Wildlife Under Study (1981)

at sea buggy research scientists create products which enrich the quality of our lives products to increase our food supply dyes and pigments which surround us with color pharmaceuticals to improve our health products which reaffirm the value of science to mankind as part of its continuing program in support of Science Education ciba-geigy is pleased to present this issue of the science screen report the science screen report developments in science engineering and medicine that help solve the problems of modern life impacts on wildlife by modern society are steadily increasing yet preserving the environments delicate balance remains basic to our way of life at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center of the US Fish and Wildlife Service major areas of work include controlling environmental contamination protecting endangered species an investigating wildlife population changer the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center near Laurel Maryland includes 4,000 acres of forests and fields on the Patuxent River many studies are carried out on these grounds biologists working together to solve environmental problems [Music] environmental contaminants industrial wastes heavy metals and others have exacta da high toll on many forms of Wildlife devastating whole populations by affecting their ability to reproduce or rear their young [Music] it was at the TUC sent in 1945 that studies of the insecticide DDT revealed how this non biodegradable compound had spread throughout the environment and was accumulating in the tissues of wild animals sometimes in levels high enough to cause death other more subtle effects eventually became apparent tests showed that dde a DDT derivative fed to waterfowl led to thin eggshells and reduced hatching rates today at Patuxent colonies of wild birds are maintained among the most vulnerable of all wildlife to such chemical typical species are used towels and kestrels representing birds of prey mallards and black ducks as waterfowl night herons as wading birds in starlings and other black birds as songbirds in the Patuxent chemistry building using sophisticated instruments such as atomic absorption spectrophotometer x' and gas chromatographs staffed chemists analyze tissue samples for pesticides heavy metal compounds and other contaminants [Music] barn owls which breed well in captivity have proven to be an important species for such tests they've been used in several studies of both organochlorides related to DDT and other newer chemicals this kind of information is used by regulatory agencies in deciding to restrict or even ban use of certain chemicals a new research focus is the effects of heavy metal compounds such as those of mercury and chromium on species such as black ducks the Ducks diets for this study hold the same amounts of toxic substances as in the wild the tests going on for generations examined their effects on reproduction and the birds ability to rear their young in the Pacific Northwest forests insect control via new types of safe pesticides is under study effects of organophosphates on local bird populations are also being measured while they do break down quickly organophosphates pesticides are often applied in high concentrations during the critical period when many birds are rearing their young in parallel experimental studies of organophosphates at Patuxent common starlings are attracted to nest boxes placed in fields and meadows when birds begin nesting behavior parents are captured periodically and some fed doses of organophosphates they are then observed to see if the substance has affected their insect gathering abilities and their ability to raise their young [Music] box is equipped with super 8 millimeter cameras and time clocks record how frequently parent Birds return to their nests such experiments provide useful data and techniques for biologists even as they assist development of safer pesticides the majestic California condor has a wingspan of 3 meters and can soar to 5000 meter heights today there may be less than 25 such birds in the wild a major concern of the Patuxent endangered species program [Music] using the closely-related andean condor patuxent biologists have shown that condor reproduction rates can be greater in captivity than in the wild well-maintained pens a good food supply and protection from predators disease and accidents allow these captive birds to double triple or even quadruple their reproductive rates six young andean condors reared at Patuxent were fitted with solar-powered transmitters and large ID tags on their wings released in Peru the Andean species raised in captivity continued to prosper one more hopeful sign for the California condor recovery program [Music] the whooping crane exemplifies how biologists have restored such endangered species during the first half of this century whooping cranes experienced a major population decline by the 1960s the species was on the edge of extinction largely due to loss of habitats caused by man's activities [Music] the tucson's captive breeding program used pairs of adults in separate quarters and methodical husbandry practices including adequate food water and nesting sites [Music] the birds courted danced but produced no fertile eggs this problem was overcome enhancing the fertility of productive pairs and producing fertile eggs in previously unproductive Birds [Music] whooping cranes which normally produce a two egg clutch each spring in the wild lay as many as 14 eggs per year in captivity sandhill cranes then serve as foster parents for the young a technique called cross-fostering whooping crane chicks brought up in this way soon learned to survive in the wild other endangered species programs include restocking bald eagles the birds reared at Patuxent are shipped to sites where the species is reestablishing itself other bird species are also being restocked at their native habitats [Music] wildlife population changes are a third Patuxent research subject after a century banding remains the best tool for studying migration at the migratory bird management lab at Patuxent banding records going back almost a century are stored in computers tens of millions of reports a million more are added each year reports show both when and where birds are banded and when and where they are recovered banding records annual bird counts census measurements and other data are used by biologists to determine species increases for more important species declines these in turn are used to set hunting season dates and bag limits for migratory game birds for the entire country [Music] winged collecting by hunters allows the world's largest annual survey of waterfowl when the hunting season ends biologists gather at Patuxent to classify each wing by species age and location the results provide a picture of the year's harvest for wildlife managers selected species are also analyzed for manmade chemicals and other residues giving a geographic profile of changes in the environment [Music] research on protected species populations such as Chesapeake Bay canvasback ducks is also carried out these studies provide a model for other diving duck populations one based on excellent data since canvasbacks returned to the same wintering area each year banding studies began in 1977 using specially designed traps [Music] so far over 10,000 diving ducks have been banded removed from traps birds are checked for previous year bands then held until they're dry enough for accurate weighing later they're examined for age sex and physical condition the project's data on changes in the environment and populations will be used to calculate survival ratios based on initial bird weights and winter conditions [Music] the US Fish and Wildlife Service Patuxent Wildlife Research Center extending our knowledge of man's impact on the planet protecting endangered species measuring migration and population changes for the environment is not ours alone science screen report has been produced by ciba-geigy corporation with headquarters in Ardsley new york as part of its continuing program in support of science education [Music]