| Aerial System for Rabies Control |
 In 2003, OES developed an innovative G.P.S. based system for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to help them evenly distribute rabies vaccine baits in target wildlife areas. Since the start of the MNR's aerial baiting program, cases of fox-strain rabies have dropped dramatically across Ontario to only 34 cases in 2005, down from 1,500 in 1989, a 97 per cent drop. There was only 1 confirmed raccoon-strain rabies case in 2005, down from 45 cases in 2001.
OES's system uses information from a G.P.S. ("global positioning system") device to help the pilot fly over the target zones and uniformly distribute vaccine baits in the appropriate habitat. The system also controls the feed rate of a custom built bait dropping system installed in the plane. For more information on the MNR's highly effective rabies eradication efforts, please check out their website at http://rabies.mnr.gov.on.ca/rabieshome.cfm |
