Wildlife Disease News Digest

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Imported Fungal Disease Threatens Local Frogs
Korean Times - www.koreatimes.co.kr
20 Sep 2009
K Tong-hyung
Area: South Korea - Map It

Scientists reported that a deadly disease sweeping through the populations of frogs, toads, newts and other amphibians across the globe has reached South Korean shores, heightening concerns over the protection of local species.

A research team led by Seoul National University (SNU)'s Lee Hang confirmed the local existence of the killer disease, chytridiomycosis.

The fungal disease is blamed for the extinction of about one-third of the 120 frog species lost since the 1980s, and has some scientists fearing the largest mass extinction since that of dinosaurs.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

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Nation's koalas in fight of their lives
The Courier-Mail - www.news.com.au
21 Sep 2009
G Green
Photo credit: www.itee.uq.edu.au

The Australian Wildlife Hospital on the Sunshine Coast has launched a national campaign to combat a koala disease epidemic that ecologists say is just as devastating as the one decimating Tasmanian devils.

The hospital's director of research and ecological services, Dr Jon Hanger, said yesterday that while habitat loss and fragmentation were most implicated in koala population declines, disease was now forcing smaller populations into extinction.

. . . Dr Hanger said while chlamydiosis was the most recognised koala disease, there was also a high incidence of leukaemia, bone marrow failure, cancers and koala AIDS, all suspected to be connected with the koala retrovirus, detected in all koala populations tested to date.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

Carcasses of dead walruses spotted on Alaska coast
Anchorage Daily News - www.adn.com (Source: Associated Press)
17 Sep 2009
D Joling
Area: Icy Cape, Chukchi Sea, Alaska, USA - Map It

Up to 200 dead walruses have been spotted on the shore of Chukchi Sea on Alaska's northwest coast.

Federal wildlife researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey on their way to a walrus tagging project spotted 100 to 200 carcasses near Icy Cape about 140 miles southwest of Barrow.

They report the dead walruses appeared to be mostly new calves or yearlings. However, neither the age of the dead walruses nor the cause of death is known, said Bruce Woods, spokesman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

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Protected birds killed in Malta
BBC News - news.bbc.co.uk
21 Sep 2009
Area: Malta - Map It

The dead bodies of 150 protected birds have been found on the Mediterranean island of Malta as activists search what they call a "major crime scene".

Conservation groups have criticised the Maltese government for failing to halt illegal hunting of protected birds during the island's autumn season.

Malta's government has previously said it would take action against anyone found to be killing protected species.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

Combating zoonotic diseases in Nigeria
Daily Triumph - www.triumphnewspapers.com
21 Sep 2009
S Adamu

Cats are common sights in most Nigerian homes. However, not many people who keep cats in their homes, offices and business premises, are fully aware of the health implication, or the threat of zoonotic diseases.

Zoonotic diseases, veterinary experts say, are diseases of animals that can be transmitted to human beings under natural circumstances.

A few of about 30 common zoonotic diseases are plague, rabies, ringworm, tuberculosis, cat scratch fever, tick paralysis and hantavirus.

>>>FULL ARTICLE

OTHER WILDLIFE HEALTH RELATED NEWS
Photo credit: Thomas Marent