Public Service Duties…
The SDCVC has helping ranchers, farmers, and rural landowners limit damage to personal property caused by predators and varmints. The SDCVC has performed many other public services for Federal and State agencies, as well as for other private outdoor/conservation groups. All public service duties are accomplished by using SDCVC membership volunteers who donate their time, skill, and expertise.
Samples of public service duties include:
A survey regarding Bubonic Plague for the Federal Department of Public Health conducted on one of our Nation’s largest military bases.
- Extensive predator depredation work to protect a Least Tern nesting area on a federally protected wildlife refuge.
- A Bobcat population survey for the California State Department of Fish and Game.
- Another survey regarding Bubonic Plague authorized by the California State Department of Public Health Vector Biology and Control Section conducted in Northeast San Diego County.
- Participation in a program installing wildlife watering devices in semi-arid regions throughout southern California.
Depredation work…
In addition to public service duties, members of the SDCVC are frequently called upon for depredation work. The coyote has no natural enemies; coupled with urban sprawl, their ever-increasing numbers have been responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to agriculture, livestock, and personal property.
Samples of depredation work include:
- The depredation of coyotes responsible for extensive damage to drip irrigation systems on a large Southern California agricultural ranch.
- The depredation of coyotes responsible for thousands of dollars in losses to laying hens on the largest poultry ranch in California, as well as on several smaller poultry ranches.
- The depredation of coyotes responsible for the loss of livestock during the calving period on several local cattle ranches.
- The depredation of coyotes responsible for substantial losses in avocados and grapes on several large and small agricultural farms.
- The depredation of coyotes responsible for substantial losses to re-introduced upland game birds, hindering the efforts of State authorized wildlife groups.
“Conservation Of Wildlife Through The Control Of Predators”