IL272231B2 - System and methods for controlling animals populations - Google Patents

Description

SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING ANIMALS POPULATIONS Field of the Invention The present invention relates to control of animal populations, in particular control of animal populations when accessibility is difficult.

Background of the Invention Animals can become burden. For example wild animals can destroy crops, affect on native species, disturb ecosystems, cause damages to houses and infrastructure, spread diseases, attack humans and cause general nuisance.

For example pest birds might cause for considerable expenses to individuals or businesses.

Some examples for pest birds are: city doves or street pigeons, seagulls, starlings, sparrows, crows, and geese. Birds are known to carry over 60 transmissible diseases - some potentially fatal such as Histoplasmosis, West Nile Virus, Salmonellosis, Candidiasis. Cryptococcosis, St. Louis Encephalitis - spread by mosquitoes which have fed on infected house sparrows, pigeons, and house finches.

Pest birds can also carry over 50 kinds of ectoparasites, which can work their way throughout structures to infest and bile humans: bed bugs, chicken miles, and yellow mealworms.

Diseases directly transmitted by rodents include Rat-Bile Fever, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, Lassa Fever, and Leptospirosis, Lymphocytic Chorio-mcningilis.

The corrosive effects of animals droppings can cause irreversible damage for rooftops, walkways, walls, vehicles, and other equipment. Bird droppings quickly turn to salt and ammonia; after rain, electrochemical reactions speed up the rusting process. These acidic droppings eat away at paint, concrete, metal, and can eventually cause structural failure.

Pollution from droppings can enter the human food chain through improper sanitation.

Animals can interfere with operations in many ways, endangering themselves and workers - pest birds entangle themselves in machinery, block ventilation ducts, cause fires, peck holes in roofing and utility poles, bring down power lines, and cause hazardous or even fatal aircraft bird strikes. Some birds even attack humans.

Traditional pest control solutions have been focusing on traps, as well as poisons and chemical deterrents. When these methods work, users are left to deal with the horrible mess of captured, injured, ill and dead animals or insects. The use of harmful chemical pesticides can put workers and customers at risk, and can potentially compromise any materials that are manufactured or stored on the premises. In residential cases, these substances can be a danger to children and pets. Pesticides can contaminate food and get into the water supply. This can affect all living things surrounding the property—killing/harming plants and wildlife— disrupting the natural balance of this small eco-system. Pests can develop a resistance to chemicals, so that dosages must be continually increased in order to produce the same results.

Other control solutions may vary from physical barriers to sensory attacks. Barrier control includes netting and spikes. These products work locally at places where they are installed.

Other options include sonic and ultrasonic devices, visual scares such as replicas of predators, taste aversions, and landscape alterations. One of the new technology may be remote- controlled drone—a predator replica that chase away pcss.

Egg addling refers to any process used to stop the development of the embryo. Though a number of methods are available, some are more humane than others. Oiling, shaking, puncturing the goose eggs or removing the eggs and replacing them with substitutes are all forms of addling. Successfully puncturing or shaking eggs is difficult and can result in the embryo’s continued development producing deformed goslings and other unwanted outcomes. Removing eggs from a nest will only cause the female bird to lay again. Oiling refers to coating the egg(s) with for example a food grade corn oil. This method stops the embryo’s development because the oil keeps air from passing through the eggshell. The most important aspect of the ,oiling’ method is to completely cover or coat the goose egg evenly with oil. Addling can help manage the aggression of adult birds protecting the nest and reduces the growth of local pests populations and the damage they cause. However sometimes coating of eggs becomes impractical due to access limitations, when for example, nesting occurs at high locations. This can be also true in any case when required to apply materials for controlling populations in inaccessible habitats like a den which can be inhabitated by rodents, reptiles or scorpions.

Summary of the Invention The inventor of the present invention, has realized that implementing existing techniques for controlling animals populations may be complicated due to difficult accessibility of habitats of animals.

Disclosed herein an apparatus for applying at least one material for controlling animal populations. The apparatus includes at least one pipe, at least one nozzle, and at least one mean for supplying at least one material. The pipe is connected with at least one nozzle, and with at least one mean for supply of at least one material.

In some examples embodying the present invention, the pipe may be telescopic. The apparatus may include mechanical and electromechanical means for maneuvering parts of the apparatus. Moreover such an apparatus may include joints, flexible parts, springs and motors.

An apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention may include a brush which can be helpful to spread materials.

An apparatus according to some embodiments of the present invention may include flow control. Moreover an apparatus which embodies aspects of the present invention may include kinds of sensors such as infrared, sound, and position.

According to some embodiments of the present invention the apparatus may include means for remote control operating.

An apparatus which embodies the present invention may include at least one camera or communication means for communication with at least one camera.

The above mentioned apparatus may include communication means such as smartphones, tablets, laptops as well as computerized imaging systems. According to aspects of the present invention the apparatus may include means of an artificial intelligence.

Methods for controlling animal populations of which embody aspects of the present invention include applying at least one material with at least one apparatus such as those mentioned above. According to some aspects of the present invention, such methods may include controlling by sensors and communication means.

Such methods may further include the preparation of materials of which to be applied.

The above methods may include spraying of at least one material on eggshells, for example materials that prevent air to penetrate into the eggs. The materials that arc used can include an oil or number of oils.

Claims (19)

Claims

1. An apparatus for applying at least one material for controlling animal populations, said apparatus comprises: one segmented pipe for extending into an elevated, difficult to access location for delivery of said material, said location selected from the group consisting of: a tree, a construction, and a cliff; at least one nozzle fluidly connected to said pipe; at least one camera mounted next to said nozzle, said camera transmitting image signals; at least two joints installed between said segments; and at least one means for supplying at least one material, said means fluidly connected to said pipe, wherein said joints maneuvered remotely for moving said segments according to said image signals, for directing of said nozzle for applying said material in said difficult to access location.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pipe is telescopic.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a brush attached to said apparatus.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising flow control means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein artificial intelligence is utilized for moving said segments for said directing said nozzle according to said image signals.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein user's computerized communication means is utilized to said remotely moving said segments.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said user's communication means are selected from the group consisting of smartphones, tablets, laptops and any combination thereof.

8. The apparatus according to any of claims 1-7, further comprising communication with at least one camera.

9. The apparatus according to any of claims 1 -8, further comprising sensors selected from the group consisting of infrared, sound, position and any combination thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising mechanical and/or electromechanical means for maneuvering parts of said apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one motor.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a computerized imaging system.

13. A method for controlling animal populations, wherein said method comprising applying at least one material with at least one apparatus of claim 1.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said applying comprising spraying said at least one material on eggshells.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising controlling said apparatus by sensors and communication means.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising preparing at least one material for said applying.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said at least one material comprising at least one oil.

18. The method of claim 13 comprising coating eggshells to prevent penetration of air inside eggs.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein said applying is performed at elevated locations selected from the group consisting of a tree, a cliff, and a construction.