REVIEW OF PASA RE(ID) 1-67 : CONTROL OF VERTEBRATE PESTS (10/21/71- 10/22/71)

PROJ OBJECTIVE IS AN ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE MEANS FOR SAFE & EFFECTIVE VERTEBRATE PEST CONTROL (VPC) WHICH WILL INCREASE FOOD SUPPLIES WHEN APPLIED ON A REGIONAL BASIS. ANNUAL REPORTS,PROJ UNIT ACCOMPLISHMNT SUMMARIES & SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATNS WERE EXAMINED. LG POPULATNS OF VP"S IN LDC"S REDUCE PRODUCTN,DAMAGE STORED FOODS,& CARRY DISEASE. BIOLOGICAL CONTROL IS BEING DEVELOPED BASED ON BIOLOGY,PHYCHOLGY,BEHAVIOR,LIFE CYCLE,& SMELL/TASTE PREFERENCES OF VP"S. VP"S IN MANY LDC"S HAVE BEEN STUDIED BUT MORE RESEARCH HAS BEEN PERFORMED VAMPIRE BATS (MEXICO),RATS (PHILIPPINES),& BIRDS (COLOMBIA). VPC TECH IN THESE PILOT NATNS WILL BE PERFECTED & SHARED LDC"S FACING THE SAME OR SIMILAR PRO BS. TEAM FEELS RESEARCHERS ARE CAPABLE,ENTHUSIASTIC,& HAVE CONSIDERABLE RESEARCH IMAGINATN. MEXICO"S VAMPIRE BAT PROBIS SIMILAR TO THAT OF MANY OTHER LATIN COUNTRIES. SINCE BATS ARE NOT BIOLOGICALLY SICCESSFUL (BS),ONCE REDUCED IN NUMBER THEY WILL BE EASILY CONTROLED. VAMPIRES WHICH CARRY RABIES FEED ON CATTLE. CHEMICALS TOXIC TO BATS BUT NOT HOSTS HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO RECENT BITES SINCE BATS OFTEN RETURN TO OLD WOUNDS. METAL PLATES HAVE BEEN ATTACHED TO BATS SO FLIGHT & FEEDING PATTERNS MAY BE STUDIED ELECTRONICLY. RAT RESEARCH IN THE PHIL HAS THE CONFIDENCE OF THE GOV & ITS AGENCIES. RATS ARE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL SINCY THEY ARE BS,& ADAPTABLE. RESEARCH W/CHEMOSTERILANTS HAS PROVED SUCCESSFUL WITH SOME SPECIES. STUDIES INDICATE REDUCTNS IN DAMAGE TO PADDY RICE BY REDUCING VEGETATN COVER ON DIKES. BIRD & RODENT PROBS IN S AM HAVE BEEN LESS STUDIED. CHEMICAL REPELLENTS MAY BE ACCEPTABLE FOR CONTROLLING BIRDS SUCH AS THE EARED DOVE,DICKCISSILS,& PSITTIDS WHICH DESTROY SEED CROPS. ZINC PHOSPHIDE LOOKS PROMISING IN REDUCING COTTON RATS. EVALUATOR RECOMMENDS REFUNDING SINCE PROJ HAS PRODUCED SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES & PUBLICATNS,& BIBLIOGRAPHIES ON VARIOUS VP"S. INSTITUTN BUILDING WILL CONTINUE TO BE A MAJOR FACTOR IN DEV,PLANNING,& RESEARCH. EVALUATORS RECOMMEND OUTREACH OF NEW VPC TECH TO FARMERS &THAT LOCALS BE TRAINIED TO DO RESEARCH.