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Brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) population density and carcass locations following exposure to acetaminophen

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Abstract

Mass aerial delivery of dead mouse baits treated with acetaminophen has been evaluated as a means to reduce brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) populations over large areas, increasing the likelihood of wide-scale eradication on Guam. Given the high density of snakes in some areas of their invasive range, eradication efforts could result in a resource pulse that may influence food web dynamics and the indirect transport of acetaminophen among trophic levels. We evaluated abundance, habitat type, and snake size (i.e., age) within two study sites on Guam, a secondary limestone forest (upland) and an abandoned coconut plantation (coastal), to determine how experimentally dosing snakes with acetaminophen is likely to influence carrion availability. We found snakes trapped in 3.24 ha plots occurred in greater abundance (population size = 72.5 snakes; SE = 8.8) and were significantly larger (978.6 mm, SE = 14.9) in the coastal than in the upland site (population size = 26.9, SE = 21.5; length = 903.0 mm, SE = 15.9). Despite these differences, carcasses of snakes that died after consuming acetaminophen-laced mice (80 mg) were recovered in consistent locations between sites, with 92 % located on the ground, 4 % in trees, and 4 % found in rock cavities at both sites. Given that most snakes were found on the ground rather than in the tree canopy, our results suggest that many poisoned snake carcasses will be accessible to a wide range of potential scavengers, possibly influencing food web dynamics and potentially contributing to indirect toxicant transfer within affected ecosystems.

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Acknowledgments

We thank M. Hall, S. Mosher, D. Lujan, and the staff at the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Service Andersen Air Force Base, Guam for logistical support and capture assistance. This work was supported through Cooperative Agreements between the University of Georgia Research Foundation and the United Stated Department of the Navy via the United States Department of Agriculture National Wildlife Research Center (No. 14-7439-1099-CA) and the United States Department of Energy (No. DE-FC09-07SR22506).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, P.O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC, 29802, USA

    Joshua B. Smith, Kelsey L. Turner, James C. Beasley & Olin E. Rhodes Jr

  2. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    Kelsey L. Turner & James C. Beasley

  3. U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Wildlife Research Center, 6100 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky, OH, USA

    Travis L. DeVault

  4. Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA

    William C. Pitt

  5. Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    Olin E. Rhodes Jr

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  1. Joshua B. Smith
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Correspondence to Joshua B. Smith.

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This paper was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

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Smith, J.B., Turner, K.L., Beasley, J.C. et al. Brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) population density and carcass locations following exposure to acetaminophen. Ecotoxicology 25, 1556–1562 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-016-1711-1

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