1. Exotic/Nuisance/Overabundant Wildlife • Animal damage control (ADC)

2. Exotic Species • All species have an ecological niche • They evolve to occupy a “realized” niche • counteradaptation - e.g., when predator evolves to be effecient at prey capture, prey evolve to avoid predator

3. Result is a narrow realized niche • Transporting such species to a new location removes the counteradaptive constraints • 1. Escape from competition • 2. Escape from predators, disease

4. How are exotic species introduced? • 1. Inadvertent • weeds • rats • 2. Escape of domestics • plants • burros • cats and dogs • 3. Purposeful • to fill an open niche? • Ring-necked pheasant • as predators to control exotic prey • mongoose

5. In the U.S. • Red fox, starling, mute swan, nutria, mountain goats (native to western Canada, Alaska, and parts of NW U.S., otherwise introduced)

6. Biological control: • Not eradication but reduction of numbers of the exotic pest • Can use native predators, competitors, diseases • Can use pesticides to target the exotic species with minimal effect on natives • "Classical" biological control involves introduction of exotic predators or diseases: • red fox in Australia • mongoose in Puerto Rico • strict laws to prevent entry