Wildlife Center to Develop Bioterrorism Surveillance Network
Associated Press (Posted by dailypress.com)
2006 May 22
WAYNESBORO, Va. -- The Wildlife Center of Virginia is developing a national surveillance network that would help detect diseases in wildlife that may be linked to bioterrorism.
While there are already systems designed to detect diseases in humans and domestic animals, Project Tripwire would be the first comprehensive effort to monitor wildlife for signs of bioterrorism, Wildlife Center President Ed Clark said Monday.
"Terrorism is not just killing people," Clark said. "Bioterrorism could be something as simple as introducing a disease to a (herd) of cows."
The Center entered into a $166,000, six-month contract with the Institute for Defense and Homeland Security last month to work on planning for a database, which will initially link 20 to 25 of North America's largest wildlife hospitals.
Avian Flu Hits Denmark's Poultry; FAO Questions World Strategy
FoodProductionDaily.com
2006 May 22
Denmark and Romania are battling fresh outbreaks of the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu, which has spread to domestic poultry in the two countries.
The spread of the virus in domestic poultry in Europe has heightened public fears about eating chicken. Consumption of poultry meat has dropped by more than half in some EU states, with 300,000 tonnes now in storage across the bloc, according to previous EU estimates The continuing fight against the spread of avian influenza throughout Europe has focused on preventing the spread of the disease to domestic flocks from wild birds.
Last week the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) questioned whether current strategies need to be adjusted to concentrate more on protecting the poultry sector.
The current avian flu crisis is not only an immediate, short-term problem, it is likely to be a continuing emergency that will last several years, said Joseph Domenech, the FAO's chief veterinary officer.
Smokies to Continue Studying Elk's Low Numbers
Associated Press (Posted by WATE.com)
2006 May 22
KNOXVILLE (AP) -- Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have decided to keep studying the long-term chances of survival of the park's elk.
Smokies wildlife officials recently approved a two-to three-year extension of the elk study in Cataloochee Valley because researchers with the University of Tennessee say more data is needed.
Recent estimates put the Smokies' elk population at around 55 animals, which means the herd hasn't expanded beyond the number of animals brought to the park nearly five years ago when the animals were reintroduced to the area.
Bears and parasites have threatened the survival of elk in the park.
Plus, scientists say, the herd has a shortage of females, which could complicate its chances for survival.
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