US Fish and Wildlife Rehabilitation Office Seeks Audiologists and Veterinarians for Multi-Year Conservation Project
April 1, 2014. Sioux Falls, SD. The American bison, Mexican wolf, and black-footed ferret are just a few of the animals on the endangered species list that will soon be getting amplification to improve their chances of survival in the wild, according to the office of US Fish and Wildlife Rehabilitation (USFWR).
The amplification, developed by researchers at the University of South Dakota (USD), transmits signals to the cochlea via bone conduction, and operates on solar-powered batteries.
Endangered species are species of organisms that are at risk of becoming extinct based upon criteria set by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world authority on the conservation of species. In the past, nations have implemented laws to protect conservation-reliant species such as the prohibition of hunting or the restriction of land development. Today, more direct intervention methods are preferred for species deemed most at risk.
“Hearing, more than any other sense, is critical to survival in the wild”, states USFWR Director Charles Bernstein. “The incidence of hearing loss in certain animal populations is as high as 1 in 4, depending on many factors. By enhancing hearing for all individuals of a given species, we can mitigate their risk of being injured or killed, and increase their overall chances of survival”.
The project was beta tested on bison in Montana, where researchers from USD found a significant increase in life expectancy, number of offspring, and quality of life in animals receiving the amplification, versus those who did not. "Verification of amplification was performed using visual reinforcement audiometry, and a mean benefit of 35 dB was measured," reported USD Professor Dr. Lindsey Jorgensen.
The USFWR is seeking audiologists and veterinarians to help fit and monitor the amplification, as the program expands to other species due to a multi-million dollar grant from the National Wildlife Fund. For more information about the project, please visit www.usfwr.org/helpbisonhear
Source: USFWR
