In summer 1986, a study was conducted to evaluate raccoon (Procyon lotor) acceptance of oral baits that could be used for rabies vaccination. One thousand wax-coated sponge bait cubes were filled with 5 mg of a seromarker (iophenoxic acid), placed in polyethylene bags, and hand-distributed in an 80 ha area within an urban National Park in Washington, D.C. (USA). After 3 wk, target and nontarget animals were trapped and blood samples collected to evaluate bait uptake. Thirty-three of 52 (63%) raccoons had elevated blood iodine levels indicating they had eaten at least one bait, 13 (25%) were negative, and six (12%) had marginal values. These results indicate that sponge baits hand-placed at a density of 12.4/ha can reach a significant proportion of an urban raccoon population. Implications for oral rabies vaccination of raccoons are discussed.
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1 January 1989
ACCEPTANCE OF SIMULATED ORAL RABIES VACCINE BAITS BY URBAN RACCOONS
J. Hadidian,
S. R. Jenkins,
D. H. Johnston,
P. J. Savarie,
V. F. Nettles,
D. Manski,
G. M. Baer
Journal of Wildlife Diseases
Vol. 25 • No. 1
January 1989
Vol. 25 • No. 1
January 1989
field study
Oral baiting
Procyon lotor
rabies
raccoon
seromarker
urban population