Buffalo and Other Mammals There is a war on wildlife — a killing war. Wildlife contraception provides a humane means of ending the war on wildlife. Animals that are considered “game” are shot with rifles, muskets, bows, etc. Other species are considered “opportunities” for trappers and are caught in leg-hold traps, and then shot or beaten to death. Still others are considered nuisance animals or pests because they interfere with a human’s objective, are said to be too numerous or are seen in the “wrong place.” So-called non-native animals — even if they have lived in an area such as Australia for 5,000 years as the dingo has — are often the victim of extermination.

Many of these nuisance or non-native animals were introduced into a foreign environment by humans — often on purpose, occasionally by accident. For example, prior to the 1800’s, donkeys, buffalos and camels were used around the world as transportation. Once mechanized vehicles replaced them, they were released into the wild. In the U.S., the Army bred horses for transport up until World War I. When modern vehicles replaced these domestic animals, they were often abandoned. In time, some of the horses and burros became feral and are now viewed as nuisances.

Any species of wildlife that is believed to compete with domestic food animals such as cattle, goats, sheep or even birds that eat human planted crops are subjected to lethal controls. A particularly ironic example involves buffalo, the symbol of strength and freedom on U.S. currency. Once thought to be extinct, U.S. government agencies are now slaughtering the last wild herd of buffalo as they leave Yellowstone National Park on their age-old migration to find forage and to give birth in their traditional birthing areas. Cattle ranchers want the buffalo killed once they cross the invisible state line into Montana. In 1996-97, nearly 1,100 buffalo were slaughtered during the winter when they migrated out of the park and into Montana. The slaughter combined with deaths from an unusually severe winter, resulted in a loss of more than half of the Yellowstone herd in a matter of months. This tragedy resulted in the formation of the Buffalo Field Campaign — a group of dedicated volunteers who live with the Buffalo, monitor their movements, and document and publicize the cruel actions taken against the animals by the Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) and the National Park Service (NPS). 

In conjunction with the Science and Conservation Center and Mobilization for Animals PA, NOA has initiated and funded a Buffalo contraception research program at the Trexler Lehigh Game Preserve in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Rabbits And Foxes In Australia Among other animals, rabbits are considered a nuisance in Australia. It began in 1859 when 24 wild European rabbits were released into the wild to provide hunting opportunities for gentlemen farmers. By 1910 rabbits had spread across most of the continent and were identified as “pest” animals. During the 1950s, Australian governmental agencies began a series of extermination programs geared to eliminate rabbits. Biological agents such as myxoma virus and calici virus, were employed to infect rabbits. 90–99% of Australia’s rabbit population died. The few remaining rabbits developed a degree of resistance, however, and their population rebounded. Like the rabbits, the Europena red fox was also introduced into Australia to increase hunting opportunities. As the rabbit population increased, so did the number of foxes. They are now considered pests. The humane alternative to the animal suffering caused by lethal methods involves the use of virus vectored contraception. Research combining the myoxma virus in a supposedly benign form with contraceptive agents such as GnRH is in progress. Scientists are also investigating similar strategies using salmonella virus combined with GnRH for foxes. There is some risk that the genetically altered virus may still cause some animals to suffer and die.

In comparison to the lethal methods still in use, however, contraception appears to be a more effective and more humane approach to population control.