USGS National Wildlife Health Center
Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report July 2000 to September 2000 |
Reported State |
Location |
Dates |
Species |
Mortality |
Diagnosis |
Reported By |
AK |
Kenai Peninsula Co., Skilak Lake |
07/15/00-07/18/00 |
Double-crested Cormorant |
10 |
Open |
NW |
CA |
Glenn Co., Sacramento NWR |
08/07/00-08/29/00 |
White Ibis, Unidentified Egret, Unidentified Pelican,
Pied-billed Grebe, Mallard |
143 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
CA |
Mono Co., Toiyabe NF |
08/16/00-09/15/00 |
Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog |
7 |
Fungal Infection: Chytrid |
NW |
CA |
Santa Cruz, Ellicott Slough NWR |
05/20/00-05/20/00 |
Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander |
100* (e) |
Predation Fungal Infection: Chytrid Emaciation |
NW |
CA |
Imperial Co., Seeley |
05/23/00-05/23/00 |
Brown Pelican |
9 |
Toxicosis: Organophosphate Trauma: Impact |
NW |
CA |
Siskiyou Co., Lower Klamath Basin NWR |
07/20/00-08/28/00 |
Northern Pintail, Gadwall, American Coot, Northern Shoveler,
Mallard |
950 (e) |
Botulism type C |
NW |
CA |
Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR |
06/26/00-ongoing |
American White Pelican, Brown Pelican |
1,025 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
CA |
Trinity Co., South Fork Trinity River |
07/18/00-10/03/00 |
Rough-skinned Newt, Pacific Giant Salamander |
4* |
Parasitism: Trematodiasis |
NW |
CA |
Sonny Bono, Salton Sea NWR |
08/02/00-08/25/00 |
Cattle Egret |
800 (e) |
Salmonellosis |
NW |
ID |
Jefferson Co., Camas NWR |
07/14/00-09/05/00 |
Unidentified Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, American Coot, Canada
Goose |
106 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
ID |
Jefferson Co., Market Lake WMA |
07/07/00-08/22/00 |
Franklin's Gull, Unidentified Duck, Green-winged Teal |
65 |
Botulism suspect |
ID,NW |
IL |
Havana, Chautauqua NWR |
09/08/00-10/10/00 |
Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Unidentified
Shorebird, Northern Pintail |
933 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
IL |
Lake Co., Lake Calumet |
07/06/00-07/15/00 |
Unidentified Gull |
100 |
Open |
IL |
KY |
Adair Co., Columbia |
09/02/00-09/09/00 |
Magnolia Warbler, American Redstart, Chestnut-sided Warbler,
Ovenbird, Tennessee Warbler |
139 |
Trauma: Tower strike |
SC |
ME |
Albany Twp., Crocker Pond |
07/01/00-07/05/00 |
American Toad, Bull Frog |
150 (e) |
Toxicosis suspect |
NW |
ME |
Hancock Co., Acadia NP |
06/26/00-08/14/00 |
Green Frog, Spotted Salamander, Spring Peeper |
100 (e) |
Viral Infection: Iridovirus |
NW |
MI |
Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron |
07/05/00-07/26/00 |
Mallard |
13 (e) |
Botulism type C |
MI |
MN |
Dakota Co., Apple Valley |
07/03/00-09/06/00 |
Mallard, Canada Goose |
121 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
MO |
Franklin Co., Washington |
08/09/00-08/09/00 |
Unidentified Blackbird, Common Grackle |
4 |
Open |
NW |
MS |
Grenada Co., Grenada Lake |
08/15/00-08/16/00 |
Cattle Egret |
200 (e) |
Open |
MS |
MT |
Missoula Co., Missoula |
07/14/00-07/17/00 |
Black-billed Magpie |
20 (e) |
Toxicosis: Organophosphorus cmpd. suspect |
NW |
MT |
Phillips Co., Bowdoin NWR |
07/05/00-10/02/00 |
American Wigeon, Blue-winged Teal, Gadwall, Northern Pintail,
Mallard |
3,236 (e) |
Botulism type C |
NW |
MT |
Sheridan Co., Daphne Gaffney Lakes |
07/17/00-09/01/00 |
Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Canada Goose |
200 (e) |
Botulism suspect Least Bittern |
ML |
MT |
Sheridan Co., Medicine Lake NWR |
06/28/00-07/17/00 |
Muskrat, Canada Goose, Garder Snake, Painted Turtle, Unidentified
Waterfowl |
700 (e) |
Open |
NW |
NC |
New Bern, Union Point Park |
07/06/00-07/26/00 |
Hybrid Mallard, Laughing Gull, Herring Gull |
150 (e) |
Botulism type C NC |
NC |
Onslow Co. |
05/19/00-08/23/00 |
Southern Leopard Frog, Barking Tree Frog |
8 (e) |
Fungal Infection: Chytrid |
NW |
NC |
Onslow Co. |
05/23/00-07/26/00 |
Cottonmouth Snake, Red-bellied Water Snake |
4* |
Parasitism: Nematodiasis |
NW |
ND |
McIntosh Co., Kulm WMD |
07/26/00-08/23/00 |
Bufflehead, Mallard, Gadwall |
189 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
ND |
McLean Co., Turtle Lake II WDA |
08/03/00-09/15/00 |
American Coot, Black-crowned Night Heron, Eared Grebe, Northern
Shoveler, Unidentified Duck |
831 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
ND |
Ramsey Co., Lake Alice NWR |
07/13/00-09/20/00 |
Gadwall, American Coot, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler,
Mallard |
1,354 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
ND |
Richland Co., Gaukler Wetland |
08/01/00-08/30/00 |
American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, Unidentified Duck, Ring-billed
Gull |
10 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
NV |
Churchhill Co., Canvasback Club Fallon Sewer Ponds |
07/07/00-08/06/00 |
White-faced Ibis, Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, Redhead Duck,
Mallard |
90 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
NY NJ, MD, MA, RI, CT, PA |
Across states |
05/20/00-ongoing |
Blue Jay, Fish Crow, American Crow |
5000 (e) |
Viral Infection: West Nile |
NW,NY, AS |
NY |
Throughout State |
08/04/00-11/06/00 |
Mourning Dove |
143 |
Parasitism: Trichomoniasis |
NY |
NY |
Ontario Co., Canandaigua Lake |
07/24/00-07/28/00 |
Mudpuppy Salamander |
9 |
Open |
NW |
OH |
Richland Co. |
07/08/00-07/08/00 |
Canada Goose |
12 |
Open |
NW |
OH |
Kenton & Hamilton Co. |
06/05/00-06/22/00 |
Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Great-horned Owl, Screech
Owl |
9 |
Toxicosis suspect |
NW |
PA |
Erie Co., Presque Isle SP |
07/17/00-09/01/00 |
Semipalmated Sandpiper, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull,
Bonaparte's Gull, Ring-billed Gull |
150 (e) |
Botulism type E |
NW |
SC |
Jasper Co., Savannah |
08/30/00-09/18/00 |
Great Egret, Snowy Egret |
50 |
Botulism suspect |
NW |
SD |
Bennett Co., LaCreek NWR |
07/14/00-09/01/00 |
Mallard, Unidentified Duck, Double-crested Cormorant,
Unidentified Goose, American White Pelican |
420 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
TX |
Austin, Stillhouse Hollow Stream |
07/18/97-04/17/00 |
Salamander, Jollyville Plateau |
26* |
Deformities: Scoliosis |
NW |
TX |
Willacy Co., Laguna Madre |
07/25/00-07/29/00 |
Louisiana Heron, Royal Tern, Reddish Egret, Tricolored
Heron |
50 (e) |
Exposure: Hypothermia Dehydration |
NW |
VT |
Franklin Co., Lake Carmi |
08/09/00-08/30/00 |
Mallard |
15 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
VT |
Franklin Co., Missisquoi NWR |
08/19/00-09/24/00 |
Wood Duck, Northern Shoveler, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged
Teal, Mallard |
155 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
WA |
Grays Harbor Co. |
07/16/00-08/20/00 |
Sea Otter |
18 |
Open |
NW |
WI |
Kenosha Co. Harbor |
09/14/00-10/01/00 |
Mallard |
40 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
WI |
Manitowoc Co. Harbor |
07/03/00-07/20/00 |
Ring-billed Gull |
200 (e) |
Salmonellosis |
NW |
WI |
Milwaukee,Lake Michigan |
07/18/00-08/24/00 |
Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Mallard |
87 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
WI |
Outagamie Co., Little Lake Butte Des Morts |
08/12/00-09/05/00 |
Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Double-crested Cormorant |
65 |
Botulism type C |
NW,WI |
WI |
Racine Co., Lake Michigan |
08/16/00-08/22/00 |
Unidentified Teal, Herring Gull, Unidentified Shorebird,
Mallard |
24 |
Botulism type C |
NW, WI |
WI |
Washburn Co. |
04/01/00-04/30/00 |
Brewer's Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Red-winged
Blackbird |
30 |
Toxicosis: Strychnine |
WI |
WY |
Carbon & Laramie Co. |
09/08/00-09/08/00 |
Wyoming Toad |
3 |
Open |
NW |
WY |
Teton Co., National Elk Refuge |
07/22/00-09/05/00 |
Boreal Toad |
2 |
Fungal Infection: Chytrid |
NW |
Updates and Corrections: |
Reported State |
Location |
Dates |
Species |
Mortality |
Diagnosis |
Reported By |
CA |
Shasta Co., Whiskeytown NRA |
06/14/00-06/30/00 |
Bull Frog |
100 (e) |
Undetermined, Toxicosis suspect |
NW |
CO |
Larimer Co., Rocky Mountain NP |
05/01/00-05/01/00 |
Boreal Toad |
1 |
Fungal Infection: Chytrid |
NW |
MA |
Hampshire Co., Granby |
06/15/00-07/25/00 |
Wood Frog, Spotted Salamander |
11,000 (e) |
Viral Infection: Iridovirus |
NW |
ME |
Penobscot Co. Acadia NP |
08/01/00-08/11/00 |
Bull Frog, Green Frog |
200 (e) |
Viral Infection: Iridovirus |
NW |
MN |
Crow Wing Co. (CWB & CWN sites) |
06/15/00-07/13/00 |
Green Frog, Northern Leopard Frog, Mink Frog |
100 (e) |
Viral Infection: Iridovirus Fungal Infection:Yeast-like |
NW |
MN |
Crow Wing Co., Esden Lake |
06/20/00-09/15/00 |
Mink Frog |
100 (e) |
Viral Infection: Iridovirus |
NW |
NC |
Graham Co., Tulula Wetlands |
03/27/00-04/16/00 |
Wood Frog, Spotted Salamander |
3,000 (e) |
Viral Infection: Iridovirus |
NW |
NC |
Graham Co., Tulula Wetlands |
06/12/00-07/13/00 |
Bull Frog Spotted Salamander |
10 (e) |
Viral Infection:Iridovirus Fungal Infections: Yeast-like & Chytrid |
NW |
ND |
Stutsman Co., Cottonwood Lake |
06/04/00-07/18/00 |
Tiger Salamander |
1,000 (e) |
Viral Infection: Iridovirus |
NW |
ND |
Kidder Co., Horsehead Lake |
06/22/00-09/09/00 |
Blue-winged Teal, Western Grebe, Northern Pintail, Franklin's Gull, Eared
Grebe |
3,655 |
Botulism type C |
NW |
NE |
Omaha, Fontenelle Park |
06/27/00-07/15/00 |
Wood Duck, Mallard, Domestic Goose, Domestic Duck, Canada Goose |
30 (e) |
Botulism type C |
NW |
SC |
Charleston Co. |
05/26/00-06/26/00 |
Mallard, Muscovy Duck |
42 (e) |
Duck plague |
SC |
TN |
Blount Co., Great Smokey Mtns. |
05/10/00-06/01/00 |
Wood Frog, Marbled Salamander, Eastern Spotted Newt |
24 (e) |
Viral Infection: Iridovirus |
NW |
WA |
Okanogan Co., Okanogan NF |
05/18/00-06/01/00 |
Cassin's Finch, Pine Siskin |
50 (e) |
Salmonellosis |
NW |
(e) = estimate, * = morbidity and mortality
California Dept. of Fish & Game-Wildlife Invest. Lab (CA); Centers for Disease Control, Ft. Collins, CO (CDC); Colorado Division of Wildlife (CO), Connecticut Ag. Exp. Station & Univ. of Connecticut (CT); Illinois Dept. of Nat. Res. (IL); Live- stock Disease Diagnostic Center (KY); Louisiana Game & Fish (LA); Nat'l Wildlife Health Center (NW); New Jersey Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (NJ); New York State Dept. of Env. Cons. (NY); Purdue Diagnostics Lab (PD); Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SC); US Geological Survey (GS), Washington Dept. of Fish & Game (WA), and Wisconsin Dept. of Nat. Res. (WI).
Written and compiled by Kathryn Converse, Kimberli Miller, Linda Glaser, Terry Creekmore, and Audra Schrader, National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC). To report mortality or if you would like specific information on these mortalities, contact one of the following NWHC staff: Western US Kathryn Converse; Eastern US--Kimberli Miller; Hawaiian Islands--Thierry Work. Phone (608) 270-2400, FAX (608) 270-2415 or E-mail kathy_converse@usgs.gov. National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, WI 53711.
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Quarterly Mortality Reports |
WNV 2000 West Nile virus (WNV) is a cause of wildlife mortality in the eastern US again this year. WNV is an arthropod- borne virus that had never been reported in the Western Hemisphere until the fall of 1999 when wild birds (primarily crows), horses, and people were affected in an outbreak in the greater New York City (NYC) area. This year, WNV was first detected in wild birds found dead the third week of May in southeastern New York and northeastern New Jersey and mortality in wild birds has been ongoing. Horses and people were affected again this year also. This year's outbreak is expanded both geographically and in the number of species found infected with WNV when compared to last year's outbreak.
Wild mammals were first found positive for WNV in August this year. Initially, bats found alive in private homes were submitted for rabies testing and then subsequently tested for WNV after being found rabies negative. A total of 25 wild mammals including bats, raccoons, chipmunks, and squirrels were found infected with WNV in the state of NY. A WNV positive skunk was found in CT. It appears that at least some of the bats found positive for WNV are dying of WNV and it is unknown whether these species are incidental hosts or if they are capable of transmitting WNV through a mosquito vector. At least 14 species of mosquitoes were found positive for WNV including both mammal and bird feeding species and species active at dawn and dusk, and during the day.
Amphibian Mortality/Morbidity Chytridiomycosis, epidermal infections by the pathogenic chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, was detected in multiple species of frogs, toads and salamanders, including tadpoles, larvae, neotenes and adults from 6 states. In three states (MN, NC & TX) this was the first detection of the pathogenic chytrid fungus. In 3 states chytridiomycosis had been previously diagnosed in amphibians in 1999 or previous years. Amphibian mortalities were attributed to the chytrid fungal infection only in adult (post-metamorphic) frogs and toads, while the chytrid infections in tadpoles and salamanders were considered incidental findings. Although the chytrid infections probably were subclinical cases in the salamanders, at two sites, it was reported that sympatric frogs and toads had suffered marked population declines. These findings provide further support to the theory that the pathogenic chytrid fungus is an important etiology in mortality events and may contribute to population declines in adult frogs and toads.
Iridovirus epizootics were considered the cause of mortality events in 9 amphibian species in 6 states. For the first time, mortality events attributable to iridovirus infections were observed in marbled salamanders and spring peepers in 2000. In addition, mortality events that simultaneously affected both ranid tadpoles and salamanders were observed at casualty sites in three states (MA, MN & NC). At two sites, mortality events have recurred annually for at least 3 consecutive years. Affected life stages were usually tadpoles, larvae, neotenes or recent metamorphs. Infected frogs and salamanders presented a variety of gross abnormalities, including hyperemia and petechiae in the ventral skin, skin ulcers, hydrocoelom, and mild focal ventral dermal edema to very severe generalized dermal edema of the body and limbs. All isolated iridoviruses are believed to be the genus, Ranavirus, in the family, Iridoviridae, but confirmatory molecular analyses are pending.
For additional information please contact Dr. Scott Wright,
USGS National Wildlife Health Center - Disease Investigations Branch Chief, at 608-270-2460 or
Paul Slota, USGS National Wildlife Health Center - Support Services
Branch Chief at 608-270-2420.
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