Wildlife Disease News Digest

Biologists Glean Data from Deer
The Columbus Dispatch - dispatch.com
27 Nov 2007
H Zachariah
Photo courtesy of Eric Albrecht/Dispatch
Area: Ohio United States

Antlers, teeth, age reveal much about health of herd

Deer hunting may be sport for the 400,000 or so hunters expected to take to the fields for firearms season this week, but the state's wildlife biologists see it as science. To check the health of Ohio's 600,000-head herd, these specialists scatter to different regions of the state and examine some of the white-tailed deer that hunters bring in. They determine the age and sex of the deer, measure the diameter of the antlers on bucks and cut off heads to check for disease. What they learn will help state officials determine how many deer should be killed next season and where.

"If we don't know the health of the herd, we can't possibly know how to take care of it," said Gary Ludwig, a wildlife management supervisor with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife. Ludwig stayed busy yesterday, sawing off 12 deer heads at Rienschield Meats in Bremen, even though business was down. On a typical Monday of deer-gun season, owner Kenny Rienschield sees about 150 deer come through. Yesterday, he tagged between 40 and 50.

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Update: Cosco Busan Cleanup [News Release]
Unified Command - www.uscgsanfrancisco.com
26 Nov 2007
Area: California United States

San Francisco - The most recent information about the clean up is as follows:

Total personnel employed: 867
Total gallons discharged: Approximately 58,000
Total birds captured: 1,056
Total birds cleaned: 773
Total birds released: 188
Total birds died in facility: 534
Total birds dead on arrival: 1,591
Remaining feet of boom laid out: 4,000

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Dead Egret in Hong Kong Tests Positive for H5N1 Strain of Bird Flu
The Associated Press (Posted by www.iht.com)
24 Nov 2007
Area: Hong Kong

A sick egret found in Hong Kong last week has tested positive for the virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu, the government said Saturday. The bird, which was collected from a park Sunday and died the next day, was confirmed to have had the disease after several laboratory tests, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said in a statement. Hong Kong has occasionally found avian influenza in wild birds, but hasn't suffered a major outbreak of the disease lately.

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Chesapeake Council Will Weigh Ban on Feeding Wildlife
The Virginian Pilot - content.hamptonroads.com
27 Nov 2007
M Saewitz
Area: Virginia United States

The City Council will consider an ordinance tonight prohibiting people from feeding wildlife, after two rabid foxes were found here in August. If the ordinance passes, anyone caught feeding wild animals in Chesapeake could face a misdemeanor charge and a fine of up to $250. The ban would not apply to bird feeders on private property. City Councilwoman Rebecca Adams said she doesn't expect the council to vote on the measure tonight. She said she does not want to pass a rule that makes things difficult for residents or farmers in Chesapeake's agricultural areas.

City attorneys believe that Chesapeake is the only Virginia city to consider such an ordinance. The city has been circulating a draft ordinance since at least September, according to a Sept. 5 memo from City Manager William Harrell. That was after officials discovered two rabid foxes in just a few weeks in August. One was found in the 5200 block of Willow Lake Road, and the other was discovered in the 1400 block of Crossways Blvd. in the city's Greenbrier area. In each case, the fox bit one person, according to the Chesapeake Health Department.

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