USGS National Wildlife Health Center
Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report
October 2001 to December 2001 |
Reported
State |
Location |
Dates |
Species |
Mortality |
Diagnosis |
Reported
By |
|
AR
|
Anchorage &
Matanuska-Susitna Valley
|
01/01/01-12/31/01
|
Black-capped
Chickadee, Black-billed Magpie, Northwestern Crow, Steller’s Jay,
Downy-Woodpecker
|
200*(e)
|
Deformities: Etiology undetermined
|
AK
|
|
AR
|
Garland Co., Lake Ouachita
|
12/13/01-ongoing
|
Bald Eagle
|
1
|
Vacuolar myelinopathy
|
NW
|
|
AR
|
Mississippi Co., Burdette
|
05/10/01-05/26/01
|
Southern
Leopard Frog
|
20,000 ( e)
|
Environmental Stress
|
NW
|
|
CA
|
Los Angeles
Co., San Francisquito Canyon
|
08/29/01-10/23/01
|
Pacific
Tree Frog
|
9*
|
Fungal Infection: Chytrid
|
NW
|
|
CA
|
Santa
Clara & Alameda Co.; Artesia Slough, Coyote Creek & San Jose
|
06/20/01-11/10/01
|
Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, California
Gull
|
1,660
|
Botulism suspect
|
SF
|
|
CO
|
El Paso
& Teller Co;, Colorado Springs area
|
06/01/01-ongoing
|
Raccoon, Red Fox
|
900(e)
|
Canine distemper
|
CO
|
|
CO
|
Otero
Co., La Junta
|
09/17/01-09/21/01
|
American
White Pelican, American Avocet, Ring-billed Gull, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged
Teal
|
1,825
|
Trauma: Hailstorm
|
CO
|
|
FL
|
Alachua
Co Gainesville
|
07/01/01-11/01/01 1
|
Southern
Leopard Frog Green Tree
Frog
|
180 ( e)
|
Hepatitis, Ulcerative dermatitis
|
NW
|
|
FL
|
Lake Apopka
|
10/24/01-10/30/01
|
American
Coot, Bald Eagle
|
21
|
Trauma
|
NW
|
|
FL
|
Lee Co.,
Gasparilla Is.
|
12/14/01-ongoing
|
American
White Pelican
|
14
|
Open
|
NW
|
|
GA
|
Glynn
Co., Brunswick Harbor
|
10/09/01-10/14/01
|
Ruddy
Turnstone
|
170(e)
|
Toxicosis suspect: Urea
|
SC
|
|
GA
|
J. Strom Thurmond Lake/Clarks Hill Lake
|
10/20/01-ongoing
|
Canada Goose
Bald Eagle
|
25
|
Vacuolar myelinopathy
|
NW
|
|
ID
|
Valley
Co., S. Fork of Salmon River
|
08/25/01-10/09/01
|
Idaho
Giant Salamander
|
11(e)
|
Fungal Infection: Chytrid
|
NW
|
|
MD
|
Queen
Annes Co Stevensville
|
10/08/01-11/13/01
|
Great
Blue Heron
|
10
|
Steatitis
|
MD, NW
|
|
MI
|
Saginaw
Co., Saginaw
|
07/01/01-11/05/01
|
American
Goldfinch
|
10
|
Trauma
|
NW
|
|
MS
|
Harrison
Co., Gulfport
|
10/01/01-10/10/01
|
House
Finch
|
4(e)
|
Conjunctivitis: Mycoplasma
suspect
|
NW,LU
|
|
MT
|
Ravalli
Co. |
08/01/01-08/05/01 |
Boreal Toad
|
1000(e)
|
Open
|
NW
|
|
MT
|
Ravalli
Co., Sweeney Creek Headwaters
|
06/08/01-06/14/01
|
Columbia
Spotted Frog
|
111
|
Exposure: Hypothermia
|
NW
|
|
NC
|
Carteret
Co., Bouge Banks
|
10/23/01-10/23/01
|
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler, Swamp Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, Black-throated
Blue Warbler
|
100(e)
|
Trauma: Tower strike
|
NW
|
|
NC
|
Moore
Co., Woodlake
|
10/24/01-ongoing
|
American
Coot
|
2
|
Vacuolar myelinopathy
|
NW
|
|
NY
|
Dutchess
Co., Poughkeepsie
|
10/22/01-10/22/01
|
Gray Squirrel
|
3
|
Toxicosis: Brodifacoum
|
NY
|
|
NY
|
Monroe
Co., Perinton
|
10/05/01-10/08/01
|
American
Crow
|
5
|
Toxicosis:
Avitrol
|
NY
|
|
NY
|
Niagara
Co., Lewiston
|
12/18/01-12/18/01
|
Canada
Goose
|
14
|
Toxicosis:
Zinc phosphide
|
NY
|
|
NY
|
Niagara
Co., Niagara Falls
|
09/12/01-09/14/01
|
Rock Dove
|
4
|
Toxicosis: Avitrol
|
NY
|
|
NY
|
Rensselaer
Co., Reichards Lake
|
11/09/01-11/23/01
|
Canada
Goose
|
5
|
Lead poisoning
|
NY
|
|
NY
|
Schenectady
Co., Scotia
|
06/22/01-08/22/01
|
Gray Squirrel
|
8
|
Toxicosis:
Brodifacoum
|
NY
|
|
OR
|
Ankenny
Slough NWR
|
10/24/01-11/10/01
|
Canada
(Cackling) Goose
|
25
|
Aspergillosis
|
NW
|
|
PAN
|
Canal Zone, Panama
|
05/30/01-08/08/01
|
Tungara Frog
|
11
|
Toxicosis
suspect: pesticide
|
NW
|
|
UT
|
Davis
Co., Great Salt Lake
|
12/17/01-12/31/01
|
Eared
Grebe, California Gull
|
10,000(e)
|
Bacterial
Infection: Erysipelothrix rhusiopathae
|
NW
|
|
UT
|
Salt Lake City, Mill Creek
|
10/05/01-10/12/01
|
Mallard
|
14
|
Botulism type C
|
NW
|
|
UT
|
Wasatch
Co., Heber Valley
|
09/06/01-11/15/01
|
Columbia
Spotted Frog
|
9
|
Fungal
Infection: Chytrid
|
NW
|
|
WI
|
Door Co.,
Sturgeon Bay
|
08/31/01-09/28/01
|
Mallard,
Double-crested Cormorant,
Unidentified Scaup
|
42
|
Botulism type C & E
|
NW, WI
|
|
WI
|
Milwaukee Co., Jackson Park
|
09/10/01-09/13/01
|
Mallard, Ring-billed Gull
|
9
|
Botulism type C
|
NW, WI
|
|
WI
|
Vilas
Co., Lac Vieux Desert
|
07/01/01-07/31/01
|
Ring-billed Gull
|
10(e)
|
Salmonellosis
|
WI
|
|
WI
|
WI River area
|
11/27/01-ongoing
|
Bald Eagle
|
7
|
Open
|
NW, WI
|
| Updates and Corrections: |
Reported
State |
Location |
Dates |
Species |
Mortality |
Diagnosis |
Reported
By |
|
CA
|
Imperial
Co., Sonny Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR
|
05/18/01-11/09/01
|
Brown Pelican,
American White Pelican,
Ring-billed Gull,
Northern Shoveler,
Ruddy Duck
|
262, 409*
|
Botulism
type C
|
NW
|
|
CA
|
Sacramento NWR Complex
|
07/28/01-11/19/01
|
Northern
Shoveler,
Mallard,
Northern Pintail,
Green-winged Teal,
American Coot
|
581
|
Botulism type C
|
NW
|
|
MT
|
Gallatin Co., Beaver Creek
|
07/10/01-07/11/01
|
Columbia Spotted Frog
|
27
|
Viral Infection: Iridovirus
|
NW
|
|
RI
|
Washington
Co., Exeter
|
07/08/01-07/15/01
|
Wood Frog
|
10,000(e)
|
Viral
Infection: Iridovirus
|
NW
|
|
UT
|
Utah Co.,
near Elberta
|
07/01/01-07/10/01
|
California
Gull
|
500(e)
|
Dehydration
|
NW
|
(e) = estimate, * = morbidity
and mortality
|
|
Bosque del Apache
NWR (BA), California Fish & Game (CA), Colorado Division of
Wildlife (CO), Houston Zoo (HZ), Louisiana State University (LU),
National Wildlife Health Center (NW), New Jersey Dept. of Fish &
Wildlife (NJ), Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation (OW), Southeastern
Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SC), Texas Park & Wildlife
Dept. (TX), Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (WA), Wisconsin
Dept. of Natural Resources (WI).
Written and
compiled by Kimberli Miller, Kathryn Converse and Audra Schrader,
National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC). The Quarterly Wildlife Mortality
Report is also available on the Internet at http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/.
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.
|
|
|
Atlantic
Brant in New Jersey
Atlantic brant mortality, first noted at Edwin B. Forsyth NWR in
New Jersey in November 2000, occurred again in mid January 2001,
along the coast near Atlantic City. Over 700 brant were collected
during each wave of mortality for a total of over 1400 birds. Necropsy
observations during both events included tissue hemorrhage and lung
edema. Attempts by a variety of methods, including electron microscopy,
failed to detect viral or bacterial etiologic agents including West
Nile virus, duck plague, Newcastle disease and avian influenza.
Tests for botulinum toxins and rodenticides were negative and brain
acetylcholinesterase activity was within normal limits. Multiple
state and federal agencies collaborated on the diagnostic and field
response to this event. Media interest was very high.
Morbidity
and Mortality in Florida
Brown pelican morbidity and mortality was first noted in the Marquesas
Keys, Florida in late December and continued intermittently through
March. Affected birds appeared lethargic with droopy heads, had
difficulty flying and swimming or were unable to move at all. There
were no consistent necropsy findings in the several pelicans necropsied
at the National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC), no significant bacteria
or viruses were isolated and tests for avian botulism type C and
E were negative. However, two birds had moderate brain acetylcholinesterase
activity depression (39% and 51%) and toxicology analysis will be
pursued. Mortalities in loggerhead turtles have also occurred in
southern Florida with nearly 150 sick and dead turtles found since
September. Marine animal specialists have been working to determine
the cause of this turtle mortality. A link between the pelican die-off
and loggerhead deaths has not been established.
Avian Vacuolar
Myelinopathy
Avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM) occurred in various locations
during 2000, with the majority of cases occurring at Woodlake in
North Carolina and J. Strom Thurmond/Clark's Hill Lake on the Georgia-South
Carolina border. Each year there seems to be a change in the epizootiology
of this disease. The Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study
(SCWDS) documented the first loss of several bald eagles from AVM
outside of Arkansas at J. Strom Thurmond/Clark's Hill Lake as well
as AVM in several new species including 2 great horned owls, 1 killdeer
and 3 Canada geese. Wildlife Disease Specialists from SCWDS and
NWHC conducted a field investigation at the site in late November
2000. Based on diagnostic and research work to date, the cause of
AVM is thought to be due to either a naturally occurring or man-made
chemical. NWHC research with sentinel birds in North Carolina has
shown that the occurrence of AVM is site specific and has a fairly
rapid onset. A variety of agencies will continue research efforts
to determine the cause of this disease and route of exposure.
Avian Cholera
in Arkansas
Over 200 American coots died over a 2-week period in early January
in Arkansas County, Arkansas. SCWDS confirmed the mortality was
due to avian cholera. This is the first record of avian cholera
mortality in Arkansas in either the NWHC or SCWDS databases.
Louisiana
Mortality
Cowbird and blackbird mortality was noted in January and February
2001, over an extensive area of southern Louisiana. Salmonellosis
was diagnosed by Louisiana State University. An estimated 100 cowbirds
and blackbirds found dead and dying on a golf course in East Baton
Rouge Parrish appear to be unrelated mortalities as brain acetylcholinesterase
activity was found to be significantly depressed in several birds
examined at NWHC. This is suggestive of recent exposure to an organophosphate
compound.
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.
|
|
|
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
