[tn-bird] Re: Raptor mortality crisis in Ohio
- From: everson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 23 Aug 2002 11:41:15 -0400
There was a story this morning on NPR about West Nile Virus and wild bird die-
offs. They specifically mentioned crows, jays, and some concerns about
Whooping Cranes. Often NPR has print versions on their website of the
newstories they carry. I haven't looked to see if they do for this one.
Tracey Everson
Maryville, TN
Blount Co
Quoting Wallace Coffey <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>:
>
> TN-Birders:
>
> The following is a forward posting regarding a terrible crisis effecting
> raptors in Ohio. I got thismessage from the Richmond, Virginia
> Birding Listserver. Read on......
>
> Let's go birding...
>
> Wallace Coffey
> Bristol, TN
> --------------------------BEGIN FORWARD----------------------
> Richmonders....
>
> Here is an alert from Ohio about a wildlife crisis that could be related
> to West
> Nile Virus. I have not heard of it spreading to our Virginia rehab
> centers as it
> has in Ohio. What a tragedy! Larry Lynch, birder6@xxxxxxxx
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: Ohio Raptor mortality . . . WNV implicated
>
> >>From: "Mona Rutger"
> >>Subject: Back To The Wild update on wildlife crisis . . .
> >>Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2002 00:56:46 -0700
> >>
> >>Dear Friends:
> >>
> >>I wanted to make you all aware of what is happening at Back To The
> >>Wild. This is an update on a wildlife crisis in Ohio that has hit
> >>rehabilitation centers and zoos hard! It is statewide. In just two
> >>weeks, almost every center in Ohio has experienced unheard of
> admissions
> >>of Great Horned Owls daily from the wild; [plus] Red-tails, Coopers and
> other
> >>raptor species. Most are Great Horneds - and most all have head
> tremors
> >>and some with paralysis of the legs. Many are dying quickly, within 48
>
> >>hours, though a few seem to be recovering. Most are found standing or
> >>laying on the ground, unaware of their surroundings and allow you to
> just
> >>pick them up. Today, I received eight more affected Great Horned Owls,
>
> >>two Red-tails and yet another call just now about another Great
> >>Horned! It is unbelievable. How many birds are down out there that
> >>aren't being found? There are 18 sick birds here and I have begun
> >>euthanizing several. A few are recovering and then will be immune for
> the
> >>rest of their life to West Nile.
> >>
> >>Worse yet, most centers have lost Education Birds that have been at our
>
> >>centers for 10 or more years. They die overnight, without
> >>warning. Rehabbers are devastated. I have lost four caged birds here,
>
> >>and fear for the Bald Eagles and other raptors at our center. Sue has
> >>lost her program Snowy Owl and Merlin and most centers have lost
> Barreds,
> >>Great Horneds, Red-tails and Kestrels. I have heard several Falconers
> >>have lost Gyrfalcons. We cannot protect our birds, as we don't have
> >>results back yet, and we can't move them to safer quarters, because
> doing
> >>so would cause major stress and weaken their immune systems. We are
> all
> >>suspecting West Nile. Bringing them into our centers means that
> >>mosquitoes feeding on them can fly about the program cages and infect
> >>those birds. This is a great health risk and even euthanizing any
> >>incoming birds doesn't protect our Education Birds, because they are
> >>coming from every county in Ohio and if it is West Nile, that means the
>
> >>mosquitoes are out there anyway. We know we can't save all these
> incoming
> >>birds and shouldn't, but we do have to protect our permanent residents
> at
> >>our centers. Next year, the weaker ones should be eliminated from the
> >>environment and those that survived will be a perfect example of
> nature's
> >>efficient system of "natural selection".
> >>
> >>My veterinarian was here until 11:30 p.m. collecting blood and tissue
> >>samples and we packaged entire birds on ice to be sent to the Ohio
> Dept.
> >>of Health and the National Health Animal Diagnostic Lab in Madison,
> >>WI.
>
> One center sent in two Great Horned Owls and one Red-tail and all
> >>three tested positive for West Nile.
>
> The advice from Federal and State
> >>agencies is to put mosquito netting over all our cages! Absolutely
> >>impossible! Some of the cages are over 60 to 100 feet long and 16 feet
>
> >>high. How can you mosquito proof that?! Humans will not get the West
> >>Nile virus from contact with an infected bird in their area, but must
> be
> >>bitten by a mosquito who has bitten an infected bird. However, lab
> >>technicians have contracted West Nile from the blood of infected birds,
>
> >>that came in contact with cuts on their hands. News Channel 13 called
>
> >>and some newspapers who will create a public panic if they don't handle
>
> >>this right. Very few humans get sick from exposure to West Nile -
> >>flu-like symptoms and then it is over. Individuals with weakened
> immune
> >>systems, however, are at risk.
> >>
> >>Well, I really wanted to let some of you who would have interest in
> this
> >>and are involved with Back To The Wild, to know what's going on before
> you
> >>read about it in the paper, etc. We are running on nerves and little
> rest
> >>and a great support system networking with our fellow rehabbers and
> >>veterinarians. Marianne Socha, DVM in Huron, once again has donated
> her
> >>time and energy to help us through this. We are truly indebted to
> >>her.
>
> Take care.
>
> Bill and Mona Rutger
> Castalia, Ohio
> --------------------------END FORWARD------------------------------
>
>
> =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
>
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> Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
> web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
> jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958
> =========================================================
>
>
>
=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
-----------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958
=========================================================
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