PCA-VERTEBRATES FINAL EXAM SCRIPT 2026
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
◉ The agencies that enforce laws and regulations pertinent to vertebrate
pest management. Answer: US EPA, US Fish and Wildlife Service, CA
Dept. of Fish and Game, CA Dept. of Food and Ag, CA DPR, County
Ag Commissioner, CA Dept. of Public Health, State Highway Patrol
◉ Characteristics that make an animal a pest. Answer: high reproductive
rate, high density-congregating behavior, propensity for feeding on
crops, overabundance, value of crop being damaged, nuisance behaviors,
vectors or reservoirs for disease
◉ Identify the major mammal pests in CA Ag. Answer: eastern fox
squirrels, deer, ground squirrels, jackrabbits, meadow voles, Norway
rats, pocket gophers, rats, wild pigs
◉ Identify the major bird pests in CA Ag. Answer: blackbirds, crows,
crowned sparrows, gold finches, house sparrows, horned larks, house
finches, jays, magpies, starlings
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with alfalfa. Answer: CA and
belding's ground squirrels, jackrabbits, meadow voles, pocket gophers
,◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with citrus. Answer: ground
squirrels, meadow voles, roof rats
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with fruit trees. Answer: ground
squirrels, house finches, meadow voles, pocket gophers, starlings
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with forage crops. Answer: ground
squirrels, meadow voles, pigs, pocket gophers
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with grapes. Answer: meadow voles,
pocket voles, starlings
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with lettuce. Answer: horned larks
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with nut trees. Answer: crows,
ground squirrels, jays, magpies, pocket gophers, tree squirrels
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with rice. Answer: blackbirds,
muskrats, norway rats
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with strawberries. Answer: gold
finches, ground squirrels, meadow voles
, ◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with sugarbeets. Answer: ground
squirrels, meadow voles
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with tomatoes. Answer: meadow
voles
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with forestry. Answer: deer,
mountain beaver, pocket gophers, porcupines, rabbits, tree squirrels
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with cattle feedlots, dairies, and
poultry and pork producing facilities. Answer: blackbirds, house mice,
house sparrows, norway rats, roof rats, pigeons, starlings
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with public health. Answer: bats,
deer mice, ground squirrels, raccoons, norway & roof rats, skunks
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with stored commodities and food
processing facilities. Answer: house mice, house sparrows, pigeons,
norway & roof rats
◉ Mammal vertebrate pests most associated with suburban and urban
environments. Answer: bats, meadow voles, moles, opossums, pocket
gophers, raccoons, skunks, tree squirrels
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
◉ The agencies that enforce laws and regulations pertinent to vertebrate
pest management. Answer: US EPA, US Fish and Wildlife Service, CA
Dept. of Fish and Game, CA Dept. of Food and Ag, CA DPR, County
Ag Commissioner, CA Dept. of Public Health, State Highway Patrol
◉ Characteristics that make an animal a pest. Answer: high reproductive
rate, high density-congregating behavior, propensity for feeding on
crops, overabundance, value of crop being damaged, nuisance behaviors,
vectors or reservoirs for disease
◉ Identify the major mammal pests in CA Ag. Answer: eastern fox
squirrels, deer, ground squirrels, jackrabbits, meadow voles, Norway
rats, pocket gophers, rats, wild pigs
◉ Identify the major bird pests in CA Ag. Answer: blackbirds, crows,
crowned sparrows, gold finches, house sparrows, horned larks, house
finches, jays, magpies, starlings
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with alfalfa. Answer: CA and
belding's ground squirrels, jackrabbits, meadow voles, pocket gophers
,◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with citrus. Answer: ground
squirrels, meadow voles, roof rats
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with fruit trees. Answer: ground
squirrels, house finches, meadow voles, pocket gophers, starlings
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with forage crops. Answer: ground
squirrels, meadow voles, pigs, pocket gophers
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with grapes. Answer: meadow voles,
pocket voles, starlings
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with lettuce. Answer: horned larks
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with nut trees. Answer: crows,
ground squirrels, jays, magpies, pocket gophers, tree squirrels
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with rice. Answer: blackbirds,
muskrats, norway rats
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with strawberries. Answer: gold
finches, ground squirrels, meadow voles
, ◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with sugarbeets. Answer: ground
squirrels, meadow voles
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with tomatoes. Answer: meadow
voles
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with forestry. Answer: deer,
mountain beaver, pocket gophers, porcupines, rabbits, tree squirrels
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with cattle feedlots, dairies, and
poultry and pork producing facilities. Answer: blackbirds, house mice,
house sparrows, norway rats, roof rats, pigeons, starlings
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with public health. Answer: bats,
deer mice, ground squirrels, raccoons, norway & roof rats, skunks
◉ Vertebrate pests most associated with stored commodities and food
processing facilities. Answer: house mice, house sparrows, pigeons,
norway & roof rats
◉ Mammal vertebrate pests most associated with suburban and urban
environments. Answer: bats, meadow voles, moles, opossums, pocket
gophers, raccoons, skunks, tree squirrels
