January 24, 2012

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

TOP STORIES

Czech study might help combat white-nose syndrome threatening U.S. bats

Czech and other European bats may help North American bats dying due to a fungal disease known as "the white nose syndrome", according to Czech expert Natalia Martinkova, from Masaryk University in Brno.

While in North America the bat populations are seriously threatened by the white-nose syndrome, bats in the Czech Republic seem immune to it. Only a small part of them died to the disease in the Czech Republic and Europe in general.

An article by an expert team, including Martinkova and her Czech and foreign colleagues and published in the latest issue of the Journal of Wildlife Diseases, says North American bats might be saved if the reasons of the immunity of European bats against the fungal infection are revealed.

Prague Monitor Daily - praguemonitor.com
23 Jan 2012
Photo courtesy of Prague Monitor Daily


Cited Journal Article
J Pikula et al. Histopathology Confirms White-Nose Syndrome in Bats in Europe. J Wildlife Diseases. 2012 Jan 01; 48(1): 207-211

More WNS News


Bird Flu Researchers Postpone Work Amid Bioterrorism Concern

In an almost unheard-of move, scientists who study the deadly H5N1 bird flu announced a 60-day voluntary moratorium on studying the virus to allow time "to clearly explain the benefits of this important research and the measures taken to minimize its possible risks."

... The request has rekindled a debate among scientists and in the media about how transparently to share delicate information that could help researchers develop ways to prevent and contain a disease threat but could also fall into the wrong hands.

Los Angeles Times - www.latimes.com
20 Jan 2012
A Khan
Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Times





Humans still threaten California condors

Deaths of endangered California condors in the wild are still largely caused by human activity, with lead poisoning being the primary factor, a report says.

The San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research study of the deaths of wild California condors at all release sites in California, Arizona and Baja, California, Mexico, found 70 percent (53 out of 76) of condor mortalities could be attributed to human influences.

Lead toxicosis from the ingestion of spent ammunition was the most important factor in mortality in juvenile condors, birds between the age of 6 months and 5 years, and was the only significant cause of death in adults, a release from the Zoological Society of San Diego said Friday.

UPI.com - www.upi.com
20 Jan 2012




OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS
Marine Mammal News

Climate Change News

It Ain't All Bad News