Cape Cod Goes Aerial to Vaccinate Wildlife Against Rabies
The USDA’s APHIS is dropping oral rabies vaccine baits from helicopters across New England to curb raccoon rabies, with Cape Cod distribution planned mid-September to mid-October. The bait is packaged in two-inch plastic sachets with a fishmeal attractant and is safe for most animals; humans should wash the contact area with soap and water if they touch the bait. In addition to Cape Cod, similar efforts are underway in Barre, Vermont and Houlton, Maine using aircraft and vehicles to distribute hundreds of thousands of baits.