Wildlife Disease News Digest

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Warning over squirrel pox 'hotspots'

Bird tables which bring red and grey squirrels into close contact could be contributing to the spread of the squirrel pox virus by creating a 'hotspot' for the disease, Newcastle researchers have found.

The Newcastle University researchers revealed seasonal peaks in the transmission of the pox virus - a disease which is largely responsible for the dramatic decline in the UK's red squirrel population.

These 'high-risk' peaks were found to correlate to times of the year when both species of squirrel roamed further - either because of a shortage of food or while searching for a mate - increasing the chance for disease transmission.

Evening Telegraph - www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk
28 Jun 2010

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Avian influenza (39): Russia (Tyva), wild birds, OIE - Archive Number 20100625.2122

New outbreaks
Outbreak 1 Ubsu-Nur, Ovursky, Respublika Tyva
Date of start of the outbreak 05 Jun 2010
Outbreak status: Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit: Not applicable
Species Wild species
Susceptible - [not given - Mod.PC]
Cases 367
Deaths 367
Destroyed 0
Slaughtered 0
Affected Population Wild birds found dead on a lake

ProMED-mail - www.promedmail.org
25 Jun 2010
Location: Ubsu-Nur, Ovursky, Respublika Tyva, Russia - Map It

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Related News
>>>Bird Flu: Preening Spreads Viruses in Nature [journal article here]

BP accused of killing endangered sea turtles in cleanup operation

Endangered sea turtles and other marine creatures are being corralled into 500 square-mile "burn fields" and burnt alive in operations intended to contain oil from BP's ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico, the Obama administration confirmed today.

The killing of the turtles – which once teetered on the brink of extinction – has outraged environmentalists and could put BP into even deeper legal jeopardy.

Environmental organisations are demanding that the oil company stop blocking rescue of the turtles, and are pressing the US administration to halt the burning and look at prosecuting BP and its contractors for killing endangered species during the cleanup operation.

Guardian News - www.guardian.co.uk
25 Jun 2010
S Goldenberg
Photo credit: Bevil Knapp/EPA

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Related News
>>>Spill's impact on wildlife could be felt in Mass.
>>>Oil Spill: NOAA Closed fisheries and update on marine deaths (video)

Reported Wildlife Mortality Events to the USGS National Wildlife Health Center Updated
USGS National Wildlife Health Center
28 Jun 2010
Area: United States

USGS and a network of partners across the country work on documenting wildlife mortality events in order to provide timely and accurate information on locations, species and causes of death. This information was updated on Jun 25, 2010 [change this date to current date] on the USGS National Wildlife Health Center web page, New and Ongoing Wildlife Mortality Events Nationwide. Quarterly Mortality Reports are also available from this page. These reports go back to 1995.

>>>Updated Wildlife Mortality Event Table

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS
Photo credit: Guardian News - www.guardian.co.uk