Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

Expertise in wildlife and vertebrate pest management (VPM) within the U.S. University Land Grant system is increasingly rare, and very few Extension educators have the knowledge and tools to address VPM practices in this very specialized area. Yet, Extension educators (i.e., agents) receive a myriad of inquiries from the public searching for information on resolving conflicts associated with wildlife. Our team developed and launched an online survey to assess the needs of Extension educators in western region states and territories of the U.S. to determine the desired content and format of educational resources concerning VPM. We plan to review and compile current VPM educational materials (e.g., factsheets, videos, etc.), revealed in the needs assessment or recognized by our team, and determine their applications for wider use, or for revision/enhancement to address resource shortfalls. Our end goal is to use the survey data to identify current gaps in VPM resources and develop new or revised materials for Extension educators and volunteers. Because these educators frequently serve as “first responders” for people seeking solutions for conflicts with vertebrate pests, Extension staff need unbiased, science-based resources and training materials to counter the misinformation on the internet and fraudulent products in the marketplace. We will also determine how to best format and deliver this information to key audiences and stakeholders.