Learned aversion and bait uptake by badgers
Journal
Applied Animal Behaviour Science
Volume 92, Issues 1-2
,
July 2005,
Pages 159-168
Authors
Francesca Cagnacci, Giovanna Massei, David P. Cowan and Richard J. Delahay
Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton, York Y041 1LZ, UK
Abstract
Vaccination and fertility control by means of oral
baits may be potential tools for the management of bTB in populations of the badger, but bait monopolisation may hamper the effectiveness of these
methods. One potential method to reduce bait monopolisation is to
induce learned aversion to bait. Learned aversion can be generated by
adding compounds that induce conditioned taste aversion (CTA) or
repellency to the bait. The present study tested whether levamisole
hydrochloride, added to meat baits, induced learned aversion to meat in
free-living badgers. Baits were distributed to six badger social groups (three treatment and three controls). In the first phase of the study, consumption of treated meat by badgers was lower than the consumption of untreated meat in control groups. In the following phase badgers
consumed all the untreated baits. This indicated that levamisole did
not induce conditioned taste aversion to the bait. In the last phase of
the study, badgers
were re-offered levamisole-treated baits and their consumption
decreased significantly compared to untreated baits. These results
confirmed that badgers
developed a learned aversion to levamisole rather than to baits,
indicating that levamisole can induce bait-aversion through repellency.
In vaccination and fertility control campaigns levamisole could be
added to baits to reduce bait monopolisation by repellency.
Keywords
Bait monopolisation; Conditioned taste aversion; Fertility control;
Meles meles; Repellency; Vaccination
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