Team to Probe Kruger Anthrax Deaths
iafrica.com
16 June 2006
A task team has been set up to investigate an outbreak of anthrax which left 15 animals dead in the Kruger National Park (KNP) in the past few weeks. "They will decide what to do based on the evidence," KNP spokesperson Raymond Travers said on Monday.
The carcasses of kudu, nyala, buffalo and giraffe found in the extreme northern area of the park had all contained traces of anthrax, SA National Parks (SANParks) said in a statement.
Anthrax is a deadly viral disease which occurs naturally in Africa and affects cloven-hoofed animals. Travers said the task team would include the park's head of conservation services, Freek Venter, the head of veterinary services, Dr Markus Hofmeyr, a few other vets and representatives of the Department of Agriculture.
Bald Eagle Found in Amherst Recovering: DEC Believes Predator has Avian Botulism
The Buffalo News
15 June 2006
Author Barbara O'Brien
The young bald eagle found in Amherst over the weekend is on the mend. "He's great. He's much improved," Joel Thomas, wildlife administrator for the Erie County SPCA, said Wednesday.
The eagle was found in distress Saturday afternoon by two boys in a wooded area near Hopkins and Klein roads. He showed signs of neurological impairment, was not able to walk and was underweight.
Thomas said he has discussed the eagle's case with the endangered species unit from the state Department of Environmental Conservation, and it is believed the eagle is suffering from avian botulism. "I had suspected some sort of biological concentration," he said. "It turns out he was in a DEC hot spot for botulism."
Botulism is caused by clostridium botulinum, a bacteria that occurs naturally and is concentrated in sediment in certain wetlands, Thomas said. The bacteria produces a nerve toxin which causes paralysis, according to the National Wildlife Health Center of the U.S. Geological Survey.
Polar Bears Among Arctic Species Damaged by Chemicals (Update1)Polar Bears Among Arctic Species Damaged by Chemicals (Update1)
Bloomberg.com
15 June 2006
Alex Morales
Polar bears are among the Arctic animals threatened by harmful manmade chemicals that build up in their bodies and are linked to health disorders, the conservation group WWF International said today.
The accumulation in polar bears of chemicals such as flame retardants used in household items has been linked to adverse effects on their immune systems, decreased amounts of minerals in their bones and alterations to their hormones, WWF said in an e- mailed report. Seals, beluga whales and Arctic seabirds such as glaucous gulls also suffer from imbalances caused by chemicals.
``The higher up the food chain you get, the concentrations of chemicals increase,'' Giles Watson, an eco-toxicologist at WWF said in a telephone interview in London. ``Polar bears are the classic example, though that doesn't mean other species in the chain aren't affected.''
Four Elk Test Positive for Chronic Wasting Disease this Year at Wind Cave National Park
The Black Hills Pioneer (Posted by Zwire)
15 June 2006
Thirteen elk and eight deer were tested for the fatal disease with the results just now becoming available. Animals tested came from road-killed animals and targeted surveillance for elk demonstrating clinical signs of the disease.
"Our on-going surveillance program to identify and remove suspect animals from our herds is helping us learn more about this disease in the park," said park biologist Dan Roddy. "We are incorporating information gained from this active surveillance program into the development of our elk management plan that will address population numbers and movement patterns both inside and outside park boundaries."
Since 1998, 123 deer and 34 elk in Wind Cave National Park have been tested for CWD. Of those animals, eight deer and eight elk have tested positive for this disease that is similar to mad cow disease and thought to be caused by a "prion" or abnormal protein particle. How the disease is transmitted is unknown, although at this time there is no evidence CWD can be transmitted to humans.
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