PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Study finds Catalina Island Conservancy contraception program effectively manages bison population

Iconic species thrives with more humane and cost-effective approach to population control

2013-12-19
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Patricia J. Maxwell
pmaxwell@catalinaconservancy.org
562-437-8555 x230
Santa Catalina Island Conservancy
Study finds Catalina Island Conservancy contraception program effectively manages bison population Iconic species thrives with more humane and cost-effective approach to population control

AVALON, CA -- The wild bison roaming Catalina Island are a major attraction for the nearly 1 million tourists who visit the Channel Island's most popular destination every year. But managing the number of bison so that the herd remains healthy and doesn't endanger the health of the rest of the Island has been a major challenge for wildlife biologists.

A new study by the Catalina Island Conservancy scientists, published in the December supplement of the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, reports that the Conservancy's contraception program proved effective in managing the herd's numbers. Previously, more than two-thirds of the cows delivered calves every year. After receiving the contraceptive, the calving rate dropped to 10.4% in the first year and 3.3% the following year.

The Conservancy's study demonstrated for the first time that this type of contraceptive will work in a wild herd, a finding that can help improve bison management programs throughout the United States.

"The success of the Catalina Island Conservancy's bison contraception program demonstrates the innovative approaches our scientists undertake in fulfilling our commitment to being responsible stewards of the land and the Island's resources," said Ann Muscat, Catalina Island Conservancy president and chief executive officer. "By proving the effectiveness of this humane approach to herd management, this research will be a benefit to bison herds throughout the U.S. It also lays the groundwork for further contraceptive studies in other wild species."

The bison were first brought to the Island in 1924 for a movie. Over the years, they became an iconic symbol of the Island's culture. But with no natural predators, the herd grew to some 600 animals. The Catalina Island Conservancy, which protects 88% of Catalina Island, had previously conducted studies that found the Island could support only about 150 to 200 bison. To control the herd's size, the Conservancy had been periodically conducting roundups and shipping bison to the mainland.

"Shipping the bison to the mainland was costly, and it raised concerns about the stress on the animals during shipment and the expansion of the herd beyond ecologically sustainable numbers between shipments," said Julie King, director of conservation and wildlife management and a co-author of the contraception study. "We launched the contraceptive program because it is a humane and cost-effective solution to managing the herd and protecting the Island's resources."

Beginning in 2009, the Conservancy's scientists injected the female bison with porcine zona pellucida (PZP), a contraceptive that had been used for fertility control in zoos, wild horses and white tail deer. In addition to substantially reducing the number of new calves, the PZP had no apparent effect on pregnant females or their offspring. The Conservancy's scientists continue to study PZP to determine if the female bison can regain their fertility after a period of time without the contraceptive.

"The bison contraception program is a good example of trying to reach a balance with cultural, aesthetic or recreational needs and uses and cost-effective natural resource management to maintain the health of the ecosystem," said John J. Mack, chief conservation and education officer. "Because humans have been living and changing the Island for thousands of years, the Conservancy is always seeking new approaches to ensuring the long-term use and ecological health of Catalina Island."



INFORMATION:

The Catalina Island Conservancy was formed in 1972 and is one of California's oldest land trusts. Its mission is to be a responsible steward of its lands through a balance of conservation, education and recreation. The Conservancy protects the magnificent natural and cultural heritage of Santa Catalina Island, stewarding approximately 42,000 acres of land deeded to the Conservancy in 1975, 62 miles of rugged shoreline and more than 80 miles of trails. It operates the Airport in the Sky, Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden and two nature centers. Twenty miles from the mainland, the Island is home to more than 60 plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

UTHealth program results in happier patients, lower costs in esophageal surgery

2013-12-19
UTHealth program results in happier patients, lower costs in esophageal surgery HOUSTON – (Dec. 18, 2013) – A new program designed to increase the overall satisfaction of patients undergoing esophageal surgery has resulted ...

Role for sugar uptake in breast cancer revealed

2013-12-19
Role for sugar uptake in breast cancer revealed Berkeley Lab researchers show that aerobic glycolysis is a cause of malignancy Metabolism was lost in the shadows of cancer research for decades but has recently been reclaiming some of the spotlight. ...

New anti-HIV drug target identified by University of Minnesota researchers

2013-12-19
New anti-HIV drug target identified by University of Minnesota researchers University of Minnesota researchers have discovered a first-of-its-kind series of compounds possessing anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) activity. The compounds ...

New geology research explores intriguing questions

2013-12-19
New geology research explores intriguing questions New Geology articles posted online Dec. 13, 2013 Boulder, Colo., USA - Can spaceborne radar help predict sinkholes? What do ancient ambers reveal about paleochemotaxonomy? How does serpentinization affect sub-seafloor ...

Stem cells offer clues to reversing receding hairlines

2013-12-19
Stem cells offer clues to reversing receding hairlines Regenerative medicine may offer ways to banish baldness that don't involve toupees. The lab of USC scientist Krzysztof Kobielak, MD, PhD has published a trio of papers in the journals Stem ...

Diamonds in Earth's oldest zircons are nothing but laboratory contamination

2013-12-19
Diamonds in Earth's oldest zircons are nothing but laboratory contamination UC Riverside-led research team claims the oldest 'diamonds' on the Earth are simply fragments of polishing compound RIVERSIDE, Calif. — As is well known, the Earth is about ...

New study reveals the biomechanics of how marine snail larvae swim

2013-12-19
New study reveals the biomechanics of how marine snail larvae swim Equipped with high-speed, high-resolution video, scientists have discovered important new information on how marine snail larvae swim, a key behavior that determines individual ...

Angelina Jolie's preventive mastectomy raised awareness, but not knowledge of breast cancer risk

2013-12-19
Angelina Jolie's preventive mastectomy raised awareness, but not knowledge of breast cancer risk Survey of Americans suggests a lack of understanding of genetic risk following Jolie's public announcement of her preventive double mastectomy College Park, MD – Angelina Jolie ...

Diet quality links old and young

2013-12-18
Diet quality links old and young Understanding how dietary habits are connected through the generations could have valuable benefits for community health, a new study shows. The Taiwanese study assessed the relationship between the quality of children's diets ...

Brain area attacked by Alzheimer's links learning and rewards

2013-12-18
Brain area attacked by Alzheimer's links learning and rewards Crucial linkage normally helps brain step up to new challenges DURHAM, N.C. -- One of the first areas of the brain to be attacked by Alzheimer's disease is more active when the brain isn't working very hard, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Exercise as an anti-ageing intervention to avoid detrimental impact of mental fatigue

UMass Amherst Nursing Professor Emerita honored as ‘Living Legend’

New guidelines aim to improve cystic fibrosis screening

Picky eaters by day, buffet by night: Butterfly, moth diets sync to plant aromas

Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman honored with the E. V. McCollum Award from the American Society for Nutrition

CCNY physicists uncover electronic interactions mediated via spin waves

Researchers’ 3D-printing formula may transform future of foam

Nurture more important than nature for robotic hand

Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch

New study finds that over 95% of sponsored influencer posts on Twitter were not disclosed

New sea grant report helps great lakes fish farmers navigate aquaculture regulations

Strain “trick” improves perovskite solar cells’ efficiency

How GPS helps older drivers stay on the roads

Estrogen and progesterone stimulate the body to make opioids

Dancing with the cells – how acoustically levitating a diamond led to a breakthrough in biotech automation

Machine learning helps construct an evolutionary timeline of bacteria

Cellular regulator of mRNA vaccine revealed... offering new therapeutic options

Animal behavioral diversity at risk in the face of declining biodiversity

Finding their way: GPS ignites independence in older adult drivers

Antibiotic resistance among key bacterial species plateaus over time

‘Some insects are declining but what’s happening to the other 99%?’

Powerful new software platform could reshape biomedical research by making data analysis more accessible

Revealing capillaries and cells in living organs with ultrasound

American College of Physicians awards $260,000 in grants to address equity challenges in obesity care

Researchers from MARE ULisboa discover that the European catfish, an invasive species in Portugal, has a prolonged breeding season, enhancing its invasive potential

Rakesh K. Jain, PhD, FAACR, honored with the 2025 AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research

Solar cells made of moon dust could power future space exploration

Deporting immigrants may further shrink the health care workforce

Border region emergency medical services in migrant emergency care

Resident physician intentions regarding unionization

[Press-News.org] Study finds Catalina Island Conservancy contraception program effectively manages bison population
Iconic species thrives with more humane and cost-effective approach to population control