Transcript Exotic/Nuisance/Overabundant Wildlife

Exotic/Nuisance/Overabundant
Wildlife
– Animal damage control (ADC)
Exotic Species
– All species have an ecological niche
– They evolve to occupy a “realized” niche
• counteradaptation - e.g., when predator
evolves to be effecient at prey capture, prey
evolve to avoid predator
Result is a narrow realized niche
– Transporting such species to a new
location removes the counteradaptive
constraints
– 1. Escape from competition
– 2. Escape from predators, disease
How are exotic species
introduced?
– 1. Inadvertent
• weeds
• rats
– 2. Escape of domestics
• plants
• burros
• cats and dogs
– 3. Purposeful
• to fill an open niche?
– Ring-necked pheasant
• as predators to control exotic prey
• mongoose
In the U.S.
– Red fox, starling, mute swan, nutria,
mountain goats (native to western Canada,
Alaska, and parts of NW U.S., otherwise
introduced)
Biological control:
– Not eradication but reduction of numbers of the
exotic pest
– Can use native predators, competitors, diseases
– Can use pesticides to target the exotic species
with minimal effect on natives
• "Classical" biological control involves
introduction of exotic predators or diseases:
– red fox in Australia
– mongoose in Puerto Rico
• strict laws to prevent entry