Wildlife Disease News Digest

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Global search can’t solve Dolphin mystery

The exact cause of the horrific burns inflicted on two Port River dolphins is unlikely to ever be known, despite a global search by local authorities.

. . . Dr Bossley, director of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, said he was “more positive” about the dolphins likelihood of recovery, although the injuries were still a concern.

“We’ve had responses from researchers and veterinarians from all over the world and it was universally acknowledged as the the worst ever injuries seen on a surviving dolphin,” he said.

Portside Messenger - portside-messenger.whereilive.com.au [submitted by Australia Wildlife Health Network]
21 April 2010
H Kennett
Photo credit: B Saberton

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Experts: VHS may not be a threat to Lake Superior

Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia was first discovered in Lake Superior last December, joining the other Great Lakes that have had the virus for the past four or five years.

. . . VHS killed 30,000 freshwater drum fish in Lake Ontario in 2005 while several thousand round goby washed up on beaches in Lake Michigan two years ago. UW-Stevens Point Aquaculture Manager Greg Fischer doesn't think that'll happen in Lake Superior.

"It's tough for growing fish in Lake Superior because there is a lack of nutrients but on the flipside it may be saving Lake Superior because of that lack of nutrients."

91.3 KUWS - www.businessnorth.com/kuws
22 April 2010
M Simonson

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Acidifying Oceans Dramatically Stunt Growth of Already Threatened Shellfish, Research Finds

New research shows that global warming and its effects -- in particular, ocean acidification -- have descended upon shellfish reefs, particularly those formed by the Olympia oyster.

Gaylord is investigating the consequences of this increasing ocean acidity on the growth of larval and juvenile Olympia oysters native to the U.S. West Coast.

"Such early life stages can be extremely sensitive to environmental stresses like ocean acidification," says Gaylord. "These stages operate as bottlenecks that drive overall population numbers. If larval and juvenile Olympia oysters decline as a result of an acidifying ocean, what does that mean for the species as a whole?"

Science Daily - www.sciencedaily.com
23 April 2010

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More Climate Change News

>>> Whale feces could help oceans absorb CO2