Abstract:
Products from the plant species Nerium oleander and, Urginea maritima, are prepared and tested as wildlife repellents comparing them with digitalis products. Chemical compounds derived from these plants including oleandrin, oleandrigenin, scillirosidin, digitoxigenin and digoxigenin are shown to cause nausea and emesis at low doses in pigeons and to repel, mice, rats, gophers, meadow voles and mountain beavers. After ingestion these animals quickly learn to avoid targets treated with the plant-derived repellents. When the remembrance of a treated food or other target lasts for an extended period of time it can be termed an aversion conditioning agent. Such products can be used for the protection of other plants, seeds, buildings, structures, communication cables and animals exposed to wildlife.