female deer (34 treated with SpayVac®, 11 controls treated with a placebo). Fawning rate over 2 yr for deer treated with SpayVac® >30 days prior to the rut was 0% (n=31), whereas the fawning rate for control deer was 78% (n=11). Inoculation 1 mo prior to the breeding season was sufficient time to achieve fertility control. We conclude that SpayVac® can effectively reduce the fertility of urban white-tailed deer.
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October 01 2007
Effectiveness of Spayvac® for Reducing White-tailed Deer Fertility
Shawn L. Locke;
Shawn L. Locke
5
1 Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
5 Corresponding author (email: sloc@tamu.edu)
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Matthew W. Cook;
Matthew W. Cook
1 Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
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Louis A. Harveson;
Louis A. Harveson
2 Department of Natural Resource Management, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas 78930, USA
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Donald S. Davis;
Donald S. Davis
3 Department of Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
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Roel R. Lopez;
Roel R. Lopez
1 Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
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Nova J. Silvy;
Nova J. Silvy
1 Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
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Mark A. Fraker
Mark A. Fraker
4 TerraMar Environmental Research Ltd., 8617 Lochside Drive, Sidney, British Columbia V8L 1M8, Canada
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J Wildl Dis (2007) 43 (4): 726–730.
Article history
Received:
June 12 2006
Citation
Shawn L. Locke, Matthew W. Cook, Louis A. Harveson, Donald S. Davis, Roel R. Lopez, Nova J. Silvy, Mark A. Fraker; Effectiveness of Spayvac® for Reducing White-tailed Deer Fertility. J Wildl Dis 1 October 2007; 43 (4): 726–730. doi: https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-43.4.726
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