Newsletter
Spring 2018
FEATURED NEWS: WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS
Nearly a dozen professionals involved in urban deer population management offered presentations at the Urban Deer Fertility Control Workshop sponsored by the Botstiber Institute for Wildlife Fertility Control on May 2nd at the Tarrytown House Estate in Tarrytown, NY.  More than 55 participants from across the United States attended this first of its kind workshop dedicated solely to the issue of urban deer fertility control planning, research and regulations.

The workshop opened with a session on Urban Deer Management Planning. Subsequent sessions included: Current Trends in Urban Deer Fertility Control Management and Research, Product Development, Case Studies in Urban Deer Fertility Control, and Tools and Methods. The workshop concluded with a demonstration of the PZP vaccine, identification/tracking methods, and darting systems. 

The presenters were:
  • Laurie Briggs, Co-founder and Director, CliftonDeer.org
  • Dr. Anthony DeNicola, President, White Buffalo, Inc. 
  • Mark A. Fraker, Vice President of Operations, SpayVac®-for-Wildlife, Inc. 
  • John Griffin, Director, Urban Wildlife Programs, The Humane Society of the United States  
  • Dr. Harm HogenEsch, Associate Dean for Research, Professor of Immunopathology, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine  
  • Dr. Daniel Lemons, Trustee, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY  
  • Dr. Jeffrey Newman, DVM, Caring Hands Animal Hospital in Alexandria, Virginia  
  • Kali Pereira, Senior Wildlife Field Manager, The Humane Society of the United States  
  • Robert Rack, Co-founders and Director, CliftonDeer.org  
  • Dr. Allen Rutberg, Director, Center for Animals and Public Policy, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University  
  • Peter Swiderski, Mayor, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY

Follow this link to view photos and presentations from this event.
IMPORTANT DATES
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON NON-SURGICAL CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS OF PET POPULATION CONTROL, July 22-24, 2018
The Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs (ACC&D) will hold its 6th International Symposium on Non-Surgical Contraceptive Methods of Pet Population Control in Boston, MA. The BIWFC will participate on a panel discussing field studies of fertility control. The Institute will also be a sponsor of the conference. Refer to the symposium webpage for more details on the event.
PATHWAYS EUROPE, Sept. 16-18, 2018
Stephanie Boyles Griffin, the BIWFC Science & Policy Director, will present at Pathways Europe in Germany alongside Dr. Giovanna Massei, Leader of the Wildlife Research & Control Group for APHA and BIWFC Advisory Board Member. More information about the conference can be found here .
THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY ANNUAL CONFERENCE, Oct. 7-11, 2018
The BIWFC is exhibiting at The Wildlife Society's 25th Annual Conference to be held in Cleveland, OH. TWS Conference is acclaimed as one of the largest gatherings of wildlife professionals in North America. Follow this link to view the conference site.
BIWFC GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT
BIWFC's grant program supports projects that advance wildlife fertility control science, policy and its applications. In each newsletter we plan to spotlight a recipient of our Grant Program. 

Meet BIFWC Grantee Hilari French , DVM, PhD, DACT, DABVP, Ross University

Will you provide some background on what the Caribbean Islands are experiencing with their donkey populations?
There is a significant human-animal conflict on several Caribbean islands as donkeys continue to reproduce without predator or population control. Local inhabitants originally used donkeys for manual labor, but as technology has advanced they have now become tourist attractions or, more commonly, a nuisance. During the rainy season, food sources are readily available, but during the dry season many donkeys struggle for resources. The need for food and water drives donkeys on to local properties, resort golf courses, or airport landing strips.
 
How is the issue of overpopulation currently addressed on the islands?
All islands have created different protocols to adjust to this growing problem. Some islands have created separate enclosures to contain these populations but require funding to continue to feed the population. Other islands have resorted to annual culls to control the population. A very small number have been able to set up a donkey sanctuary utilizing outside funding to support this organization.
 
What is the goal of your project?
To apply a humane, minimally-invasive and reversible population management method to address the problem of donkey populations in the Caribbean. We also strive to understand the mechanism of action and any potential welfare issues (behavioral or biological) associated with vaccinations.  
 
What are the results so far?
Promising results with the both traditionally-applied native PZP vaccine and recombinant ZP vaccine in that reversible anoestrus and contraceptive efficacy was achieved in treated animals .

What is the next step?
To trial native PZP and recombinant ZP vaccines in combination with a novel adjuvant formulation in donkeys to achieve minimal inject site reactions (associated with traditional Freund’s adjuvants) without compromising the efficacy of the vaccine protocol. Most importantly, the recombinant vaccine offers the potential to provide at least equivalent vaccine efficacy to the native porcine derived antigens with improved scale of production (& economics) and safety, being a non-animal derived product, which will allow international movement of vaccine. 

More information about the BIWFC Grant Program can be found on our website .
IN THE NEWS
INDIA FACES UNIQUE ROADBLOCK
As discussed in the previous Winter Newsletter, India approved a 10-year immunocontraceptive research project. In April 2018, India Today reported on the setbacks the Wildlife Institute of India has been encountering, including receiving PZP shipments from the United States.
VASCETOMIES LEAD TO REDUCED DEER NUMBERS
After two years of the management plan to vasectomize Staten Island's bucks, there has been an 8% reduction in the deer population. The New York Daily News reported that, with 85% of the bucks treated, "it's reasonable to expect further, faster population drops".
OVOCONTROL IN BOLIVIA
OvoControl, implemented in the Plaza Murillo of La Paz, Bolivia to manage the pigeon populations, has shown to be successful in controlling fecundity of birds. The March 2018 ERBOL news article explains that the goal of this project is too reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases.
WILD HORSES OF THE RACHEL CARSON RESERVE
Paula Gillikin discusses in Coastal Review Online not only the use of immunocontraceptions on the horse herds of the Rachel Carson Reserve, North Carolina, but the overall efforts to keep the ecosystem humanely preserved.
Click here to view more articles
STAFF
Stephanie Boyles Griffin - Science and Policy Director
Monique Principi - Managing Director
Rachel Soroka - Program Assistant
Rosalie Lombardo - Communications Associate
Elizabeth Leitzell - Digital Media Specialist
Carolyn Rauch - Sr. Meeting Specialist
For more information, please visit our website