Wildlife–livestock conflict: the risk of pathogen transmission from bison to cattle outside Yellowstone National Park
Kilpatrick AM, Gillin CM, Daszak P. 2009. Wildlife–livestock conflict: the risk of pathogen transmission from bison to cattle outside Yellowstone National Park. Journal of Applied Ecology. 46(2):476-485
1.Interactions between wildlife and domestic livestock have created conflict for centuries becauseof pathogen transmission, competition for space and food, and predation. However, the transmissionof pathogens from wildlife to domestic animals has recently gained prominence, includingH5N1 avian influenza from wild ducks to poultry, bovine tuberculosis from badgers to cattle, andbrucellosis from elk and bison to cattle. The risk of transmission ofBrucella abortus(the causativeagent of brucellosis) from bison (Bison bison) to cattle around Yellowstone National Park (YNP) isa hotly debated topic and an important conservation issue.2.Here we use a model to integrate epidemiological and ecological data to assess the spatiotemporalrelative risk of transmission ofBrucellafrom bison to cattle outside YNP under differentscenarios.3.Our risk assessment shows that relative risk is spatially and temporally heterogeneous with localhotspots, shows a highly skewed distribution with predominantly low risk, and is stronglydependent on climate and the abundance of bison. We outline two strategies for managing this risk,and highlight the consequences of the current adaptive management plan.4.Synthesis and applications.Our results provide a detailed quantitative assessment of risk thatoffers several advantages over projections of numbers of bison leaving Yellowstone National Park.They suggest that risk could be effectively managed with lower costs, but that land use issues andthe larger question of bison population management and movement outside the park might hinderthe prospect of solutions that will please all stakeholders. More broadly, our work provides amodel framework for quantifying the risk of wildlife–livestock pathogen transmission to guidemanagement actions.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Kilpatrick, A; Gillin, Colin; Daszak, Peter
- Units
- YELL
- Keywords
- animal disease, buffalo, Climate Change, disease control, emerging infectious disease, GIS, Population regulation, Wildlife disease, zoonotic