USGS National Wildlife Health Center
Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report January 2003 to March 2003 |
Reported State |
Location |
Dates |
Species |
Mortality |
Diagnosis |
Reported By |
ANT |
Palmer Station |
01/17/03-01/26/03 |
Adelie Penguin |
12(e) |
Open |
NW |
CA |
Lower Klamath and Tule Lake NWR |
02/17/03-04/21/03 |
Ruddy Duck
Snow Goose
Ross' Goose
American Wigeon
Northern Pintail |
4,759 |
Avian cholera |
NW |
CA |
San Joaquin River NWR |
01/23/03-02/04/03 |
Ross' Goose Canada (Aleutian) |
50(e) |
Avian cholera |
NW |
FL |
Volusia, Orange, Brevard, Martin, Palm Beach and
Broward Counties |
03/08/03-ongoing |
Northern Gannet Unidentified Cormorant |
1,000(e) |
Emaciation |
FL, NW |
GA, MS, LA, FL |
|
01/08/03-ongoing |
American Crow Blue Jay
Common Grackle
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch |
35(e) |
Viral Infection: West Nile |
ST |
GA |
Lincoln County |
12/29/02-01/20/03 |
Bald Eagle |
3(e) |
Vacuolar myelinopathy |
SCW |
IA |
DeSoto
NWR
|
12/18/02-01/03/03
|
Snow Goose
Mallard
|
57
|
Avian cholera suspect
|
NWR
|
KS
|
Lyon County
|
01/29/03-01/29/03
|
Northern
Bobwhite
|
5
|
Trauma
|
SCW
|
MD
|
Talbot
County
|
01/25/03-03/01/03
|
Ruddy Duck
|
2,000(e)
|
Open: emaciation |
MD, NW
|
ME
|
Villa Gonzalez and Villa de Casas |
12/14/02-01/20/03 |
Snow Goose
White-fronted Goose
|
220(e)
|
Open
|
NW
|
MS
|
Harrison County
|
03/19/03-ongoing
|
Mississippi gopher
Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
|
1,000(e)
|
Parasitism:
protozoa-like
|
NW
|
NC
|
Halifax
County
|
02/01/03-04/15/03
|
Unidentified
Grackle
|
100(e)
|
Toxicosis: organophosphorus cmpd
suspect
|
NCA, NW
|
NE
|
Scotts Bluff County
|
01/21/03-01/22/03
|
Hooded Merganser
Common Goldeneye
Green-winged Teal
Mallard
|
470(e)
|
Exposure: hypothermia
|
NW
|
NM
|
Maxwell NWR
|
01/07/03-03/14/03
|
Pine Siskin
Evening Grosbeak
American Goldfinch
|
50(e)
|
Salmonellosis
|
NW
|
NY
|
Albany
County
|
01/15/03-03/01/03
|
American
Crow
|
12
|
Enteritis:
hemorrhagic
|
NW, NY
|
OK
|
Tishomingo
NWR
|
02/18/03-ongoing
|
unidentified
Grackle
European Starling
unidentified Junco
|
20
|
Open
|
NW
|
PA
|
Erie County, Presque Isle
St. Park
|
03/15/03-03/19/03
|
Map Turtle
|
12(e)
|
Open
|
NW
|
PR
|
Isla
Mona
|
02/25/03-02/28/03
|
Killdeer
|
75(e)
|
Emaciation
|
NW
|
TN
|
Great Smoky
Mountains NP
|
01/08/03-02/15/03
|
Snapping Turtle
|
25
|
Emaciation
|
NW
|
TN
|
Blount County
|
03/21/03-03/23/03
|
American Toad
|
50(e)
|
Open
|
# |
TX
|
Nueces
County
|
01/20/03-01/22/03
|
Northern Gannet
|
2(e)
|
Emaciation
|
NW
|
TX
|
Multiple Counties
|
01/28/03-03/31/03
|
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
|
2,000(e)
|
Open
|
TX
|
TX
|
Oldham County
|
02/26/03-02/26/03
|
Sandhill Crane
|
37(e)
|
Trauma:
powerline collision
|
TX
|
TX
|
Bailey County
|
03/14/03-03/20/03
|
Sandhill Crane
|
300(e)
|
Mycotoxicosis suspect
|
TX
|
VA
|
Surry County
|
01/15/03-02/15/03
|
Brown Pelican
|
50(e)
|
Drowning
|
NW, SCW
|
WA
|
Yakima County
|
02/20/03-02/21/03
|
California Quail
|
150(e)
|
Trauma
|
WAS
|
WI
|
Milwaukee County
|
03/22/03-04/05/03
|
Lesser Scaup
|
250(e)
|
Parasitism: trematodiasis
|
NW
|
Updates and Corrections: |
Reported State |
Location |
Dates |
Species |
Mortality |
Diagnosis |
Reported By |
FL
|
St. Mark's National Wildlife Refuge
|
12/19/02-ongoing
|
Southern Leopard Frog
|
15(e)
|
Parasitism
|
NW
|
WI
|
Sauk, Columbia, Iowa and Grant County
|
12/10/02-04/01/03
|
Bald Eagle
|
9
|
Lead poisoning
|
NW, WI
|
(e) = estimate; * = morbidity, not mortality; # = no specimens received in laboratory setting
New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation (NY), Southeastern
Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCW), USGS National Wildlife
Health Center (NW), Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources (WI),
National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Texas Parks and
Wildlife Commission (TX), North Carolina State University Veterinary
School (NCA), Maryland Department of
Agriculture Diagnostic Laboratory (MD), Florida Fish and Wildlife
Commission (FL), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WAS), State Diagnostic
Laboratories (ST).
Written and compiled by Kathryn Converse/Rex Sohn - Western US, Grace McLaughlin
- Eastern US, Christine Lemanski, NWHC. The Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report
is available at http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov. To report mortality or receive information about this report, contact the above
NWHC staff, or for Hawaiian Islands contact Thierry Work. Phone: (608) 270-2400, FAX: (608) 270-2415 or e-mail:
kathy_converse@usgs.gov. USGS National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, WI 53711
|
Quarterly Mortality Reports |
Avian Cholera in Northern California Wintering Waterfowl..
From mid February to mid April 2003, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
personnel collected carcasses of 4,759 waterfowl at Lower Klamath
and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuges in California on border
of Oregon. The total losses are estimated at 9,000. The predominant
species affected in order of mortality were Ruddy ducks, Snow geese,
Ross’ geese, American wigeon, Northern pintail, White-fronted
geese, and American coots. Populations of geese and ducks have
been increasing with significant expansion of quality waterfowl
habitat on and off the Refuges in California. The impact of avian
cholera was greater in the 1980’s when waterfowl populations
were lower and less quality habitat was available.
West Nile
Virus Returns in 2003.
As of April 1, 2003, WNV was detected in birds in Georgia, Louisiana,
Mississippi and Florida. In addition, WNV antibodies were detected
in resident, non-migratory birds in Mexico, Dominican Republic,
El Salvador and Jamaica. WNV was diagnosed in horses in El Salvador.
This southern progression of WNV further supports the hypothesis
that migratory birds transmit the virus. Given the rapid progression
of WNV to 44 states in 2002, it is anticipated that WNV will occur
in the 48 continental states and possibly AK and HI during 2003.
The largest WNV epidemic ever recorded, occurred in the United
States in 2002. In their final report for 2002, The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention report 4,156 human cases with 284
deaths, almost 15,000 horse cases, and thousands of WNV positive
birds. West Nile virus was confirmed in 44 states, the District
of Columbia, five Canadian Provinces (Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario,
Quebec and Nova Scotia), and northeastern Mexico reported WNV activity
in 2002.
High Mortality
Threatens the Survival of the Mississippi Gopher Frogs.
In March 2003, mortality of gopher frog tadpoles was detected in
Mississippi at the only known breeding site for this species in
the United States. Gopher frogs live in burrows of gopher tortoises,
which have been released in the same area in Mississippi. The September
2002 cohort of gopher frogs has died and the remaining tadpoles
from the February breeding event are in captivity. A protozoan-like
organism is responsible for the larval mortality. Amphibians were
collected from three potential release sites for tadpoles if there
is a successful breeding attempt by the estimated 150 remaining
adult gopher frogs in the fall of 2003 or 2004.
Songbird
Mortality in Texas.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department reported a die-off of thousands
of American Robins and a smaller number of Cedar Waxwings from
an area that extended from Dallas to San Antonio to Goliad, Texas.
One of the largest areas of mortality was Waco, which reported
several hundred dead birds. All diagnostic tests conducted at Texas
A & M and other state laboratories were inconclusive and pesticide
exposure was ruled out. Speculation as to the cause of death includes
alcohol toxicity following ingestion of fermented berries from
exotic bushes planted in the area.
Ruddy Ducks
Succumb to the cold in Maryland.
During January 2002, cold temperatures and extensive ice coverage
in the Chesapeake Bay may have contributed to the starvation of
an estimated 2000 Ruddy ducks and other wintering waterfowl. Birds
submitted to the Maryland Department of Agriculture Diagnostic
Laboratory and the NWHC were emaciated with empty stomachs and
all cultures were negative. The initial concern of avian cholera
in these birds was ruled out.
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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