Mysterious Deer Deaths Attributed to Virus
WTWO.com
20 Sep 2006
Some deer in the Wabash Valley are dying from a virus called Epizooic Hemoragic Disease, better known as EHD. There is no cure for it but right now the Department of Natural Resources says there`s no reason for concern either. The Minnehaha Fish and Wildlife Area in Sullivan County is just one D.N.R. Office that has received curious phone calls about dead deer.
"We have had reports from Sullivan, Greene, Vermillion, Parke, Vigo counties," says Certified Wildlife Biologist, Ron Ronk. Ronk, and many other Conservation Officers say the deer are dying from E.H.D. It`s hard to scientifically confirm because it`s difficult to get a fresh blood sample. "The virus breaks down in the animal shortly after death, so if you don`t get the sample real quick, they end up with negative results," says Ronk.
Hard to confirm, but easy to recognize. "The deer can get lesions on their tongue, lips," lists Ronk, "Deer can have a lot of salavation." Deer with E.H.D. also suffer from extremely high fever, that`s why they are often found dead near bodies of water, trying to cool themselves off. A high body temperature can cause delirium, so if a deer is easy to sneak up on, it`s a good sign that it`s not healthy.
Missouri Sees Rising Rabies Rates
The Associated Press (Posted by News-Leader.com)
20 Sep 2006
For the second consecutive year, Missouri is experiencing an unusually high number of rabies cases in animals. The Department of Health and Senior Services said Tuesday that it had issued a statewide health advisory for rabies. Fifty-four rabid animals had been detected this year as of Saturday, including 44 bats, seven skunks, two horses and one cow.
That's already well past the 10-year average of 42.5 rabid animals a year, the department said, although in 2005, 73 rabid animals were detected. "We need everyone in the public health, medical and veterinary communities to be aware of this and ready to respond to potential rabies cases in their area," said Dr. Howard Pue, state public health veterinarian.
Rare Migrational Birds Electrocuted
AP New York (Posted by Newsday.com)
20 Sep 2006
Eight rare birds were killed Friday after flying into power lines in upstate New York. The Hudsonian Godwits were likely migrating from breeding grounds in the Hudson Bay tundra of Canada to South America when they flew into the high-power lines in Saratoga County, said state Department of Environmental Conservation wildlife pathologist Ward Stone.
Seven of the birds were already dead when DEC employees arrived to collect them. The eighth bird was treated but later died of its injuries. The birds were among a flock of 40 spotted flying near a cluster of small lakes. Stone said that in his 37 years as a pathologist, he'd never seen the rare shorebirds before.
Only about 50,000 Hudsonian Godwits are believed left in the world. They are found in only five different breeding areas in North America, including the southern and western coasts of Alaska and two sites along the Hudson Bay in Ontario and Manitoba. They migrate to Argentina during the northern winter.
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