Program Highlights 



New Strategic Plan 



In October 1994, ADC published Animal Damage Control: 

 Mission and Strategy — a new strategic plan — which was the 

 result of a long process involving a "futuring" exercise that 

 began in 1991 and involved employees at all levels within 

 the program. We recognized the need for increased public 

 awareness of the extent and magnitude of wildlife damage 

 problems, as well as the need for socially acceptable and 

 effective control methods. The new strategic plan has been 

 provided to ADC employees and stakeholders. You may 

 request a copy by writing to ADC at the Riverdale, MD, 

 address given on page 3. 



Sheep and Goat Loss Survey 



ADC has continued its interagency agreement with USDA's 

 National Agricultural Statistics Service (MASS) to determine 

 the magnitude and extent of wildlife damage to various 

 agricultural resources. In May 1995, NASS released the 

 results of its survey to determine predator losses to the 

 sheep and goat industry. Results indicated that, during 

 1994, predators killed 368,050 sheep and lambs valued at 

 $17.7 million. Predators also killed 140,000 goats valued at 

 $5.5 million. Coyotes continued to be the largest single 

 predator of sheep and goats, followed by feral dogs. 



NASS also documented in the survey that both fencing and 

 husbandry practices tied for the leading nonlethal control 

 measures used dunng 1994, and farmers and ranchers 

 spent an average of $1 .77 per breeding animal on nonlethal 

 control compared to $0.50 for lethal measures. The ADC 

 program has renewed the NASS contract to obtain 

 information regarding the amount of agricultural losses 

 caused by wildlife on an annual basis. 



Program Development Activities 



The total cooperative funding provided to the ADC program 

 increased by approximately $2 million during 1995. The 

 majority of this funding was allocated for beaver control and 

 human health and safety projects. Examples follow. 



Texas increased its cooperative funding by a $200,000 

 allotment that was used to fund four additional beaver 

 control specialist positions in east Texas to respond to 

 increasing requests for local assistance. The city of San 

 Antonio also provided $20,000 to ADC for rabies 

 suppression efforts in and around that city. 



The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks 

 provided $164,000 in funding, and the Mississippi 

 Department of Transportation provided $100,000 to expand 

 beaver control activities throughout the State. 



In South Carolina, ADC, the State's Department of 

 Transportation, and various counties initiated a cooperative 

 program to reduce damage to roadbeds and bridges caused 

 by beavers along State roads in an eight-county area. 

 Adjacent landowners also benefit when beaver 

 impoundments are drained from forest and agricultural 

 lands. Interest in ADC expanding its beaver damage- 

 management services in South Carolina is growing rapidly 

 as private landowners and local governments from other 

 regions of the State become aware of the economic benefits 

 already being derived from the program. 



In Nebraska, the governor signed a bill providing $50,000 

 per year for animal damage control activities in that State. 

 The money will be used under a cooperative agreement and 

 work plan between ADC and the Nebraska Department of 

 Agriculture. 



The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture increased its 

 cooperative funding by $153,556; this allocation is being 

 used to fund several animal damage control specialist 

 positions. 



In North Carolina, the State's Wildlife Resources 

 Commission and several counties increased cooperative 

 funding by $278,372 to expand the pilot beaver control 

 program to 27 counties in response to increasing requests 

 for assistance. 



ADC was a sponsor of the second annual conference of The 

 Wildlife Society held September 12-17, 1995, in Portland, 

 OR. More than 2,000 wildlife biologists from around the 

 world gathered for presentations on diverse topics of 

 concern to natural resource managers. Several ADC 

 employees made presentations on bird-aircraft protection, 

 immunocontraception in wildlife management, chemistry in 

 wildlife research, international trap standards, coyote-sheep 



4MDC Program Highlights, 1995 



