• A sheep producer in Idaho contacted ADC after losing 40 

 lambs to coyotes during the spring. Despite having a herder 

 and three guarding dogs, the coyotes still killed the lambs. 

 ADC specialists used a combination of control methods 

 including traps, calling and shooting, and aerial hunting and 

 removed six coyotes from the area to stop the losses. 



• A rancher from Mendocino, CA, requested ADC 

 assistance after reporting that a mountain lion had killed all 

 of his livestock. The ADC specialists responding to the 

 request confirmed that a lion had killed 1 1 goats and 2 

 llamas. The specialist captured a 150-pound male lion at 

 the site, and no further predation has been reported. 



• A commercial baitfish producer in Paragould, AR, 

 estimated that lesser scaups caused approximately 

 $500,000 in losses to his aquaculture business the previous 

 winter. This waterfowl species had never been present in 

 such large numbers or caused extensive losses in the past. 

 ADC prepared a damage management plan emphasizing 

 harassment to be implemented during the winter months 

 before the birds become habituated to feeding on 

 commercial fish stocks. 



• Blackbirds caused more than $50,000 in damage to rice 

 crops in Matagorda and Brazoria counties in Texas in early 

 1995. Both locations that received damage were adjacent to 

 large roosting and staging areas used by the birds. ADC 

 specialists, in cooperation with the Texas Agricultural 

 Experiment Station in Beaumont, used the avian toxicant 

 DRC-1339 to remove many of the blackbirds and reduce 

 the incidence of further damage in the area. 



• An ADC specialist in Solano County, CA, received a 

 request for assistance from a local resident to help with a 

 problem caused by beavers. The rodents had cut down nine 

 mature pear trees valued at over $20,000. The specialist 

 removed four beavers from the area, and no further damage 

 to the fruit trees has occurred. 



• ADC received numerous complaints from farmers in 

 Arkansas reporting blackbird damage to their ripening rice 

 crops. ADC personnel spent considerable time helping the 

 farmers disperse the birds by establishing a bird scaring 

 program using recorded blackbird distress calls, propane 

 cannons, and various pyrotechnic devices. These methods 

 were successful in scaring the birds away from the crops. 



8/ ADC Program Highlights, 1995 



