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Increasing the efficacy of Judas goats by sterilisation and pregnancy termination

Karl J. Campbell A B C H, Greg S. Baxter A, Peter J. Murray D, Bruce E. Coblentz E, C. Josh Donlan F G and Victor Carrion G. C

A School of Natural and Rural Systems Management, University of Queensland Gatton, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia.
B Charles Darwin Foundation, Casilla 17-01-3891, Quito, Ecuador.
C Galápagos National Park Service, Puerto Ayora, Isla Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador.
D School of Animal Studies, University of Queensland Gatton, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia.
E Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Nash Hall 104, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-3803, USA.
F Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Corson Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2701, USA.
G Island Conservation, Center for Ocean Health, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
H Corresponding author. Email: karl@fcdarwin.org.ec


Abstract

The use of Judas goats to locate remnant animals is a potentially powerful tool for enhancing goat-eradication efforts, which are especially important to island conservation. However, current Judas goat methodology falls short of its potential efficacy. Female Judas goats are often pregnant at the time of deployment or become impregnated in the field; pregnant females leave associated goats to give birth, causing downtime of Judas goat operations. Further, male Judas goats may inseminate remnant females. Sterilising Judas goats prior to deployment removes these inefficiencies. Here, we describe two methods (epididymectomy for males and tubal occlusion for females) that sterilise Judas goats while still maintaining sexual motivation and other behaviours associated with intact animals. These surgeries are straightforward, time efficient, and may be conducted in the field by staff with minimal training. Given the widespread and deleterious impacts of non-native herbivores to ecosystems and the importance of Judas operations in detecting animals at low densities, sterilisation and termination of pregnancy should be applied routinely in Judas goat (and possibly other species) programs to increase the efficacy of low-density control operations and eradication campaigns.

Wildlife Research 32(8) 737–743    doi:10.1071/WR05033
Submitted: 22 March 2005    Accepted: 18 October 2005    Published: 20 December 2005





   
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