(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.
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
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:
Less intensive works best for agricultural soil
Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation
Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests
Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome
UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership
New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll
Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes
University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025
Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025
AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials
New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age
Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker
Chips off the old block
Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia
Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry
Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19
Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity
State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections
Young adults drive historic decline in smoking
NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research
Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development
This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack
FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology
In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity
Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects
A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions
AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate
Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative
Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine
Mission accomplished for the “T2T” Hong Kong Bauhinia Genome Project
[Press-News.org] Study finds Catalina Island Conservancy contraception program effectively manages bison populationIconic species thrives with more humane and cost-effective approach to population control