Wildlife Health
West Nile Virus
| Disease | West Nile Virus (WNV; flavivirus) |
| Primary Wildlife Affected | Birds
(those from the crow family are highly susceptible) |
| Distribution | Most of the continental United States including many parks |
| NPS Management Activities | An integrated pest management approach is employed. Management strategies to reduce the risk to humans, the resource, and the environment are determined on a site-by-site basis. Risk reduction includes a variety of short and long term management actions such as: education of staff and visitors, monitoring/ surveillance programs, sanitation programs, reduction of non-natural (man-made) mosquito habitat, site restoration initiating periodic park or specific site closures, insecticide application, or no action. Mosquito management efforts are initiated only when a clear and defined threat to park resources and/or human health has been determined. Wildlife management efforts include WNV surveillance in dead birds and vaccination of endangered California condors in Grand Canyon National Park. |
| Links | http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/research/west_nile/west_nile.html http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm |