Harmful Animals Research Articles

How Does Islamic Law View Current Neutering Practices for Cats and Dogs?

ABSTRACT Millions of cats and dogs roam the world, and unchecked growth could lead to pet overpopulation. This can strain resources and harm animal welfare. While neutering a common solution, has its debate. Some people have ethical concerns about neutering, believing it alters animals in a way that goes against nature. To address these concerns, this study explores neutering through the lens of Islamic law and veterinary science, aiming to find common ground. The study concluded that neutering is a divine grace applicable during exigencies, and this concession is contingent upon the continuous affection and mercy humans show towards animals.

194 Effects of combining plant and yeast extracts with essential oils or protected betaine on performance and health of weaned piglets

Abstract To raise piglets without antibiotics and high trace elements levels, favoring immune development and maturation is a potentially successful strategy, as long as over-stimulation of immune system does not harm animal performance. A trial was undertaken to evaluate response of piglet to varied blend of plant and yeast extracts selected for renowned effects on immune system. Weanling piglets (n = 400; 21 d of age), females and castrated males, were allocated to 4 dietary treatments across 80 pens: negative control (NC), blend of plant and yeast extracts for immune stimulation added to NC (B1), essential oils with anti-inflammatory properties added to B1 (B2), protected betaine added to B2 (B3). Pre-starter diets were fed from weaning to d 42, followed by starter diets offered until the end of the trial at d 69. On d 49, coughing and sneezing (CS) were counted per pen in both rooms, and individual fecal samples were taken from 20 piglets per diet, selected at weaning, to assay total peroxidase activity (TPO), a marker of gut inflammation. Statistical analyses were performed on pen data to analyze effects of treatment on piglet growth rate (average daily gain; ADG), feed intake (average daily feed intake; ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The model included the effect of weaning weight, treatment, and interactions. Linear contrasts were used to compare B1 to NC, B2 to B1, and B3 to B2. A similar model was applied to individual fecal TPO measurements. Sneezing count frequency was analyzed with Chi² statistics and odd ratio (OR) were computed per treatment. Dietary treatment did not affect CS counts. Compared with NC, B1 reduced initial ADG and ADFI (from d 21 to 42) and increased initial FCR (P < 0.05). In the following period, ADG, ADFI and FCR improved with B1 (P < 0.05), resuming body weight (BW; final BW: 26.8, 26.8, 27.3 and 27.5, P > 0.20, for NC, B1, B2 and B3, respectively). Overall FCR slightly decreased (1.66 vs. 1.64, P < 0.05, for NC and B1 respectively). Compared with B1, B2 increased initial ADG and ADFI (ADG21-42: 0.244 vs. 0.258 kg, P < 0.05, for B1 and B2, respectively), and decreased FCR initial and overall (overall: 1,64 vs. 1.60, P < 0.05, for B1 and B2 respectively). B2 also minimized fecal TPO compared with other treatments (Uּּ•mL-1: 13.7 vs. 21.3 vs. 7.0 vs. 10.1, P < 0.001, for NC, B1, B2 and B3, respectively). B3 did not provide statistical benefit over B2. In this trial, immune stimulation decreased initial growth and reduced feed efficiency. Anti-inflammatory essential oils tempered consequences of gut inflammation and restored performance, while protected betaine did not provide additional benefit.

Analysis of some trends of the pharmaceutical market of rodenticides in Ukraine and the peculiarities of their use for deratization

Analysis of some trends of the pharmaceutical market of rodenticides in Ukraine and the peculiarities of their use for deratization

High-power Microwaves Against Locust Invasion

Background:: There are a lot of phytophagous and harmful animals in agriculture and forestry in the entire world. The ultimate goal in locust control is the use of preventive and proactive methods that disrupt the environment to the least possible extent. This would make agricultural production easier and more secure in the many regions where growing crops is of vital importance. Method:: The possibility of using high-power microwave systems to combat harmful animal pests in agriculture and forestry is discussed. The proposed method is compared favorably with respect to the environment. Results:: The obtained results of the study demonstrated the possibility of using modern sources of high-power microwave radiation to solve the problem of insect invasion. Conclusion:: It should be noted that the use of powerful microwaves is a promising means of controlling locusts and other pests. Mobile international forces equipped with modern microwave apparatus can solve the problem of combating locusts and other pests on a global scale without harming the environment. Microwave systems can also be used against other phytophagous pests of agriculture and forestry.

Smart Animal Repelling Device: Utilizing IoT and AI for Effective Anti-Adaptive Harmful Animal Deterrence

The coexistence of human populations with wildlife often leads to conflicts in which harmful animals cause damage to crops and property and threaten human welfare. Certain limitations influence the effectiveness and environmental impacts of traditional methods used to repel animals. The present research outlines a growth of solutions that utilize the Internet of Things and machine learning techniques to address this issue. This study centers on a Smart Animal Repelling Device (SARD) that seeks to safeguard crops from ungulate assaults, substantially reducing production expenditures. This is achieved by developing virtual fences that use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ultrasonic emission. This study introduces a comprehensive distributed system for resource management in Edge or Fog settings. The SARD framework leverages the principle of containerization and utilizes Docker containers to execute Internet of Things (IoT) applications in microservices. The software system inside the suggested structure can include various IoT applications and resources and power management strategies for Edge and fog computing systems. The experimental findings demonstrate that the intelligent animal-repellent system effectively uses animal detection on power-efficient computational methods. This implementation ensures the system maintains high mean average accuracy (93.25%) while simultaneously meeting real-time demands for anti-adaptive harmful animal deterrence.

Female Mosquitoes Track to the Hosts by the Blue

Mosquitoes are the most harmful animals. Annually, they cause illnesses and deaths equivalent to the entire global COVID-19 pandemic over three years[1][2][3]. They are not naturally born with disease-causing pathogens but acquire them from infected individuals and then transmit them to the healthy population through their bites. Their ultimate hosts are those who carry blood, a water solution beneath their skin, a natural membrane that allows water vapor to leak out and their needle to access the liquid. Water vapors are theoretically visible because water molecules are known to naturally reflect blue[4] and absorb others, making it appear blue. This study investigates the reactions of female mosquitoes when blueness variable is added to the mosquito luring equation by amplifying the reflective the blueness variable of water vapor. This is done by adding more blue photons for them to reflect, increasing their visibility. The search for visible signs of water vapor is the top priority for these insects when they identify and target their hosts from afar, as they selectively respond to this over other mosquito attractants.

The effect of Biokos™, a natural lipopeptide surfactant extracted from the bacterium Pseudomonas, on Epistylis infections in Carassius auratus.

In the aquaculture industry, biocides are routinely used to treat parasitosis in fish, and researchers are continually developing sustainable alternatives that can replace these harsh chemicals. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a new natural compound, BiokosTM, for the treatment against Epistylis sp. in Carassius auratus fish. The infestation was identified by the presence of whitish plaques on the integument of five animals, and the diagnosis was confirmed through skin scrapings. BiokosTM is a lipopeptide derived from the bacteria Pseudomonas that can destroy the functionality of the cell membrane of ciliated protozoa. The action of BiokosTM does not harm animals and the environment because the compound degrades into amino acids and fatty acids within days. A 0.15 m3 (150 L) aquarium was treated with an Ich-AwayTM water conditioner manufactured by the Danish company Sundew ApS, which has BiokosTM as the active ingredient. Six tablets were added to the water daily for two days, and new skin scrapings were performed. The fish were clinically well and no longer possessed lesions or parasites. The results obtained indicate that BiokosTM can be an innovative and more sustainable alternative for controlling epistyliasis in ornamental fish.

A Novel Framework for Detection of Harmful Snakes Using YOLO Algorithm

The spotlight of our discussion here is on developing a model for detecting snakes present in the agricultural fields using cameras and machine learning algorithms. The idea is to construct a machine learning model to identify the snakes, which will be trained on a vast set of images of snakes. These images will be carefully selected to include the snake patterns, skin color of different species of snakes (extraction of the unique features). This is done to train the model properly to identify different types of snakes that the farmer encounters in the fields. Most famers are unaware and have a need for a way to detect these snakes so that they can either avoid them or get rid of them. Hence, this system can be implemented to prevent thousands of deaths and can help famers alleviate the repercussions of snake bites. Mistakes in recognizing potentially harmful animal species based only on visual cues are major contributors to the high death toll from venomous animal attacks. Since they spend so much time in the fields, where rice and wheat are cultivated, farmers are at a higher risk of being bitten by a snake than the general population. Because of their ignorance, illiterate farmers are more inclined to believe in superstitions, which can lead to their untimely deaths from snakebites despite medical intervention. Animals that would normally pose no threat to humans are responsible for the deaths of thousands of people every year because of environmental factors. However, because it is hard for humans to recognize these dangers, a new design paradigm has been developed to make it simpler. Researchers in the field of animal biology can use it to search for endangered species. Predators may enter gardens and green areas like tea and coffee plantations. There is not yet a plan in place to implement automated sorting for discovering distinctions. By applying the suggested framework to photographs of potentially dangerous animals, several factors useful for studying animal organization may be easily identified. For the classifier to run in real-time, it is suggested that YOLO be utilized for double processing within the framework. Furthermore, the YOLO technique enables quick animal recognition in a similar fashion. First, the YOLO method will be used to determine whether a snake is present in the proposed work. Here, 87 percent precision is also reached in the detection of snakes.

Health evaluation and dangerous reptile detection using a novel framework powered by the YOLO algorithm to design high‐content cellular imaging systems

AbstractThis novel approach in animal biology could revolutionize identifying endangered species, addressing the issue of misclassifying potentially harmful animals based solely on visual characteristics. Particularly impactful for farmers in agricultural fields, it aims to reduce the heightened risk of venomous animal attacks, ultimately improving safety. Due to a lack of accessible education, illiterate farmers are more susceptible to adopting superstitious beliefs, which tragically leads to fatal snakebites even when medical treatment is readily available. Furthermore, environmental factors can unexpectedly hold typically non‐threatening animals responsible for a large number of human deaths each year. However, the complexity of human recognition of these hazards has prompted the development of a novel design approach aimed at simplifying the process. Integration of the ResNet learning algorithm in conjunction with You Only Look Once (YOLOv5) within the framework is recommended to facilitate real‐time processing and improve accuracy. This combined approach not only speeds up animal recognition but also takes advantage of ResNet's deep learning capabilities. The first phase entails deploying YOLOv5 to detect the presence of snakes in the proposed study, achieving a remarkable 87% precision in snake detection thanks to the synergistic fusion of ResNet and YOLOv5.

Exotic pet trade in Canada: The influence of social media on public sentiment and behaviour

The live trade in wild animals can increase the risk of escape of exotic animals, introduce invasive species, spread zoonotic diseases, over-exploit wild populations, and harm animal welfare. Trade in exotic pets is a particularly understudied issue in Canada. While Canadians generally have pro-environmental attitudes, it is unclear whether this extends to the trade in exotic animals. With most Canadians on social media, we aimed to use Natural Language Processing of social data to examine public sentiment towards exotic pet trade in Canada. We analysed 9,274 posts on Twitter (now 'X') about exotic pets between 2012 and 2022, and 150,236 comments from 2568 TikTok videos showing exotic pets from 50 unique Canadian accounts. We found that social media users demonstrate markedly positive attitudes towards the live trade in reptiles and amphibians, mammals, birds, and arachnids and insects, even on TikTok videos showing poor animal care and questionable legality. We propose a conceptual framework for how exotic pet influencers directly and indirectly contribute to increased demand for exotic pets through opinion leadership, sharing information on where to buy exotic pets, and normalising exotic pet ownership. We suggest that it is important to raise public awareness among social media users about the challenges associated with wildlife trade, including animal welfare considerations, and the links between exotic pet trade and conservation.

IoT-Based Object-Detection System to Safeguard Endangered Animals and Bolster Agricultural Farm Security

Significant threats to ecological equilibrium and sustainable agriculture are posed by the extinction of animal species and the subsequent effects on farms. Farmers face difficult decisions, such as installing electric fences to protect their farms, although these measures can harm animals essential for maintaining ecological equilibrium. To tackle these essential issues, our research introduces an innovative solution in the form of an object-detection system. In this research, we designed and implemented a system that leverages the ESP32-CAM platform in conjunction with the YOLOv8 object-detection model. Our proposed system aims to identify endangered species and harmful animals within farming environments, providing real-time alerts to farmers and endangered wildlife by integrating a cloud-based alert system. To train the YOLOv8 model effectively, we meticulously compiled diverse image datasets featuring these animals in agricultural settings, subsequently annotating them. After that, we tuned the hyperparameter of the YOLOv8 model to enhance the performance of the model. The results from our optimized YOLOv8 model are auspicious. It achieves a remarkable mean average precision (mAP) of 92.44% and an impressive sensitivity rate of 96.65% on an unseen test dataset, firmly establishing its efficacy. After achieving an optimal result, we employed the model in our IoT system and when the system detects the presence of these animals, it immediately activates an audible buzzer. Additionally, a cloud-based system was utilized to notify neighboring farmers effectively and alert animals to potential danger. This research’s significance lies in its potential to drive the conservation of endangered species while simultaneously mitigating the agricultural damage inflicted by these animals.

Optimizing Feeding Strategies for Growing Rabbits: Impact of Timing and Amount on Health and Circadian Rhythms.

Mammals exhibit circadian rhythms in their behavior and physiological activities to adapt to the diurnal changes of the environment. Improper feeding methods can disrupt the natural habits of animals and harm animal health. This study investigated the effects of feeding amount and feeding time on growing rabbits in northern China during spring. A total of 432 healthy 35-day-old weaned rabbits with similar body weight were randomly assigned to four groups: whole day diet-unrestricted feeding (WUF), whole day diet-restricted feeding (WRF), nighttime diet-unrestricted feeding (NUF), and nighttime diet-restricted feeding (NRF). The results showed that nighttime diet-unrestricted feeding improved performance, circadian rhythm of behavior, and body temperature, while reducing the risk of diarrhea and death. WRF group increased daytime body temperature but had no significant difference in feed conversion rate. The study suggests that nighttime diet-unrestricted feeding in spring can improve the growth and welfare of rabbits in northern China. Our study underscores the pivotal role of feeding timing in enhancing animal health. Future investigations should delve into the underlying mechanisms and expand the application of this strategy across seasons and regions to improve rabbit husbandry practices.

Review of the Current Research in Animal Individual Recognition

With the development of biological identification for human beings, it also develops such as fingerprint, facial recognition, and iris identification. Scientists and zoologists must be more content with the cumbersome ways of identifying previously existing animals. Old methods such as ear cutting, chip implantation, and nose print recognition harm animals and humans. It has to catch the animals or needed professionals for individual identification (e.g, identify sharks by taking photos of their fins). Therefore, more and more scientists and engineers are trying to develop more efficient methods for individual animal identification. Of course, there are also many very constructive cases. Thus, this literature review will provide information about three regions of the latest recognition technology: radio-frequency identification (RFID), animal facial identification, and iris recognition.

Microbial landscapes of the rhizosphere soils and roots of Luffa cylindrica plant associated with Meloidogyne incognita.

The root-knot nematodes (RKN), especially Meloidogyne spp., are globally emerging harmful animals for many agricultural crops. To explore microbial agents for biological control of these nematodes, the microbial communities of the rhizosphere soils and roots of sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica) infected and non-infected by M. incognita nematodes, were investigated using culture-dependent and -independent methods. Thirty-two culturable bacterial and eight fungal species, along with 10,561 bacterial and 2,427 fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs), were identified. Nine culturable bacterial species, 955 bacterial and 701 fungal OTUs were shared in both four groups. More culturable bacterial and fungal isolates were detected from the uninfected soils and roots than from the infected soils and roots (except no fungi detected from the uninfected roots), and among all samples, nine bacterial species (Arthrobacter sp., Bacillus sp., Burkholderia ambifaria, Enterobacteriaceae sp., Fictibacillus barbaricus, Microbacterium sp., Micrococcaceae sp., Rhizobiaceae sp., and Serratia sp.) were shared, with Arthrobacter sp. and Bacillus sp. being dominant. Pseudomonas nitroreducens was exclusively present in the infested soils, while Mammaliicoccus sciuri, Microbacterium azadirachtae, and Priestia sp., together with Mucor irregularis, Penicillium sp., P. commune, and Sordariomycetes sp. were found only in the uninfected soils. Cupriavidus metallidurans, Gordonia sp., Streptomyces viridobrunneus, and Terribacillus sp. were only in the uninfected roots while Aspergillus sp. only in infected roots. After M. incognita infestation, 319 bacterial OTUs (such as Chryseobacterium) and 171 fungal OTUs (such as Spizellomyces) were increased in rhizosphere soils, while 181 bacterial OTUs (such as Pasteuria) and 166 fungal OTUs (such as Exophiala) rose their abundance in plant roots. Meanwhile, much more decreased bacterial or fungal OTUs were identified from rhizosphere soils rather than from plant roots, exhibiting the protective effects of host plant on endophytes. Among the detected bacterial isolates, Streptomyces sp. TR27 was discovered to exhibit nematocidal activity, and B. amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus sp. P35, and M. azadirachtae to show repellent potentials for the second stage M. incognita juveniles, which can be used to develop RKN bio-control agents. These findings provided insights into the interactions among root-knot nematodes, host plants, and microorganisms, which will inspire explorations of novel nematicides.

Animal Resistance in the Global Capitalist Era

Animal Resistance in the Global Capitalist Era

Doğu Karadeniz Halk Yapı Sanatından Bir Örnek: Polatlar Serenderi (Çamlıhemşin)

Serender (granary, store building) is one of the important buildings of the vernacular architectural products are not built anymore in Eastern Black Sea region. These are basically buildings consisting of a ambar (a breathable storage room; main space in serender) and a sofa (balcony area) on wooden pillars. These structures ensure that the food to be stored for a long time is kept in an airy place and out of reach of harmful animals. Especially in the ambar, wood masonry construction technique is widely used. In this study, one of these buildings, located 13 kilometers away from Çamlıhemşin, is reviewed. In order to place the traditional buildings on the ground in the region, a leveled area is generally prepared by digging with hand tools on the slope land and this floor is built with stone walls that form the foundation. Thus, the part of the building that comes into contact with the soil is made of stone, which is a moisture-resistant material. Especially in this part of the Eastern Black Sea region, it is common to build such a stone section under the serender building. This part of this structure, which was created by building a stone wall, was converted into a separate space and used as a guest room for those who came to the neighborhood from outside. Besides, the technique of placing serenders on a stone-built space that also serves as a foundation, which is a common practice especially in this part of the region, was also applied in this serender. Especially the arrangement of this place as a living space is one of the most typical features of this serender. At the present time, one of the typical example of these buildings which are in the process vanish from the surrounding of Rize province has been studied as a documentation work. In this context, it has been tried to determine in terms of the layout of space and structural features of this serender, and the ornamental elements that can be seen much more intensely in the form of chip carvings in some serenders in other parts of the region, but which are not found much in this serender. Keywords: Serender, traditional wooden building, chip carving ornament, Çamlıhemşin, Eastern Black Sea.

On One Name for a Wolf in Serbia: Archaics or Innovation?

The article considers two hypotheses of the origin of the word kurjak ‘wolf’ in the Serbian language. This word has a limited existence in the Serbo-Croatian dialect space (spreading to the dialects of Eastern Bosnia and Montenegro). However, it is included in the vocabulary of the Serbian literary language. The compact area of usage in the center of Southern Slavia may denote the Slavic archaic origin of the word (as the writ-ten onomastic fixations have been known since the beginning of the 14th century, based on the work of A. Loma). The more common hypothesis of Turkish borrowing also has the right to be comprehensively analyzed. In both cases, folklore and ethnographic material is involved in the analysis, which helps to find some possible traces of the wolf veneration in the Slavic Balkans. Firstly, a sacrifice is made to a dangerous beast with a rooster, hen or chicken (Serbian-Bulgarian border). Secondly, the taboo names of harmful animals, including the use of swearing, can serve as a reinforcing factor in the case of borrowing the Turkish kuyruk with subsequent contamination with the Slavic swear word when naming a wolf. In both cases, ethnolinguistic and cartographic data seem to be the most correct route towards solving the problem of the autochthonous / borrowed nature of this word in the Serbian language space.

“IF WE DIDN’T EAT THEM, THEY WOULDN’T EXIST” The Nonidentity Problem’s Implications for Animals (Including Humans)

“IF WE DIDN’T EAT THEM, THEY WOULDN’T EXIST” The Nonidentity Problem’s Implications for Animals (Including Humans)

What does the public think about microplastics? Insights from an empirical analysis of mental models elicited through free associations.

Microplastics are an issue of rising concern, in terms of their possible implications for both the environment and human health. A survey was distributed among a representative sample of the adult Norwegian population (N = 2720) to explore the public understanding of microplastics. Respondents were asked to report the first thing that came to mind when they read or heard the word “microplastics,” based on which a coding scheme was developed that served to categorize the obtained answers into thematic clusters. Results indicate that the public seem to think of microplastics as something bad that might pollute the ocean and harm animal species. Awareness of the sources of microplastics appeared to be rather low, and few respondents mentioned potential ways to solve the problem. Responses differed across certain socio-demographic characteristics; for example, female and younger respondents were more likely to think about the spread and causes/sources of microplastics, whereas a higher educational level was associated positively with thinking of ways to solve the problem. Additional analyses indicated relationships between personal values and the identified thematic clusters; for example, endorsing self-transcendence and openness-to-change values was associated with thinking of ways to solve and of consequences of microplastics. These findings are informative to those wanting to design tailored communications and interventions aimed at reducing plastic pollution and plastic waste.

Companion species and comrades: a critique of ‘plural relating’ in Donna Haraway's theory manifestos

ABSTRACT This paper explores Donna Haraway's manifesto writing, focusing on the ethical prescription of how to relate with human and nonhuman others. Haraway prescribes a compass, however broad, about how the human species should connect with nonhumans, foregrounding unexpected kinships, multispecies flourishing, mutuality and the ability to respond to significant others. I call this an ethics of ‘plural relating’, a relating that regards potential partnerships with all existence on earth, irrespectively of their biological and cognitive status, from insects to dogs and bacteria to pigeons. I argue that while useful for opening affective bridges with nonhuman others, plural relating may end up advancing a loose and problematic figure of bonding that mirrors neoliberal ‘fluid’ relationalities. By discussing my own ethnographic research on an ‘invasive species’ and paying attention to the intensity of bonding and the agency of bonding parts, I hold that plural relating runs the danger of obscuring processes of social antagonism and reproducing structures of domination. I argue that the question should not just be how we relate with beneficial or harmful animal others but a more overall one: how do we relate with those others who share the same desire for changing or abolishing repressive institutions in a socio-economic context that favours partial relating? For this end, stronger figures of bonding, such as the comrade, have to be embraced.