Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) are a rabies vector in Texas and efforts are underway to develop an oral rabies vaccination program for skunks. To better understand some of the components necessary, I studied the habitat preferences and home range of skunks, an alternative skunk capture method, and surveyed the knowledge base of medical providers practicing across the state. I radiocollared 99 skunks from the Houston, Texas metropolitan area and monitored skunk movements from March 2004–June 2006. To accelerate progress of this study, I captured 93 of 99 skunks using a dip net. Dip netting allowed for an effective collection alternative to cage trapping. Movement data indicated a strong preference for short grass areas (82%), however, habitat use changed to remote, brushy areas when temperatures were ≤7C. Habitat use during the year was different (P = 0.001), with December 2004, January 2005, and February 2005 significantly (P = 0.001) different from one another. Additionally, habitat use during December 2005, February 2006, and March 2006 were significantly different (P = 0.045, P =0.098, and P =0.003, respectively). Data from 20 skunks, covering multiple seasons, were analyzed for home range use. I found male home range use averaged 255 ha (217–345), while females averaged 126 ha (60–218). Male range use was significantly larger than females (P = 0.005). No significant seasonal movements were observed. Lastly, I conducted a survey of 297 Texas primary care medical providers to assess their knowledge of rabies vaccine procedures and their experience with rabies vaccines. Small town providers within the oral rabies vaccination baiting zone were more aware of rabies prophylaxis (P < 0.03), however, most providers (>95% of 297) rarely saw patients for rabies prophylaxis. Survey data indicated providers have minimal, if any, experience with acquiring and administering rabies prophylaxis. My data suggests that an effective oral rabies vaccination program could be established within urban areas by using short grass area baiting strategies during the fall season, using dip net capturing for faster surveillance collection, and by initiating a rabies education program targeted at Texas’ primary care physicians and their staff.

The National Park Service (NPS) monitors off-road vehicle (ORV) use in National Seashores across the United States. The sediment disturbance that is caused by ORVs is believed to have a large impact on erosion (by wind or waves), which there by affects the morphology of the foredunes. With greater knowledge of ORV impacts, the NPS can better manage ORV use and minimize anthropogenic affects to the coastal environment. There remains considerable uncertainty about the disturbance and its larger-scale impact. This study quantifies the sediment disturbance made by tire tracks, as well as the tire track form, width, depth, and evolution with relation to the number of vehicle passes and location on the beach at Assateague Island National Seashore (ASIS), Maryland. To measure ORV impact, ground-based LiDAR was used to collect detailed profiles across a three by three meter test plot at each site. Based on the quantification of the displaced sediment and redistribution of that sediment from the tracks, a recommendation to the NPS can be made as to where along the beach traffic should be limited to, in order to minimize impact to the physical environment at ASIS. Tire tracks were found to widen after the first pass, as a result of the imperfections of driving. Compaction of the sediment in the center of the tire track accounts for only a minimal amount of the sediment lost from the tire tracks. Sediment removal accounted for greater than 75% of the sediment lost from the tire tracks at all sites. It was concluded that sediment removal is the most dominant factor in the creation and evolution of a tire track. The width, depth, and evolution of a tire track were also found to be controlled by the imperfections of driving. Despite the amount of sediment disturbance, it is found that there is no net downslope displacement of sediment. This conclusion counters previous ORV impact studies and suggests that ORVs are not directly responsible for beach erosion. It is also recommended that to minimize the impact of OVRs on the beach at ASIS, the NPS should limit driving to the backshore.

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