Corrigendum  
Improving rabies control in free-roaming dogs  
Michelle Kimberley Morters  
Submitted 31st March 2014 
 
 
Excerpts from the thesis are indented. The erroneous and redundant text is struck-out; and, 
corrections added in red: 
 
 
a. Preface 
 
Page xviii: 
 
Chapter 1 (published) examines the factors that drive the transmission of rabies, 
specifically host population density and the reasons why density reduction, particularly 
through culling, fails to control rabies. The discussion introduces the role of human 
factors in the transmission and control of rabies. [M.K Morters, O Restif, K Hampson, S 
Cleaveland, J.L.N Wood, A.J.K Conlan. 20123. Evidence-based control of canine rabies: 
a critical review of population density reduction. Journal of Animal Ecology, 82(1), 6-14; 
first published (on-line) 24 September 2012.]  
 
 
Page xix:  
 
Chapter 2 (provisionally accepted 26 March, 2014) presents demographic data from four 
free-roaming dog populations, and includes evaluation of the regulatory effect of human 
behaviour on dog population dynamics and declines in rabies vaccination coverage 
following a pulse vaccination campaign. [M.K Morters, T.J McKinley, O Restif, A.J.K 
Conlan, S Cleaveland, K Hampson, H.R Whay, I Made Damriyasa, J.L.N Wood. The 
demography of free-roaming dog populations and applications to disease and population 
control. Journal of Applied Ecology.] 
 
 
b. Chapters 5 and 6 
 
The units for the transmission rate (𝛽𝛽) are incorrect throughout Chapters 5 and 6. The first 
reference to the units for the transmission rate (𝛽𝛽) is on page 73. Page 73 should read: 
 
The transmission rate (𝛽𝛽0) was initially calculated in units of population per units of area 
per units of time (i.e. dogs per km2 per day) (see below). In order to parameterize the 
stochastic model with a transmission rate in per capita units (dog.days-1) and average 
study population size (N) (rather than average study population density), 𝛽𝛽0 is adjusted 
by the local study area (A𝐿𝐿) (i.e. in km2) (equation 3). 
 
The corrected units shown above are applicable to all of Chapters 5 and 6.