Wildlife Disease News Digest

TOP STORIES

More pelicans ill
Central Coast Sun Weekly - www.sunweekly.com.au
18 Dec 2008
S Spierings
Location: Tuggerah Lakes, Australia - Map It

Tuggerah Lakes has apparently claimed more feathered victims as four pelicans were struck down this week in the latest outbreak of suspected avian botulism.

Australian Seabird Rescue co-ordinator Jo Sealy said that two to three pelicans are dying locally each week of botulism poisoning.

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Red algae immune to bleaching
ScienceAlert - www.sciencealert.com.au
C Amalfi
16 Dec 2008

The key to better understanding coral bleaching has surfaced in a common red alga that produces defensive compounds against the phenomena affecting reef environments worldwide.

University of New South Wales PhD candidate Alexandra Campbell told the recent Ecological Society of Australia conference that the seaweed Delisea pulchra, found around southern Australia including WA, produced defensive chemicals called furanones.

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Wyoming: CWD Detected in New Elk Hunt Area 117 South of Sundance
Wyoming Game and Fish Department - gf.state.wy.us
02 Dec 2008
Location: Sundance, Wyoming, USA - Map It

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been discovered for the first time in elk hunt area 117 south of Sundance.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department Laboratory analyzed a sample from a targeted cow elk from hunt area 117 and the sample tested positive for CWD. The elk was found at Solider Creek, just east of Highway 85 about 5 miles west of the South Dakota border. Elk hunt area 117 has been considered part of the endemic area for deer (hunt area 6) since 2003.

"This area has long been positive for deer and we just now found a positive elk in this area," said Hank Edwards, wildlife disease specialist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

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Other Deer Disease Related News

>>>Deer health check a success

>>> Park officials offer elk management options

>>> A third of Boulder deer tested had wasting disease - Boulder, Colorado, USA - Map It

Khutse pride diagnosed with rabies
Republic of Botswana - www.gov.bw
18 Dec 2008
Location: Khutse Game Reserve, Botswana, Africa - Map It

A pride of lions at Khutse Game Reserve has been diagnosed with rabies. Two lions from the pride are reported to have died from the disease.

Assistant Director of Research in the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Mr Cyrial Taolo said the disease has been diagnosed in two lions located in the reserve adding that tests are currently underway to establish whether a third lion which also died, was infected with the same disease or not. . .

He said the department has not yet established the cause of the disease adding that efforts are underway to determine how the animals could have been infected.

A private veterinarian contracted by the department, Dr Clay Wilson said the outbreak of the disease is however under control. "This is a very unusual situation it does not happen often. This disease was only isolated to one pride of lions," he said.

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Newborn whale found Tuesday on Hatteras beach euthanized
Pilot Online.com - hamptonroads.com
C Kozak
18 Dec 2008
Location: Hatteras Island Beach, North Carolina, USA - Map It

A live newborn right whale found Tuesday morning on a Hatteras Island beach has been euthanized.

The Virginia Aquarium stranding response team conducted a necropsy on site. The results are not yet available, although an initial examination revealed a defect in the whale's digestive system.

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More Marine Mammal News

>>>Scientists Help Entangled Whale Off Maui

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