Digital Commons Network^™

Historic And Current Status Of The American White Pelican Breeding At Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota, Marsha A. Sovada, D. Tommy King, Michael Erickson, Cheryl Gray

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge currently supports the largest breeding colony of the American White Pelican ( Pelecanus erythrorhynchos ) in North America. The first written account of the colony’s status was in 1905, when approximately 500 pelicans nested on two islands in Chase Lake. The colony grew to nearly 34,000 breeding birds by 2002. Surveys of breeding pelicans in the colony were sporadic from 1905 until 1972. Because the availability of foraging areas affects recruitment, pond counts from south-central North Dakota were used as an index of the relative availability of foraging areas. Pond counts varied widely in the …

The Impact Of Disease In The American White Pelican In North America, Tonie Rocke, Kathryn Converse, Carol Meteyer, Bob Mclean

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Records of reported die-offs of the American White Pelican ( Pelicanus erythrorhynchos ) held by the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center from 1978 through 2003 indicate that type C botulism (caused by Clostridium botulinum ) was the major cause of mortality. In 1996, over 15,000 birds, including 8,500 American White Pelicans, were estimated to have died from type C botulism at the Salton Sea in California. This was the largest documented die-off of any pelican species and was estimated to represent 15-20% of the western metapopulation. This event was also notable in that it was the first time …

West Nile Virus Infection In Farmed American Alligators (Alligator Mississippiensis) In Florida, Elliott R. Jacobson, Pamela E. Ginn, J. Mitchell Troutman, Lisa Farina, Lillian Stark, Kaci Klenk, Kristen L. Burkhalter, Nicholas Komar

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Serologic Evidence Of Exposure Of Wild Mammals To Flaviviruses In The Central And Eastern United States, J. Jeffrey Root, Jeffrey S. Hall, Robert G. Mclean, Nicole L. Marlenee, Barry J. Beaty, Justin Gansowski, Larry Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Serosurveys were conducted to obtain flavivirus and West Nile virus (WNV) seroprevalence data from mammals. Sera from 513 small- and medium-sized mammals collected during late summer and fall 2003 from Colorado, Louisiana, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania were screened for flavivirus-specific antibodies. Sera samples containing antibody to flaviviruses were screened for WNV-specific antibodies by epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and confirmed with plaque reduction neutralization tests. Prevalence of WNV antibodies among study sites ranged from 0% to 42.8% among the mammal communities sampled. High prevalence rates for WNV were noted among raccoons (100%, with a very small sample size, N = …

Ridding Ships' Ballast Water Of Microorganisms, Fred C. Dobbs, Andrew Rogerson

OES Faculty Publications

( First paragraph) A complex assemblage of microorganisms exists in nearly every aquatic system on earth. In lakes and oceans, every milliliter of water contains about 10² protists (single-celled eukaryotes), 10⁶ bacteria, and 10⁷–10⁹ viruses. Therefore, billions of microorganisms inevitably enter ships’ ballast tanks during normal operations. It has been argued that microorganisms must certainly be frequent invaders of coastal ecosystems, given the high densities of bacteria and viruses in ballast water—10⁸ and 10⁹ organisms per liter, respectively (1)—their potentially high reproductive rates, broad tolerances to physical conditions, and ability to form resting …

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Case-Control Study: Past Chemical Exposures And The Measurement Of The Red Blood Cell Acetylcholinesterase Reactivity In Vitro When Challenged At Various Dosages By Chlorpyrifos-Oxon, Naomi J. Bienfang

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to analyze the red blood cell acetylcholinesterase (RBC AChE) reactivity levels among persons with amyothropic lateral sclerosis (PALS) (cases) and their controls when challenged with the oxon form of the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos. The ultimate objective was to determine if a correlation exists between the RBC AChE reactivity level and the participants' disease status and/or exposure to toxins through occupations and hobbies.

Cases in this study were individuals diagnosed by a neurologist with sporadic ALS. Controls were individuals who were not genetically related to the PALS and were neuromuscular disease free. Controls were a …

Alligators As West Nile Virus Amplifiers, Kaci Klenk, Jamie Snow, Katrina Morgan, Richard Bowen, Michael Stephens, Falacia Foster, Paul Gordy, Susan Beckett, Nicholas Komar, Duane Gubler, Michael Bunning

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Recent evidence suggests that American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) may be capable of transmitting West Nile virus (WNV) to other alligators. We experimentally exposed 24 juvenile alligators to WNV parenterally or orally. All became infected, and all but three sustained viremia titers >5.0 log₁₀ PFU/mL (a threshold considered infectious for Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes) for 1 to 8 days. Noninoculated tankmates also became infected. The viremia profiles and multiple routes of infection suggest alligators may play an important role in WNV transmission in areas with high population densities of juvenile alligators.

The Ecology And Relationships Of Chiropteran Ectoparasitic Communities Of Indiana, Christopher Michael Ritzi

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ectoparasites of bats are an important and largely unstudied area of mammalian ecology. The structure of ectoparasitic communities on bats, and their interactions with their hosts, may help in the understanding of roosting ecology, pa1iurition, and other aspects of host natural history. In this study, a vigorous survey of the ectoparasitic fauna of the bats ofindiana was undertaken, to determine if changes in species composition has occurred over the past 30 years. This survey resulted in the recovery of 51,980 parasites of 13 families from 2,816 host individuals of l O species, documenting 16 new host records and 14 …

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre, Annual Report 2003-2004 (English)

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre: Newsletters and Publications

About the CCWHC
What We Do
Wildlife Disease Surveillance
Wildlife Disease Surveillance - Highlights from 2003
CCWHC Information Technology Centre
Information Services
Education
Wildlife Disease Response and Management
Publications and Reports
Financial Report for 2003-2004 - Revenues
Financial Report for 2003-2004 - Expenses
Staff and Associates of the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre 2003-04

2nd National Invasive Rodent Summit

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Papers (abstracts follow)

Historical perspectives and current ecological impacts of nutria in Louisiana
Urban desert islands
Flea control on wild rodents
An overview of rodent control to protect biodiversity on mainland New Zealand
Risk assessment of rodenticide use in New Zealand
Rodents on oceanic islands
Invasive species
Improving the management of rat control damage on the Caribbean National Forest
The USGS role in nutria research and management
Controlling roof rats (Rattus rattus) for protection of Puerto Rican parrots
Anticoagulant resistance in farm rat populations in the UK
Invasive rodent research priorities in New Zealand
The National Invasive Species Council
Integrated …

Feral Swine Impacts On Agriculture And The Environment, Nathan W. Seward, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Gary W. Witmer, Richard M. Engeman

Sheep and Goat Research Journal

More than 30 species of exotic freeranging mammals have become established in the United States since European colonization (De Vos et al., 1956; McKnight, 1964; Roots, 1976). These species often become serious economic pests and can have grave consequences on their host environments (Cottam, 1956; De Vos et al., 1956; Mayer and Brisbin, 1991). True wild pigs (Suidae) are not native to the United States. Only the collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu; Tayassuidae) that inhabits the southwestern and south-central parts of the United States is native (Mayer and Brandt, 1982; Mayer and Wetzel, 1986). Feral swine (Sus scrofa …

Serologic Survey For Canine Infectious Diseases Among Sympatric Swift Foxes (Vulpes Velox) And Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In Southeastern Colorado, Eric M. Gese, Seija M. Karki, Mead L. Klavetter, Edward R. Schauster, Ann M. Kitchen

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Swift foxes (\'IL~VPGCY~ OX)a nd CoVi I otes (C~rrisl r~tr(~r~a.rse) sympatric canids distributed througllout rnany regions of tlie Great Plains of North America. ~h~ prevalence of canid diseases arnong these two species where they occur syiripatrically is presently unknown. Frorn January 1997 to January 2001, we collected blood salnples from 89 switt toxes and 122 coyotes oil the US Arlny Pifion Canyon Maneuver Site, 1,as Anilrlas County, SE lorado (USA). Seroprcvalence of ailtibodies against canine parvovirr~s (C13\i) was 71 % for adult (>9 nlo old) ailcl 38% for jrlveilile (59 Ino old) swift fbxes. Adult (21 yr old) and …

Rodent Ecology And Plague In North America , Gary W. Witmer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Complex rodent communities occupy the western United States. These communities are susceptible to the exotic disease, plague, that has become enzootic in the region since 1899. Weather conditions, the susceptibility of rodent species to plague, population dynamics, and the intra-specific interactions between populations of mammals and their flea associates all contribute to the periodic outbreaks of plague. Understanding these ecological relationships allows managers to generate predictions and to intervene in plague situations so as to reduce the negative effects on ecosystems and to reduce the risk of plague to humans.

Agribusiness Sheep Updates - 2004 Part 2, Anyou Liu, Clinton Revell, Phil Nichols, Brad Nutt, Darryl Clements, Lucy Anderton, Stephen Gherardi, Chris Oldham, Paul Sanford, John Gladman, G. E. Donald, A. Edirisinghe, D. A. Henry, S. P. Gittins, R. C. G. Smith, Roy Butler, Kelly Pearce, David Masters, David Pethick, Andrew Thompson, Ken Hart, Johan Greeff, Beth Paganoni, Rachel Kirby, Matt Ryan, Kira Butler, Roger Heggarty, David Hopkins, Samantha Giles, Tom Plaisted, Mark Ferguson, Darren Gordon, John Young, Sandra Brown, Ian Mcfarland, John Archer, John Milton, Rob Davidson, Graeme Martin, David Lindsay, Johnathan England, Mandy Curnow, Karina P. Wood, Ashley K. White, B. Lloyd Davies, Paul M. Carberry, Mark Hyder, Mike Freer, Andrew Van Burgel, Kazue Tanaka, Andrew Peterson, Roger Wiese, Gonzalo Mata, Evan Burt, Amanda Miller, Anne Bennett, Felicity Flugge, Amir Abadi, Perry Dolling, Dean Thomas, Mike Ewing, David Lindsay, Emma Kopke, E. A. Dowling, E. K. Crossley, Brien (Ben) E. Norton, John Karlsson, Geoff Pollott, Diana Fedorenko, Darryl Clements, Robert Beard, Brown Besier, Una Ryan, Caroline Bath

Sheep Updates

Precision Pastures

Using Species Diversity to Improve Pasture Performance Anyou Liu and Clinton Revell, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia

New Annual Pasture Legumes for Sheep Graziers Phil Nichols, Angelo Loi, Brad Nutt and Darryl McClements Department of Agriculture Western Australia

Pastures from Space – Can Satellite Estimates of Pasture Growth Rate be used to Increase Farm Profit? Lucy Anderton, Stephen Gherardi and Chris Oldham Department of Agriculture Western Australia

Summer-active Perennial Grasses for Profitable Sheep Production Paul Sanford and John Gladman, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia

Pastures From Space – Validation Of Predictions Of Pasture Growth Rates DONALD, G.E^{.A …}

Livestock Depredation By Wolves, Michael Francis

Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery: Annual Reports

The state of Colorado expects recovering and dispersing wolf (Canis lupus and C. l. baileyi) populations to reach the state in the near future. Likewise, the western Distinct Population Segment of recovering gray wolves may be delisted soon. In preparation for this eventuality, the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) has initiated the development of a state wolf management plan in an effort to deal with the many controversial issues surrounding this topic, which includes the possible depredation upon livestock and other domestic animals by wolves. This paper deals specifically with cowcalf and sheep depredation and examines the actual …

Expert Scientific Panel On Chronic Wasting Disease, Dr. Trent Bollinger, Dr. Peter Caley, Dr. Evelyn Merrill, Dr. Fracois Messier, Dr. Michael W. Miller, Dr. Michael D. Samuel, Dr. Emmanuel Vanopdenbosch

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre: Newsletters and Publications

This document represents a summary of discussion, conclusions, and recommendations of an Expert Scientific Panel convened to: 1) provide a synopsis of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in free-living cervids in Canada, 2) evaluate the ecological and socio-economic implications of CWD in Canada, and 3) make recommendations on research and management actions to minimize and mitigate the effects of CWD in cervid species.

Scwds Briefs: Volume 20, Number 2 (July 2004), Michael J. Yabsley

Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study: Publications

National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, confirmed vesicular stomatitis (VS) in horses at one premises in Texas. As of July 21, 2004, infected animals were identified on a total of 45 premises in Colorado (11), New Mexico (21), and Texas (13). These are the first reports of VS in livestock in the United States since the 1998 epizootic.
SCWDS VS Studies
Chronic Wasting Disease Developments: nearly 118,000 wild white-tailed deer, mule deer, and elk were tested in the United States from October 2002 to September 2003, with 592 animals testing positive for the CWD prion. More than $38,000,000 was …

Exposure Time Of Oral Rabies Vaccine Baits Relative To Baiting Density And Raccoon Population Density, Bradley F. Blackwell, Thomas W. Seamans, Randolph J. White, Zachary J. Patton, Rachel M. Bush, Jonathon D. Cepek

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Oral rabies vaccination (ORV) baiting programs for control of raccoon (Procyon lotor) rabies in the USA have been conducted or are in progress in eight states east of the Mississippi River. However, data specific to the relationship between raccoon population density and the minimum density of baits necessary to significantly elevate rabies immunity are few. We used the 22-km² US National Aeronautics and Space Administration Plum Brook Station (PBS) in Erie County, Ohio, USA, to evaluate the period of exposure for placebo vaccine baits placed at a density of 75 baits/km² relative to raccoon population density. …

Exposure Time Of Oral Rabies Vaccine Baits Relative Tobaiting Density And Raccoon Population Density , Bradley F. Blackwell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Oral rabies vaccination (ORV) baiting programs for control of raccoon (Procyorl lotor) rabies in the USA have been conducted or are in progress in eight states east of the Mississippi River. However, data specific to the relationship between raccoon population density and the minimum density of baits necessary to significantly elevate rabies im~nunitya re few. We used the 22-km2 US National Aerorlautics and Space Administration Plum Brook Station (PBS) in Erie County, Ohio, USA, to evaluate the period of exposure for placebo vaccine baits placed at a density of 75 baits/km2 relative to raccoon population density. Our objectives were to …

Centre Canadian Cooperatif De La Sante De La Faune, Rapport Annuel 2003-2004 (French)

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre: Newsletters and Publications

À propos du CCCSF
Nos activités
Surveillance des maladies de la faune
Surveillance des maladies de la faune - Points saillants en 2003
Centre technologique d'information du CCCSF
Services d'information
Formation
Réponse aux maladies de la faune et gestion des maladies
Publications et rapports
Rapport financier 2003-2004 - Revenus
Rapport financier 2003-2004 - Dépenses
Personnel et associés du Centre Canadian coopératif de la santé de la faune 2003-2004
Conseil d’administration du Centre Canadien coopératif de la santé de la fanue en 2003-04

West Nile Virus And Wildlife, Peter P. Marra, Sean Griffing, Carolee Caffrey, A. Marm Kilpatrick, Robert Mclean, Christopher Brand, Emi Saito, Alan P. Dupuis, Laura Kramer, Robert Novak

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

West Nile virus (WNV) has spread rapidly across North America, resulting in human deaths and in the deaths of untold numbers of birds, mammals, and reptiles. The virus has reached Central America and the Caribbean and may spread to Hawaii and South America. Although tens of thousands of birds have died, and studies of some bird species show local declines, few region-wide declines can be attributed to WNV. Predicting future impacts of WNV on wildlife, and pinpointing what drives epidemics, will require substantial additional research into host susceptibility, reservoir competency, and linkages between climate, mosquitoes, and disease. Such work will …

Health Risk Assessment For The Introduction Of Eastern Wild Turkeys (Meleagris Gallopavo Silvestris) Into Nova Scotia, A.S. Neimanis, F.A. Leighton

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre: Newsletters and Publications

This health risk assessment evaluates potential health risks associated with a proposed introduction of wild turkeys to the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. The preferred source for the turkeys would be the Province of Ontario, but alternative sources include the northeastern United States from Minnesota eastward and Tennessee northward. This report assesses qualitatively the probability that health hazards would be created in Nova Scotia in association with the introduction of wild turkeys and the magnitude of harm that would result, and the probability that the introduced wild turkeys would encounter health hazards in Nova Scotia and the magnitude of the …

Scwds Briefs: Volume 20, Number 1 (April 2004)

Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study: Publications

• First Culture of the STARI Agent for Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensulato, the most common tick-borne disease of humans worldwide and the most frequently reported vector-borne disease in the United States.
• Unusual wild elk mortality that began in late January to early February 2004 in the Red Rim area southwest of Rawlings, Wyoming, has been preliminarily diagnosed as lichen (Xanthoparmelia chlorochroa) toxicosis.
• During 2003, hemorrhagic disease (HD) was documented in seven states through virus isolation at SCWDS. Most of our isolations were associated with an outbreak in western Idaho and adjoining eastern Washington. Both epizootic …

Leptospirosis In The Azores: The Rodent Connection, Gary W. Witmer, Hernani Martins, Lidia Flor

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Azores are Portuguese islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. The culture is very agrarian with a large cattle industry. Unfortunately, there is a chronic leptospirosis problem within the people, livestock, companion animals, and wildlife of the Azores. Introduced rodents play a significant role as maintenance hosts of this disease. We review the situation and make recommendations for reducing the occurrence and hazard of leptospirosis in the Azores. Areas addressed include the need for a better understanding of the epidemiology of the disease and the role of rodents, development of an effective rodent control program, improvements in farm practices and …

Empirical Measurement Of Parasite Transmission Between Groups In A Colonial Bird, Charles R. Brown, Mary Bomberger Brown

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

While epidemiological models have suggested that the spread of parasites
and infectious diseases often depends critically on the extent of movement by infected
individuals between populations, there is little empirical information for any organism on
the frequency of between-group parasite transmission or how it varies spatially. The transmission
of parasites between discrete social groups or populations may also help determine
a host’s total parasite or pathogen exposure. We measured the introduction of parasitic bugs
(Oeciacus vicarius) into colonies of Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) by transient
birds from outside each group. The transmission of bugs increased strongly …

Scwds Briefs: Volume 19, Number 4 (January 2004)

Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study: Publications

• A highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus (H5N1) recently has been reported among domestic poultry in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. This virus also has been responsible for 23 confirmed human cases, including 18 deaths.
• U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman announced a “presumptive positive” case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a dairy cow from the state of Washington.—Report on completed investigation.
• Proposed Rule in the Federal Register regarding a chronic wasting disease (CWD) herd certification program and interstate shipping requirements for captive deer and elk.
• Another BIG Year for …

Human Rights, Health And The Environment, David Gillespie

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Environmental health and human rights are inextricably linked. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 3, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person.” Given that the earth is the source of the basic necessities of human life, any discussion about health and human rights must be attentive to its inherent environmental aspects. International conventions, documents and reports such as Agenda 21 (1992) and The Draft Declaration of Human Rights and the Environment (1994) have expressly argued for such an integrated approach. In response, a plethora of works over the past decade have expanded the …

Effects Of Fire On The Nutritional Ecology Of Selected Ungulates In The Southern Black Hills, South Dakota, Teresa J. Zimmerman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research in the 1990s indicated that populations of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the northern and central Black Hills had declined since the late 1970s likely due to habitat deterioration. In August 2000, the Jasper fire consumed nearly 35,000 ha of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest in the southern Black Hills. To ascertain the nutritional condition of white-tailed deer and mule deer (O. hemionus) and their response to fire, 5 adult white-tailed deer and 5 adult mule deer were collected in burned and unburned habitat, in February and August, 2002 and 2003. Collected deer were weighed and necropsied at a …

Effect Of Heavy Metals On Bacteria, Elena Vratonjic

Theses and Dissertations

Heavy metals have become devastating environmental contaminants due to their widespread use in the manufacture of electronics, plastics, batteries and dyes. The discharge of heavy metals into the environment has caused concern about their effects on the ecosystem. Many metals are essential for growth in small amounts. However, at higher concentrations heavy metals are toxic because they bind to organic compounds. This accounts for their effects on some important parts of the cell structure, like their ability to denature protein molecules. The initial objective of this study was to find out the growth rate of E.coli and M.roseus in the …

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre, Volume 9-2, Fall 2003

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre: Newsletters and Publications

Type E Botulism in Fish-Eating Birds on Lake Huron and Lake Erie 1998-2003
Chronic Wasting Disease in free-ranging cervids in western Canada
Esophageal Lesions in Crows
Surplus killing of roseate terns and common terns by a mink
West Nile Virus infection in Québec Raptors : 2003 season
Mortality in Great Black-Backed Gulls near Presqu'ile
Type E Botulism Update
West Nile Virus Update
Adenovirus Encephalitis in a Wild Fox
Newcastle Disease Virus in Double-crested Cormorants in Alberta and Saskatchewan in 2003
West Nile Virus in Sage Grouse
The Research Group for Arctic Parasitology (RGAP), November 2003
Death of a Grizzly Bear …