no other alternative is available. 

 Leghold traps can be modified with 

 padded or offset closures to make 

 them more humane for target 

 animals and to facilitate the 

 release of nontarget animals back 

 to the wild with little or no injury. 



In selecting management tech- 

 niques for specific damage 

 situations. WS professionals 

 consider the species responsible 

 for the damage; the magnitude, 

 geographic extent, duration, and 

 frequency of the resource loss: 

 and the likelihood of the conflict's 

 being repeated. In choosing a 

 management technique. WS 

 specialists consider the biological 

 and legal status of the target 

 species and potential nontarget 

 species, local environmental 

 conditions and possible environ- 

 mental impacts, and the practical- 

 ity of available management 

 options. 



The WS program does not 

 exterminate native wildlife species 

 because such efforts are contrary 

 to WS policy, are biologically 

 unwise and impractical, and are 

 often illegal. 



APHIS spends millions of dollars 

 each year on research to develop 

 and improve techniques for 

 reducing wildlife damage. Most of 

 this research is conducted by 

 APHIS scientists at the National 

 Wildlife Research Center, which is 

 headquartered in Ft. Collins, CO. In 

 January 1999. the Center opened 

 its new principal administrative and 

 laboratory facility, the Wildlife 

 Science building, on the Foothills 

 Campus of Colorado State Univer- 

 sity in Fort Collins. The Center also 

 has nine field stations throughout 

 the United States. Major research 

 activities include developing data to 

 support Environmental Protection 

 Agency registrations for pesticides 

 and materials used to control 

 vertebrates: developing non- 

 chemical management techniques: 

 evaluating the effectiveness and 

 safety of new and existing manage- 

 ment methods: studying the biology 

 and behavior of wildlife species that 

 cause damage: assessing wildlife 

 damage: and providing scientific 

 information on wildlife damage 

 management to the WS program, 

 other governmental agencies, and 

 the public. 



Research activities 

 include tracking bird 

 movements by means 

 of radiotelemetry. 



:C 



