Wildlife Disease News Digest

Scientists to explore life's mysteries through encyclopedic 'macroscope'
EurekAlert - www.eurekalert.org
25 Feb 2008

The first 30,000 pages of a massive online Encyclopedia of Life were unveiled today (Feb. 27) at the prestigious Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) Conference in Monterey, California. Intended as a tool for scientists and policymakers and a fascinating resource for anyone interested in the living world, the EOL is being developed by a unique collaboration between scientists and the general public. By making it easy to compare and contrast information about life on Earth, the resulting compendium has the potential to provide new insights into many of life’s secrets. In essence, EOL will be a microscope in reverse, or “macroscope,” helping users to discern large-scale patterns.

By aggregating for analysis information on Earth’s estimated 1.8 million known species, scientists say the EOL could, for example, help map vectors of human disease, reveal mysteries behind longevity, suggest substitute plant pollinators for a swelling list of places where honeybees no longer provide that service, and foster strategies to slow the spread of invasive species. Most importantly, the EOL will be a foundational resource for helping to conserve the species already known and to identify millions of additional species that haven’t yet been described or named. At its core is the knowledge about the world’s species that has been discovered by scientists over the last 250 years. By putting this information all together in one place, EOL hopes to accelerate our understanding of the world’s remaining biodiversity.

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Bird deaths create concern in region
London Free Press - lfpress.ca
26 Feb 2008
L Bindoo
Area: Ontario Canada

A Melbourne man says he's been picking up one or two dead redpolls a day.

Birds are reportedly dying at a high rate around London-area bird feeders this winter and it's unclear why. Disease, the fragility of youth and the cold are all raised by bird enthusiasts as potential explanations for the apparent surge in deaths of redpolls and other species. But the cause will remain unknown unless post-mortems are done, said Brian Salt, director at Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre in Mt. Brydges. Salt said only if there's a trend and more redpolls or other hardy birds are brought in will there be reason for an autopsy. He has only seen one sick redpoll at his centre.

But Harvey Graff of Melbourne says he's been picking up one or two dead redpolls every day for a while. His flock of 150 to 200 has been reduced by 40 or 50, he said. Ross Snider, who ran the Tamarack Raptor Rehabilitation Centre in Ingersoll for 30 years, also is unsure what's causing the bird deaths. But he says it's not because of the cold weather, and questions whether chemically treated seed might be harming the birds. "Sometimes you wonder about the feed people use," he says.

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IWLA Says Climate Change Hurts State's Fish, Wildlife, Forests
The Farmer - the-farmer.com
26 Feb 2008
Area: Minnesota United States

Minnesota populations of moose, walleye and trout are threatened, and forest habitat has been altered due to higher lake and stream temperatures and longer warm weather seasons, according to a new report issued by the Izaak Walton League of America. The report, called "A Whole New Game: The effects of climate change on hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation in Minnesota," calls for actions to reduce global warming pollution in order to slow and, if possible, reverse the changes in Minnesota's wildlife and habitat.

Specific findings in the report include:

Minnesota's largest, most productive moose herd - once numbering 4,000 in northwestern Minnesota - fell within 20 years to just 250. The northeastern Minnesota herd suffered a 25 percent loss in 2007. Scientists believe that hotter temperatures have stressed the moose, making them more susceptible to disease and parasites. Opossums, showshoe hares, and cottontail rabbits are all moving further north. Cottontails are now being found along the Canadian border. Ruffed grouse are drumming about 10 days earlier in spring.

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Second fish virus hits state
Wisconsin Public Radio (Posted by Hudson Star-Observer - www.hudsonstarobserver.com)
26 Feb 2008
C Quirmbach
Area: Wisconsin United States

A second virus is sickening a growing number of fish in Wisconsin, but not as many as VHS a year ago. The Department of Natural Resources says the new virus causes lympho-sarcoma in certain species, including muskies and northern pike. Like VHS, the disease poses no threat to humans. Sue Marcquenski, fish health expert, says the condition most likely spreads during spawning and other instances of fish-to-fish contact.

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Related News
>>>Minnesota lawmakers take on fish disease fight

Yellowstone ready to kill about 180 more bison
Associated Press (Posted by Los Angeles Times - www.latimes.com)
26 Feb 2008
Area: Montana United States

It's part of an accord designed to protect domestic cattle from brucellosis. Opponents say it's not necessary.

The bison death toll continues to climb for Yellowstone National Park, as park officials say they plan to slaughter an estimated 180 animals captured Monday to prevent the spread of disease. The bison were captured on the north end of the park near the town of Gardiner -- not far from Yellowstone's famed Roosevelt Arch. More capture operations were planned today near Gardiner and in the West Yellowstone area, where a herd of about 180 bison has lingered outside the park for days, state and federal officials said. A 2000 agreement between Montana and the federal government says the animals must be captured if they leave the park and enter areas where they could encounter cattle.

Many bison carry the disease brucellosis. It can cause pregnant livestock to abort their calves and suffer other health problems. But there are no recorded cases of a bison-to-cattle transmission -- prompting criticism from animal rights groups and members of Congress that the slaughter program is heavy-handed and unnecessary. The killing of the animals captured Monday will bring to approximately 470 the number of bison slaughtered this winter. An estimated 130 more have been killed by hunters.

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Attack Of The Invasive Garden Ants
BMC Biology (Posted by www.sciencedaily.com)
26 Feb 2008
Photo courtesy of G Brovad/Natural History Museum of Denmark
Area: Europe

An ant that is native to Eurasia is threatening to become the latest in a procession of species to invade Europe, as a result of inadvertent human introduction. New research demonstrates that the invasive garden ant, Lasius neglectus, which is a threat to native species, may already be more widely established than expected. Sylvia Cremer is from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and the University of Regensburg in Germany. Working with colleagues from these institutes and the University of Keele in the UK, she looked at colonies of ants in 14 locations around Europe.

Using a combination of genetic, chemical and behavioural analyses, the researchers investigated the similarities between colonies to reconstruct the route of invasion and dispersal strategy of this pest ant. They established that the invading populations arose from only a handful of introductions to Europe and that infested sites are effective originators for new introductions. Dr Cremer explained what the results imply: "Many more infestations of the garden ant are likely to have taken place already, but have remained undiscovered due to the usual lag phase for invasive species to become established." The native range of invasive garden ants is unknown, but is thought to be in the Black Sea region.

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