OTHER AT-RISK SPECIES
Population challenges aren’t limited to America’s free-roaming horses. Other species around the world pose similar issues that could be addressed with WPM’s humane and effective Remote Wildlife Vaccine Delivery System. Already, we’ve been approached to explore how our technology applies to these species:
It’s estimated there are as many as 500,000 deer in U.S. urban areas. The number is likely higher. There are few management options as hunting and trapping is difficult in densely populated urban areas.
The U.S. has an estimated 7 million feral swine that cause nearly $2 billion in damage every year. The USDA spends $30 million on the feral swine issue annually. Australia’s feral swine population is 24 million.
Australia is home to 50 million kangaroos. Population growth and loss of habitat have led to kangaroos devastating farmlands. The Australian government looking for humane solutions to reduce their numbers.
Camels were originally introduced to Australia in the 1840’s. Today, there are 1.2 million feral camels and their numbers are having a disastrous effect. The population is projected to double every five to ten years.
There are some 500,000 feral horses—brumbies—in Australia. The growing population competes with native species for scarce water and forage. Recent heat waves have resulted in mass die-offs.
Large disease outbreaks can jump from wild to domestic animals or from animals to humans. Swine flu and West Nile are two examples. With our ability to monitor wildlife health, WPM is uniquely positioned to identify potentially dangerous pandemics.