26 Manatees Found Dead in Lee Since March 18
The News-Press
02 Apr 2007
Area: Florida USA
Twenty-six manatee carcasses have been found in Lee County in the past two weeks. Three of four recently reported carcasses in western Lee County have been recovered, according to Sara McDonald of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The fourth was verified this morning. Toxin results from one rescued manatee that died last week revealed exposure to red tide as the cause of death, she said.
Tick-borne disease found in O.C.
The Orange County Register
03 Apr 2007
P Brennan
Area: California USA
A tick carrying Rocky Mountain spotted fever has been found in Orange County, animal disease-trackers say, and while the illness is likely still rare in the county they are urging caution for hikers and mountain bikers. The Pacific coast tick, one of two common varieties that can carry the disease, was found Jan. 29 in Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, said Mike Hearst, spokesman for the Orange County Vector Control District – part of the agency's routine surveillance of ticks and other creatures.
It was sent out for lab analysis, and positive results came back Mar. 30. It was one of 87 ticks collected over about a month throughout the county. The disease, which causes rashes and flu-like symptoms and, in a small number of cases, can be fatal, is considered rare in the county; the last human case was 15 years ago, Hearst said. And ticks must feed for four to six hours before they can pass on the disease. Still, he said people who hike or bike in county wilderness parks should check for ticks and, if they become ill after a tick bite, consult their doctors.
Likely Low-Path Bird Flu Found in W. Virginia-USDA
Reuters AlertNet
02 Apr 2007
Area: West Virginia USA
Turkeys at a farm in West Virginia have tested positive for what government officials believe is a low-pathogenic strain of the bird flu virus, the U.S. Agriculture Department said late on Sunday. Preliminary tests indicated the turkeys had a low-pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza virus. USDA officials said they can say "for certain" it's not the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus that has spread through birds in Asia, Europe and Africa. A spokesman with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture would not identify the farm but said it was located in Pendleton County in the east-central part of the state.
"Every indication is that the virus is consistent with low pathogenic strains of avian influenza, or LPAI, which are commonly found in birds and typically cause only minor sickness or no noticeable symptoms," USDA Chief Veterinarian John Clifford said in a statement. He added the detection in West Virginia should not "significantly impact" exports of U.S. poultry. The samples were collected by an industry group as part of a routine before slaughter, USDA said. The birds showed no sign of illness or mortality.
Cattle Health: Five Reasons Blue-Green Algae Could Become Your Worst Enemy
Cattle Network
03 Apr 2007
On the heels of the arrival of warmer days comes the need for livestock producers to be aware of the threat to animals drinking from tanks, ponds and lakes that are affected by blue-green algae (more properly called cyanobacteria). Unfortunately, some will pay attention a little too late to avoid a tragedy. There are at least five reasons for everyone to become more aware of this threat. Most livestock producers have too little time to react because cattle and dogs usually die within minutes or hours of drinking or swimming in water infested with a toxic bloom of blue-green-algae. (A bloom simply refers to a mass of cyanobacteria, which can actually vary in color.)
It is often, but not always, floating near the surface. Dead cattle and wildlife around a farm pond or lake should raise immediate suspicion of cyanobacterial toxins (cyanotoxins). Not all cyanobacteria produce toxic blooms, and even the types of toxin produced can vary. Animals that don't die immediately are subject to any number of life-threatening symptoms with no known cure, as explained by a veterinarian at North Dakota State University. There are many different types of blue-green algae, and they may or may not produce toxins.
Duck Hunters Fight Navy over Base [Editorial]
floridatoday.com
03 Apr 2007
B Sargent
Area: North Carolina USA
Imagine duck hunters going up against the U.S. Navy. It's happening in North Carolina. The Navy has plans to build an Outlying Landing Field, known as an OLF, adjacent to the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the eastern part of the state. Ducks Unlimited, a national organization of mostly duck hunters, says the Navy should pick a different site.
DU and other conservation groups are arguing that low-flying FA-18 Super Hornet fighter jets, which would be based at the OLF, and the more than 100,000 geese, ducks and swans attracted annually to Pocosin, would not be a good mix. "We believe an OLF near Pocosin refuge would be a terrible mistake for waterfowl and the wetland resources of North Carolina, and for other states in the Atlantic Flyway," said Scott Sutherland, director of Governmental Affairs for DU, at a recent press conference. "The health of Atlantic Flyway waterfowl populations is at stake," Sutherland added, "and the OLF would pose significant risks to naval pilots and the citizens of North Carolina." Florida is part of the Atlantic Flyway.
Journal Article(s) of Interest
Urbanization and the Ecology of Wildlife Diseases [free full-text available]
Trends Ecol Evol. 2007 Feb;22(2):95-102. Epub 2006 Nov 20.
CA Bradley and S Altizer
Dynamics of Passive Immunity to West Nile Virus in Domestic Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) [online abstract only]
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2007 Feb;76(2):310-7
NM Nemeth and RA Bowen
No comments:
Post a Comment