July 30, 2012

Today's Wildlife Disease News Stories

TOP STORIES

55 Dead Birds Collected at Laguna Niguel Regional Park

More sick and dead birds were gathered from Laguna Niguel Regional Lake on Wednesday night for testing for possible avian botulism by a local volunteer.

...confirmed the outbreak started in early July and they picked up around 60 dead birds that were visible to their patrons before contacting her, Jolliffe said.

"As of now, we are talking about 135 sick or dead birds with at least 20 sick birds stilll waiting to be rescued ,and an unknown number of dead birds needing to be picked up," she said

On late Monday afternoon, Jolliffe had arranged for friends to transport six Mallard ducks and one American Coot from Laguna Niguel Regional Park and admitted them to the WWCC.

Laguna Niguel Patch - lagunaniguel.patch.com
26 Jul 2012
DL Sklar
Location: Laguna Niguel Regional Lake, California - Map It


Distemper outbreak spreading

An outbreak of distemper affecting raccoons has spread into the heart of Niagara. While the disease was prevalent earlier this year in the Haldimand area, Welland and District Humane Society executive director John Greer said it has continued to spread westward into Niagara during the spring and summer months.

Humane society staff have been inundated with calls from people concerned about raccoons on their property with obvious symptoms of the fatal disease.

Welland Tribune - www.welland Tribune.ca
25 Jul 2012
A Benner
Location: Niagara, Canada - Map It  



UV radiation threatening marine life

Ultraviolet radiation has caused a steep increase in deaths among marine animals and plants, according to an international team including scientists at the Oceans Institute of The University of Western Australia.

The team synthesised 1784 published experiments on marine organisms around the world to evaluate the magnitude of impacts caused by increased ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) in a study published in the journal Global Ecology and Biogeography. Until now, the role of UVB radiation as a possible cause of the global decline in the health of marine ecosystems had not been quantified

Science Alert - www.sciencealert.com
27 Jul 2012


More Marine Ecosystem News 


Lake Superior fish may be building immunity to VHS

Three years after the fish-killing disease viral hemorrhagic septicemia was found in Lake Superior, including in the Duluth-Superior harbor, a researcher will come out with a report next week that says for the first time, fish in that lake may have built up immunity to the disease.

University of Minnesota Extension Aquaculture specialist Nick Phelps says there’s no doubt viral hemorrhagic septicemia exists in Lake Superior.

...“In some locations, this will no doubt persist and cause long-term mortality events,” he said. “In other locations like Lake Superior, it hasn’t had these outbreaks. Maybe it’s water temperature, maybe it’s population density. No, it’s not going to live up to the hype. That’s just a guess right now. Time will tell.”

But Phelps believes Lake Superior fish have become immune. In his doctoral dissertation that has been four years in the making, Phelps says this immunity may be happening in the other Great Lakes as well, but VHS remains a serious threat.

Superior Telegram -www.superiortelegram.com
27 Jul 2012
M Simonson
Location: Lake Superior, Minnesota, USA

More Fish Health News 


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