Glossary

A | B | C | D | E | F | H | I | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | W | Z

A

Abundance

The number of individuals in a population of a species in a given unit of area.

Annual Work Plan

A management plan developed jointly by the BLM, USFS, ADC, ODFW, and ODA specifying when, where, how, and under what constraints wildlife damage management would be conducted during the next 12 months. The plan would include a map showing planned control, restricted control, no control, and special protection areas.

Allotment

A specific area of public lands within which grazing by one or more livestock operators is authorized.

Animal Behavior Modification

The use of scare tactics/devices to deter or repel animals that cause loss or damage to resources or property. It includes the use of electronic distress sounds, propane exploders, pyrotechnics, lights, scarecrows.

Animal/Livestock Husbandry

The use of livestock management practices, such as shed lambing, night penning, or employing herders and guarding dogs, to reduce mortality from weather, predation or other causes.

Animal Rights

A philosophical and political position that animals have inherent rights comparable to those of humans.

Animal Welfare

Concern for the well-being of individual animals, unrelated to the perceived rights of the animal or the ecological dynamics of the species.

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B

Behavior Modification

see "Animal Behavior Modification"

Biological control

Control methods that use predators, parasites, and pathogens-instead of chemicals or cultural practices-to combat plant pests.

Biotechnology

The application of biological science to manipulate deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to improve old organisms or create new ones, such as plants with better disease resistance, crop yield, and nutrition.

Bioterrorism

The use of living agents, such as a manmade or natural disease pathogens, to attack people, animals, and plants.

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C

Candidate Species

Any species being considered by the Secretary of the Interior for listing as an endangered or threatened species but is undergoing a status review or is proposed for listing.

Canid

A coyote, dog, fox, wolf or other member of the dog (Canidae) family.

Carnivore

A species that lives primarily meat (member of the Order Carnivora).

Carrying Capacity

The number of animals a given unit of habitat can support.

Compensation

Monetary reimbursement for loss of agricultural resources.

Confirmed Losses

Wildlife-caused losses or damages verified by APHIS-ADC. These figures usually represent only a fraction of the total losses.

Corrective Damage Management

Management actions applied when damage is occurring or after it has occurred.

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D

Denning/Den Hunting

The process of locating burrows where predators (primarily coyotes) have their young and then euthanising the pups. The adult predators may also be euthanised.

Depredating Species

An animal species causing damage to or loss of crops, livestock, other agricultural resources, or wildlife.

Depredation

The act of killing, damaging or consuming animals, crops or other agricultural resources.

Direct Control

Administration or supervision of wildlife damage management by ADC, often involving direct capture or intervention with depredating animals.

Diversity

The distribution and abundance of living organisms.

Draw Station

A livestock carcass, bone pile, or scented control area for the purpose of attracting target species, particularly coyotes.

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E

Endangered Species

Federal designation for any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

Environment

The surrounding conditions, influences, or forces that affect or modify an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival.

Environmental Assessment (EA)

An analysis of the impact of a planned action to the environment to determine the significance of that action and whether an EIS is needed.

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

A document prepared by a federal agency to analyze the anticipated environmental effects of a planned action or development, compiled with formal examination of options and risks.

Eradication

Elimination of specific wildlife pests from designated areas.

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F

Forage

Food for animals, especially when taken by browsing or grazing.

Furbearer

H

Habitat

An environment that provides the requirements (i.e., food, water, and shelter) essential to development and sustained existence of a species.

Habitat Modification/Management

Protection, destruction or modification of a habitat to maintain, increase or decrease its ability to produce, support, or attract designated wildlife species.

Harvest Data

An estimation of the number of animals removed from a population.

Harvest Rate/Level

For any given wildlife species, the harvest or harvest level represents a ceiling population established by wildlife management specialists to regulate the harvest of a species. This value represents a proportion of the population that can be taken without adversely impacting the long-term maintenance of the population.

Humaneness

The perception of compassion, sympathy, or consideration for animals from the view point of humans.

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I

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

The procedure of integrating and applying practical management methods, to keep pest species from reaching damaging levels while minimizing potentially harmful effects of pest management measures on humans, non-target species, and the environment, incorporating assessment methods to guide management decisions.

Integrated Wildlife Damage Management

(See Integrated Pest Management) The IPM approach modified to the objective of managing damage rather than pest animal populations

Invasive species

Animals, plants, and pathogens non-native to a country or region that threaten native forms of life in that region.

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L

Lethal Management Methods/Techniques

Wildlife damage management methods that result in the death of animals (e.g., M-44s, aerial shooting, calling and ground shooting, and denning).

Local Population

The population within an immediate specified geographical area causing damage to human health and safety, to other wildlife, or to forest, range, and agricultural resources.

Long-Term

An action, trend, or impact that affects the potential of a species to maintain its population through reproduction or immigration over an extended period of time.

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M

Magnitude

Criteria used in this EA to evaluate the significance of impacts on species abundance. Magnitude refers to the number of animals removed in relation to their abundance.

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N

Nonlethal Control Methods/Techniques

Wildlife damage management methods or techniques that do not result in the death of target animals (e.g., live traps, repellents, fences, etc.).

Nontarget Species/Animal

An animal or local population that is inadvertently captured, killed, or injured during wildlife damage management. The same species may be either a target or non-target animal, depending on the control situation.

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O

Offending Animal

The individual animal or animals within a specified area causing damage to human health and safety, to other wildlife, or to forest, range and agricultural resources.

Omnivore/Omnivorous

An animals that eats both animal and plant matter; a generalist, opportunistic feeder that eats whatever is available.

Open Range

Unfenced grazing lands.

P

Pesticide

A chemical substance used to control pest animals.

Pesticide Use Proposal (PUP)

A procedure whereby, a petition is submitted to government agency(ies), and must be approved by the agency(ies), before a pesticide, in a specific formulation and purpose can be used.

Population

A group of organisms of the same species that occupies a particular area.

Predacide

A toxicant used to control or manage predators or damage caused by predators.

Predator

An animal that kills and consumes another animal.

Preventive Damage Management

Management applied before damage begins.

Prey

An animal that is killed and consumed by a predator.

Public Land

Land that is owned and controlled by a government agency (i.e., federal, state, regional, county or other municipal jurisdiction).

Pyrotechnics

Fireworks or projectiles used to frighten wildlife.

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R

Range Allotment

An area, usually on public land, allocated for the use of a prescribed number of grazing animals under a management plan.

Range Condition

The relative status of rangeland in terms of available forage.

Range Lambing

Lambs born on the open-range or pasture situation.

Rangeland

Land on which the natural plant cover is made up primarily of native grasses, forbs, or shrubs valuable for forage.

Raptors

Carnivorous bird species (e.g., owls, hawks, falcons) that prey on other birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.

Registered Chemical

A chemical that has been approved by the appropriate governmental agency(ies), such as the EPA or ODA, for use in a specific formulation and for a specified purpose.

Repellent

A substance with taste, odor or tactile properties that discourages specific animals or species from using a food or place.

Requestor

An individual or agency(ies) that requests wildlife damage management assistance from ADC.

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S

Sensitive Species

Those species designated, usually in cooperation with the State agency responsible for managing the species, as sensitive. They are those species that are: 1) under status review by the FWS/NMFS; or 2) whose numbers are declining so rapidly that Federal listing may become necessary; or 3) with typically small and widely dispersed populations; or 4) those inhabiting ecological refuge or other specialized or unique habitats. Sensitive species are managed under the same criteria as threatened and endangered species pending formal listing as a T&E species or until it is delisted.

Sentinels

Organisms that are particularly sensitive to environmental contamination, diseases, or other conditions being studied.

Serology (serological)

The branch of medical science that deals with serums; especially with blood serums and disease.

Shed Lambing

Housing ewes and newborn lambs in pens or sheds to provide food, shelter, and medical care during and immediately after birth.

Short-Term

An action, trend, or impact that does not last long enough to affect the reproductive or survival capabilities of a species.

Significant Impact

An impact that will cause important positive or negative consequences to man and his environment.

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T

Take

The capture or killing of an animal.

Target Species/Animal/Population

An animal or population at which wildlife damage management is directed to alleviate damage to agriculture and non-agriculture resources. The same species may be either a target or non-target, depending on the situation.

Technical Assistance

Advice, recommendations, information, demonstrations, and materials provided for others to use in managing wildlife damage problems.

Threatened Species

Federal designation for any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

Total Harvest

The total number of individuals intentionally taken by humans from a population. Harvest does not include natural or accidental mortality.

Toxicant

A poison or poisonous substance.

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U

Unconfirmed Losses

Losses or damage reported by resource owners or managers, but not verified by ADC.

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W

Wilderness Study Area (WSA)

Undeveloped federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, and managed to preserve its natural conditions.

Wildlife

Any wild mammal, bird. reptile amphibian.

Wildlife Damage Management

Actions directed towards resolving livestock predation and human safety threats in a coordinated, managed program.

Work Plan

see "ADC Annual Work Plan"

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Z

Zoonosis

an animal disease that can be transmitted to humans.

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Glossary Resources

Glossary terms compiled from several sources including:

• Agricultural Marketing Service Glossary
• Animal Damage Control (ADC)
• Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
• Environmental Assessment (EA)
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• Wildlife Damage Management in the Roseburg ADC District In Southwestern Oregon