> The project: In 2013 efficacy trials of the oral sylvatic plague vaccine > (SPV) for prairie dogs started in several US states. Annually baits (vaccine > laden or placebo) are distributed on paired sites (prairie dog colonies). > These baits are not only consumed by prairie dogs but also by other small > rodent species; mice, rats, voles and squirrels etcetera. This project > studies the impact of the prairie dog SPV on the non-target small rodents. > > Position Description: Field assistants are expected to set 2 x 100 traps in > the evening, check the traps for nocturnal animals at sunrise and reset these > traps for diurnal animal trapping (when weather allows). Captured animals > will be brought to a central location, they will be identified, anesthetized, > eartagged and sampled (blood, hair, whiskers and fleas) by the field > assistants. > Afterwards animals will be released at the location of capture. You can > expect full days, including trap sessions, data entry and a variety of other > daily tasks, while camping at a remote amazing location. > > - Core tasks: Trap and sample small rodents, data entry. > - Term: July 9th - August 15th (approximately) > - Location: Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, Montana (departure > and return Madison, > Wisconsin) > - Compensation: Lodging & $20 per day > > Requirements: > - Highly motivated, positive and willing to take on a challenge > - Comfortable handling and sampling (drawing blood) small rodents > - Experience with syringes, needles and anesthesia > - Fieldwork experience (comfortable living in field conditions) > > Would you like more information? Or do you want to apply for this position? > Please send an email (your letter of motivation and your resume including at > least one reference or reference letter) to gb...@wisc.edu. > > Bieneke Bron > DVM, PhD student Comparative Biomedical Sciences at the University of > Wisconsin and USGS NWHC Madison, Wisconsin > > > >
