Wildlife Disease News Digest

TOP STORIES

Dolphin deaths in Brevard's waters stump researchers

Bottlenose dolphins are dying at a record pace that could more than double last year's death toll in Brevard County, and no one knows why.

"There's no smoking gun right now that links them all together," said Wendy Noke Durden, research scientist with Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute in Melbourne Beach.

Since Jan. 1, Hubbs biologists have gathered 40 dead bottlenose dolphins in Brevard and Volusia counties, the region where the organization collects marine mammals.

Florida Today - www.floridatoday.com
20 May 2010
J Waymer
Photo credit: Rik Jesse, Florida Today

>>>FULL ARTICLE

Related News
>>>Dead whale washes up along Oregon Coast - Waldport, Lincoln County, Oregon, USA - Map It

First Endangered Turtles Found Slathered in Oil

An endangered baby Kemp’s ridley sea turtle was discovered lathered in oil on Tuesday, May 18.

This is the first rescued sea turtle known to be affected by the gargantuan oil spill in the gulf of Mexico.

The Kemp’s ridley sea turtle has been on the the Louisiana endangered species list since 1989.

Discovery News - news.discovery.com 22 May 2010 Z Hirji

>>>FULL ARTICLE

Related News
>>>Oil Spill to Wipe Out Gulf's Sperm Whales?

>>>Gulf Oil Spill Creates 'Giant Experiment' in Marine Toxicology

Commonly Used Atrazine Herbicide Adversely Affects Fish Reproduction

Atrazine, one of the most commonly used herbicides in the world, has been shown to affect reproduction of fish, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study.

"Concentrations of atrazine commonly found in agricultural streams and rivers caused reduced reproduction and spawning, as well as tissue abnormalities in laboratory studies with fish," said USGS scientist Donald Tillitt, the lead author of the study published in Aquatic Toxicology.

Fathead minnows were exposed to atrazine at the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center in Columbia, Mo., and observed for effects on egg production, tissue abnormalities and hormone levels.

ScienceDaily - www.sciencedaily.com
20 May 2010
Photo credit: USGS

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Cited Journal Article
>>>Atrazine reduces reproduction in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Aquatic Toxicology. 2010 Apr 22. [Epub ahead of print].

FMD strikes wildlife

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) has taken a toll on wildlife animals in Shuklaphanta [sic] Wildlife Reserve. The disease has already killed over a dozen animals including six swamp deer, three chittals and three boars.

Chief conservation officer Jagannath Singh said a team led by himself is collecting details about the epidemic.

Singh did not prefer to tell the actual number of wildlife animals killed due to the disease.

Republica - www.myrepublica.com
22 May 2010
Location: Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve, Mahakali, Nepal - Map It

>>>FULL ARTICLE

More elephants contracting TB

Pashupati Kali and Pushpa Kali, two female elephants above 60, died inside Chitwan National Park (CNP) due to tuberculosis (TB).

Two more elephants -- Laxmi Kali and Binayak Prasad -- are being treated for TB and six have already been cured for the disease in CNP in the last five months.

In Bardiya, two elephants are being treated for TB and in Shuklaphanta one elephant is undergoing treatment.

Republica - www.myrepublica.com
17 May 2010
Location: Chitwan National Park, Narayani, Nepal - Map It

>>>FULL ARTICLE

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS

Brucellosis

CWD