Wildlife Disease News Digest

Rare Reptiles' Mass Die-Off Due to Poison-Induced Gout
National Geographic News - news.nationalgeographic.com
12 Mar 2008
P Basu
Area: India

Invasive fish carrying industrial chemicals likely triggered the recent die-off of 110 critically endangered reptiles known as gharials in a central Indian river sanctuary, scientists announced last week. Since December officials have found the crocodile-like animals washed ashore dead along the banks of the largely pristine Chambal River, one of the few unpolluted rivers in India. But the bulk of reptile fatalities occurred along a 22-mile (35-kilometer) stretch near the Chambal's confluence with the Yamuna, considered to be of the dirtiest rivers in the world. Researchers therefore think an unidentified substance might be seeping into the Chambal and affecting the gharials' food supply.

Autopsies of the animals revealed evidence that they perished from gout, a painful metabolic disease, after ingesting polluted fish. "Gharials that are already infected with the toxin will continue to die," said Ravi Singh, secretary general and CEO of the India branch of WWF. The international conservation group is coordinating efforts by the government, other animal-welfare groups, veterinarians, and state departments to conduct an investigation and contain the crisis. "If this mass die-off has truly stemmed from ongoing pressures on the habitat, people should know that there's no short-term fix."

>>>FULL ARTICLE

West Nile season has started, 6 infected birds found
The Union-Tribune - www.signonsandiego.com
11 Mar 2008
Area: California United States

The West Nile virus season in San Diego County has started earlier than ever, vector control officials said Tuesday. Since January, they said, the virus has been found in six birds in Escondido, Poway, Fallbrook, Santee, Bay Ho and Ramona. Evidence of viral infection in birds usually doesn't show up until summer or fall. “While there have been no (human) deaths from West Nile virus in San Diego County, 14 of the 15 locally acquired human cases last year were in people over the age of 50,” said Gary Erbeck, director of the county's Department of Environmental Health. “People over 50 and individuals with compromised immune systems are at risk of developing more serious symptoms.”

>>>FULL ARTICLE

DAVIS: Studies show ‘feeding’ endangers deer’s health
River Valley Outdoors - www.rivervalleynewspapers.com
13 Mar 2008
J Davis
Area: Wisconsin United States

It’s difficult to argue with data from sound scientific studies. Three Wisconsin wildlife biologists have evidence from their studies in Wood County that support a hypothesis that fed deer are more likely to transmit diseases because they have more deer-to-deer contacts when feeding close to one another. Deer may even become aggressive with each other during these situations. If a deer disease is transmitted through the animal’s digestive tract, deer at a feeding station could become infected with some transmissible diseases without direct contact with another animal. It shouldn’t matter if the deer are fed so they can be observed or hunted. Whether one calls it feeding or baiting, it’s basically the same as far as deer reactions.

Abbey Thompson, Michael Samuel and Timothy Van Deelen, were all at the University of Wisconsin when the study was conducted during the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 winters. Data from this study shows that providing shelled corn to deer in troughs, piles or spread over areas, increases deer-to-deer contact rates and also provides many opportunities for indirect contacts, compared to natural browsing. Supplemental feeding poses risks for both direct and indirect disease transmission due to higher deer concentration and more intensive use of the area, compared to control sites, Van Deelen and his colleagues report in the Journal of Wildlife Management. It shouldn’t matter if the deer are fed so they can be observed or hunted. Whether one calls it feeding or baiting, it’s basically the same as far as deer reactions.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

Cited Journal Article
>>>Alternative Feeding Strategies and Potential Disease Transmission in Wisconsin White-Tailed Deer

Related News
>>>Hearing slated on hunting changes

Rabid Mountain Lion Attacks Boy, 10
KPHO Phoenix - www.kpho.com
10 Mar 2008
Photo courtesy of Arizona Department of Game and Fish
Area: Arizona United States

A rabid mountain lion like the one pictured attacked a 10-year-old boy north of Phoenix on Saturday, before being shot to death by a family member, said Randy Babb of the Arizona Department Game and Fish. "The family was riding all-terrain vehicles, took a break and while relaxing, an adult female mountain lion attacked the boy," Babb said. The boy was lucky to have suffered only minor scratches to his back, Babb said. The incident occurred in the Tonto National Forest in an area called Sheep Bridge in the extreme southeast corner of Yavapai County.

The region is on the back side of the Mazatzal Mountains, a rugged mix of desert chaparral and pinyon-juniper vegetation, according to Tom Cadden, public information officer for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. "One of the adults shot the animal and transported it back to their residence," Babb said. The mountain lion was then submitted to the Arizona State Health Laboratory for testing. The boy and several others who may have been exposed to the cat will undergo preventative rabies treatment over the next few weeks, Babb said. "Very seldom ever to see large mammals with rabies," according to Babb. "They're more common in bats, skunks and gray foxes. We're not expecting to see any more animals this large with rabies."

>>>FULL ARTICLE

Related News
>>>As temperatures begin to rise, so will reports of rabies
>>>Wake Health Officials Issue Rabies Notice

AVMA Urges Outlawing Trafficking Of Chimps, Monkeys And Nonhuman Primates As Pets
Medical News Today - www.medicalnewstoday.com
12 Mar 2008
Area: United States

Citing concerns about the spread of disease and injury, inhumane treatment of animals, and ecological damage, Dr. Gail Golab, PhD, DVM, director of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Animal Welfare Division, spoke on the dangers of nonhuman primates kept as pets before a subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources. The subcommittee is taking testimony on the Captive Primate Safety Act, which would stop commerce in chimpanzees, monkeys and other nonhuman primates kept as pets. Dr. Golab argued that the evidence is clear that primates kept as pets are a hazard to themselves, their owners and the public. "According to the Captive Wild Animal Protection Coalition (CWAPC), more than 80 percent of health and behavioral issues with nonhuman primates arise from those that are kept as pets," she said.

"Because nonhuman primates pose significant risks to the health of the public and domestic animals - including the possibility of severe injury to the humans and domestic animals with which they come in contact - the AVMA opposes private ownership of these animals." Dr. Golab said that these animals are often taken from their mothers soon after birth, and both show signs of depression. Once they reach adulthood, primates can become aggressive and sometimes are stronger than their human owners. Between 1995 and 2005, there were 132 injuries caused by captive or escaped primates in the United States, according to the CWAPC. It's difficult to find veterinary care for these pets, Dr. Golab explained, and they carry numerous zoonotic diseases. "Tuberculosis is especially common among macaques and their owners," she said.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

Malnutrition blamed for ducks' deaths
Times Herald - www.thetimesherald.com
13 Mar 2008
N Deshais
Photo courtesy of KT Karlson
Area: Michigan United States

Hundreds of dead ducks have turned up along the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair, victims of the area's success as a wintering spot. "They've got more birds wintering there than usual," said Tom Cooley, a wildlife biologist at the Michigan Department of Natural Resource's Wildlife Disease Lab. Between 600 and 800 canvasback and redhead ducks have been found dead along the shores of the waterways. After a toxicology report, the DNR concluded the likely cause of death was malnutrition. The lab tested for metals and the results came back "insignificant."

Pesticide results have not come in yet but Cooley said "now wouldn't be the time of year" for pesticides to be in the water. "The canvasbacks I looked at were incredibly thin," Cooley said. During his investigation, Cooley found no food in the stomachs, shrunken intestines and extreme muscle waste. "Normally, we see 20,000 to 30,000 ducks spending winter on the lake," DNR wildlife biologist Ernie Kafcas said in a news release. "This winter, we are seeing 30,000 to 40,000 ducks staying because the water stayed open later ... and did not experience a hard freeze until after mid-January."

>>>FULL ARTICLE

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS
Photo courtesy of AFP