Wildlife Disease News Digest

Last River Porpoises Dying in Polluted Yangtze
National Geographic News - news.nationalgeographic.com
23 Apr 2008
KH Platt
Area: China -- Map It

The planet's last river-dwelling finless porpoises are dying in part due to exposure to insecticides and mercury in China, a new study says. The mammals had already been declining as their natural habitat in and around the Yangtze River deteriorated. In the new research, scientists also found high concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other pollutants in the organs of porpoises found in central China's Dongting Hu Lake, which is connected to the Yangtze. (See China map.) However the researchers haven't yet established medically the toxicity level that will kill a porpoise.

"In recent decades the [Yangtze finless porpoise] population decreased sharply each year by approximately 7.3 percent because of human activities on the river, including fishing, pollution, transportation, and dam construction," said study co-author Wang Ding of China's Institute of Hydrobiology. A recent census turned up just 1,800 porpoises, and Wang warned that "the Yangtze finless porpoise will become extinct within 24 to 94 years if no protective measures are taken." The baiji, a Chinese freshwater dolphin that also lived in the Yangtze, was declared extinct in December 2007.

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Vermont Baitfish Regulation to Help Stop Spread of Fish Virus is Revised
All American Patriots - www.allamericanpatriots.com (Source: Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
23 Apr 2008
Photo courtesy of M Hoelscher
Area: Vermont United States

Vermont’s “emergency” baitfish regulation that went into effect last October has been replaced by a permanent regulation that takes into account many of the concerns of anglers and yet still helps protect Vermont fisheries from a deadly new fish virus called Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS). Shawn Good, the Fish & Wildlife Department fisheries biologist heading their Aquatic Nuisance Species Team, says the regulation is necessary to help prevent Vermont’s waters and fish from becoming infected with VHS, which could result in devastating fish kills.

Biologists think a mutated form of the ocean strain of VHS arrived in the Great Lakes soon after 2000, but was not detected until 2005 when it killed tens of thousands of fish in Lake Ontario. Since then it has rapidly spread throughout the Great Lakes and to some inland waters of several Great Lakes states, killing hundreds of thousands of fish. Fisheries managers in the affected Great Lakes states and Ontario have all imposed similar regulations on baitfish use in order to slow down or prevent the virus from spreading to new waters. “Following the passing of the emergency baitfish rule in late 2007,” said Good, “the Fish & Wildlife Department and Fish & Wildlife Board held six public hearings around the state to gather comments and input for the permanent regulation.

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Wildlife Vets Help Keep Shores Free From Disease [Press Release]
Scoop Independent News - www.scoop.co.nz (Source: New Zealand Veterinary Association)
24 Apr 2008
Area: New Zealand

The New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) says World Veterinary Day, Saturday 26 April, is a great opportunity to highlight the important wildlife work many of its members are involved in, Iike Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) veterinarian Susan Cork. New Zealanders can sleep easy knowing we’re free from avian influenza (AI) and vector-borne diseases[1] thanks to the watchful eye of many highly trained veterinarians, like MAF Biosecurity team leader Susan. While AI might have slipped out of the news headlines and the risk of it arriving here is small, experts like Susan and her virology team at MAF Biosecurity are constantly monitoring our migratory shorebirds and waterfowl to make sure the status quo remains.

“We collect information on the disease status of a range of species including wild birds, marine mammals, fish and insects and ensure that any micro-organisms identified pose no threat to the New Zealand ecosystem, livestock and public health,” says Susan. “Passive and targeted wildlife surveillance also acts as an early warning system should an unwanted disease arrive on our shores, allowing us time to implement any one of a number of response plans.” She says World Veterinary Day is a fantastic occasion to salute the vital role veterinarians play in protecting public health and our unique New Zealand ecosystem from outbreaks of disease.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS
Photo courtesy of Joel Berger/Wildlife Conservation Society