Wildlife Disease News Digest

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Catastrophic fall in numbers reveals bird populations in crisis throughout the world
The Independent - www.independent.co.uk
22 Sep 2008
Image courtesy of Wikicommons
M McCarthy

The birds of the world are in serious trouble, and common species are in now decline all over the globe, a comprehensive new review suggests today. From the turtle doves of Europe to the vultures of India, from the bobwhite quails of the US to the yellow cardinals of Argentina, from the eagles of Africa to the albatrosses of the Southern Ocean, the numbers of once-familiar birds are tumbling everywhere, according to the study from the conservation partnership BirdLife International. Their falling populations are compelling evidence of a rapid deterioration in the global environment that is affecting all life on earth – including human life, BirdLife says in its report, State of The World's Birds.

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Modest CO2 cutbacks may be too little, too late for coral reefs
EurekAlert - www.eurekalert.org
22 Sep 2008

How much carbon dioxide is too much? According to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) greenhouse gases in the atmosphere need to be stabilized at levels low enough to "prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system." But scientists have come to realize that an even more acute danger than climate change is lurking in the world's oceans—one that is likely to be triggered by CO2 levels that are modest by climate standards. Ocean acidification could devastate coral reefs and other marine ecosystems even if atmospheric carbon dioxide stabilizes at 450 ppm, a level well below that of many climate change forecasts, report chemical oceanographers Long Cao and Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

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Fears bird deaths point to toxic lake
The Herald - www.theherald.com.au
23 Sep 2008
Area: Tuggarah Lake, New South Wales, Australia - Map It

Five pelicans and an albatross have been found dead in Tuggerah Lakes, sparking fears that the lake is turning poisonous. The alarm was sounded on Monday afternoon by a member of the public who alerted the Australian Seabird Rescue Unit that dead seabirds had been found near the North Entrance boat ramp. With help from the Tuggerah Lakes Coastal Patrol, Australian Seabird Rescue co-ordinator Jo Sealy scoured the area for the dead birds. Ms Sealy said she believed the deadly bacteria botulism was responsible for their deaths.

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N.S. moose mystery sounds horn for other provinces, experts say
Globe and Mail - www.theglobeandmail.com
23 Sep 2008
O Moore
Area: Nova Scotia, Canada

There are thought to be only about 1,000 left. In a continent thick with the totemic animal, this is so far a problem unique to Nova Scotia. But some of those studying the moose here worry their decline should perhaps be seen as a warning. "I think we're the precursor to problems that you may see across Canada in the future, if global warming and urbanization continues," said Tony Nette, provincial manager of wildlife resources. "These might be the canary in the mine. What is wrong with them?"

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WEST NILE: Infected crow a first in downtown Kennewick
Tri-City Herald - www.tri-cityherald.com
22 Sep 2008
LK Zaichkin
Area: Kennewick, Benton County, Washington, USA - Map It

A crow seen crashing through trees and then dying in downtown Kennewick has tested positive for West Nile virus, Benton-Franklin Health District officials said today. This is the first bird that’s tested positive for the virus found in Kennewick since the health district began monitoring West Nile in 2002, the health district said. The crow was collected Sept. 13 from the 400 block of South Buntin Street. This is the first year West Nile-positive birds have been detected in Benton County. The health district announced at the beginning of this month the first infected bird found in Prosser.

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OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS
Image courtesy of EurekAlert - www.eurekalert.org