SUPPLEMENT TO THE JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES

JANUARY, 1998

Wildlife Diseases Newsletter
JWD Vol. 34: NO. 1
 
Charlotte F. Quist, Editor
Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Georgia
Athens, GA USA 30602
Telephone: 706-542-5349 Fax: 706-542-5977
E-mail: CQUIST@ADL300.VET.UGA.EDU

President's Corner

We are facing increasing challenges to our current wildlife management policies which include the management of diseases in wildlife. Not only does the "majority" of the public apparently want to eliminate commercial use of furbearer wildlife species, to restrict some consumptive use of game species, to prevent the use of trapping devices, but also to restrict the use of public lands to non-consumptive use and noninterference with wildlife. They want a total hands-off policy for wildlife and want only a "recreational use" of public-owned lands (i.e., wildlife viewing, hiking, climbing, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, rafting, snowmobiling, etc.) which they feel has little or no impact on wildlife. The view that David Jessup mentioned in his President's Corner in the January 1994 issue of WDA newsletter that "few people argue against managing wildlife populations for optimal health and reproduction" may be changing as well. The WDA resolution on the management of Duck Plague (DVE) in wild waterfowl populations was seriously challenged and WDA had to recently modify its position. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was legally forced to cease control of coyotes that were killing most of the fawns of an endangered Columbian whitetailed deer population at a national wildlife refuge, even though they were scientifically evaluating the effectiveness of coyote control on fawn survival. The challenges to the traditional approaches to wildlife management will continue at a faster pace and the challenges are generally well funded by special interest groups. However, the solutions offered frequently require much more effort and can be very expensive for the invested agency or group involved.

How can we modify our approaches to studying and managing diseases in wildlife that will satisfy the changing views of the general public? The diagnosis and treatment of diseases in individual animals by rehabilitators or in zoos is a well accepted practice that will probably continue unchallenged. However, managing diseases in wild populations for the protection of the wildlife species affected, protection of collateral wildlife species that could be exposed, or protection of domestic animals and humans who could be at risk without using traditional approaches to disease control will test our ingenuity and stretch our capabilities. The challenges do wake us up from any complacency and force us to seek new technology and new partners. An example of a successful change in our approach to disease control is the development and use of an oral rabies vaccine bait and delivery strategy to control the spread and intensity of rabies transmission in carnivore species. The public seems to readily accept this less intrusive method of disease control even when wild animals are captured (and released) for monitoring of seroconversion rates to the vaccine. Of course this particular disease and its presence in an area invoke higher public concern and acceptance of the disease control methods. Nevertheless, the financial costs involved in these new approaches are large and usually only through interagency collaboration at federal, state, and local levels can they be accomplished. Certainly better communication with and education of the public and wildlife managers about wildlife diseases and environmental contaminants and their impact on wildlife populations and increased cooperation among a variety of agencies, universities, and private companies
 

1998 WDA Conference. The 47th Annual Conference of the WDA will be held August 10-13, 1998, at the historic Memorial Union of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin. The meeting will be co-sponsored by the USGS National Wildlife Health Center, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the University of Wisconsin (School of Veterinary Medicine and Institute for Environmental Studies), and the International Crane Foundation. As usual, the Editorial board and Council meetings will be held prior to the Conference on Sunday, August 9, and a welcoming reception will be held on Sunday evening. The general sessions will open on Monday, August 10, with an invited Forum entitled, "Are Wildlife Disease Specialists Meeting the Needs of Resource Agencies?"-a topic which should provide for lively discussion through the rest of the week. Contributed papers will begin on Monday afternoon and continue through Thursday afternoon. The general sessions will include two Symposia: Algal Biotoxins in Wildlife and Disease and Amphibian Declines. The student presentation competition will be held on Tuesday. Social events include a picnic and tour at the International Crane Foundation on Monday evening, featuring. local brews and a variety of Wisconsin cheeses, and the annual wildlife auction on Tuesday evening (don't forget to bring your auction items!). A banquet on Wednesday evening will be followed by music and dancing on the Memorial Union terrace overlooking beautiful Lake Mendota.

Madison is easy to get to via flights into the Dane County Regional Airport or by flying to Chicago's O'Hare Airport and traveling on to Madison via the Van Galder busline which drops off and picks up at the Memorial Union. Various accommodations will be available for conference participants, including inexpensive dormitory rooms, hotels within walking distance of the Memorial Union, and bed and breakfasts in the vicinity. Madison's August weather is warm and humid but beautiful. At the end of the day, the casual campus atmosphere will invite you to enjoy a cool drink while watching the sailboats and a beautiful sunset over the lake. Nearby State Street is a great place to shop and browse through many unique-to-Madison shops or to sip a cafe latte at a sidewalk table. A wide variety of other activities are available to conference attendees and their families, including tours of the Aldo Leopold Reserve; boat trips on Lake Mendota and other lakes surrounding Madison; visits to local Norwegian and/or Swiss communities, the Madison's Children's Museum, and the Henry Vilas Zoo; tours of local Frank Lloyd Wright architectural attractions; and fishing trips on the local lakes or on Lake Michigan. Get ready to join us in Madtown for a great conference in America's #1 place to live!!!!

We have set up an electronic mailbox to correspond with you for general information and abstract submission (WDAmail@usgs.gov) or you can contact Tonie Rocke, Local Arrangements Chair, at the National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711, USA. Phone: (608) 270-2451; Fax: (608) 270-2415; Email: tonic rocke@usgs.gov. For information on the scientific program see below.

For additional information on the Madison area and sites of interest see the National Wildlife Health Center's home page at http://www.emtc.nbs.gov/nwhchome.html. We will be adding detailed information about the WDA meeting to this home page in the near future, including a meeting outline, area accommodations, and other items of interest.

Call for Papers. Requests to contribute a paper at the 1998 WDA conference, as well as the accompanying abstracts, should be received no later than May 15, 1998. Please send the abstract via electronic mail to the Program Chair at: WDAmail@usgs.gov. If electronic mailing is not possible, please send a copy of your abstract in ASCII format on a computer diskette along with your printed copy to the Program Chair at the address below. Please include the names and complete addresses for all authors on the abstract and underline the individual presenting the paper, following the format of the attached sample abstract. Indicate whether you prefer to present your paper during a platform session, as a poster presentation, or if either option is acceptable. Abstracts of papers being submitted for the student competition should be clearly identified as such, and a copy also submitted to the Chairman of the Student Activities Committee (see Student Activities announcement).

Oral presentations will be limited to a maximum of 15 minutes. A presentation of approximately 12 minutes is recommended to allow time for questions and discussion at the end of each presentation. In fairness to others, please plan for the time allotted. Carousel 2 x 2 inch slide projectors will be provided. Slides should be given to the projectionist at the beginning of your session. It is the author's responsibility to have the slides loaded into the carousel correctly. If other audiovisual equipment is needed, please request these when the abstract is submitted.

Submit abstracts to the Program Chair, Dr. Nancy J. Thomas, at the National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711, USA. Phone: (608) 270-2400; Fax (608) 270-2415. Abstract Email: WDAmail@usgs.gov; Other Email: nancy_thomas@usgs.gov

Sample Abstract

EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF WINTER TICK, DERMACENTOR ALBIPICTUS, SURVIVAL IN ALASKA.

RANDALL L. ZARNKE, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701; AL FRANZMANN, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, P.O. Box 3150, Soldotna, Alaska 99669; RICHARD BARRETT, State-Federal Animal Health Lab, P.O. Box 1088, Palmer, Alaska 99645; and W. M. SAMUEL, Department of Zoology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada TOG 2E9.

Dermacentor albipictus is an ectoparasite of both wild and domestic animals in North America. It is a serious pest of moose in western Canada causing, among other things, premature loss of winter hair. Historically, 60o North Latitude has been accepted as the northern range limit of D. albipictus and this tick is not known from Alaska. Weather's effect on survival of tick stages off the moose (i.e., over summer) is thought to be important in determining population fluctuation and, possibly, distribution of D. albipictus. Because minimum temperature and rainfall requirements for survival and propagation of D. albipictus may be met in parts of Alaska, and as the potential for tick introduction rises, engorged adult female D. albipictus from Alberta, Canada, were placed in tick-proof cages near Fairbanks (central), Palmer, and Soldotna (southern), Alaska. Females laid eggs at all 3 locations. Eggs subsequently hatched at Fairbanks and Palmer, but not at Soldotna. Cooler microhabitat conditions are believed responsible for the eggs not hatching at Soldotna. These results suggest that this parasite could survive and propagate in Alaska if introduced into the State. Strict enforcement of existing domestic animal importation regulations will hopefully prevent such an introduction.

Nominations for WDA Awards, 1998. The awards committee of the WDA invites membership to submit nominations for the Distinguished Service Award and the Emeritus Award. Members or former members of the WDA are eligible for these awards, which are bestowed upon the nominee or nominees by council on the basis of merit. The Distinguished Service Award is the highest award given by the WDA. It honors a long standing member, who through outstanding accomplishments and research, teaching or other activities, including participation in WDA affairs, has made a noteworthy contribution to furthering the aims of the WDA. The Distinguished Service award need not be presented each year. The Emeritus award is an honorary category of membership awarded by the council to retired members of the WDA who, in the opinion of the council, have contributed significantly to the study of wildlife diseases. Nominations must be made in writing to the awards committee chairman by March 1, 1998 and must include 12 copies of supporting documentation. Send nominations to: Dr. Scott Wright, Marine Mammal Pathobiology Laboratory, 3700 54th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida 33711. Telephone: 813-8932904. E-mail: MMPLAB@HARPO.DEP.STATE.FL.US

Nominations for WDA Offices, 1998. Nominations are being sought for two council members-at-large. Nominations should be made in writing by three WDA members and should be submitted by March 1, 1998 to Mike Miller, Chair, WDA Nominations Committee, Colorado Division of Wildlife, 317 West Prospect, Fort Collins, Colorado USA 80526. Telephone: (970) 484 2836; FAX: (970) 490-2621. E-mail: mike.miller@state.co.us

WDA Student Awards. The Wildlife Disease Association offers several awards to encourage students to participate in the Association and the annual conference, and to recognize outstanding student research. Students are defined as undergraduate or graduate students in the basic or veterinary sciences, and veterinary interns or residents. Potential recipients must be members of the Wildlife Disease Association or must apply for membership at the time of application for the award. Student supervisors are encouraged to bring these awards to the attention of their students well in advance of the dead-lines. The following awards are available:

1) Terry Amundson Student Presentation Award. This award recognizes the best student paper presented at the annual conference. The award is based on scientific content of the research and the quality of the presentation. The winner receives a plaque, $100 US and a conference registration fee rebate. In addition, up to three students receive Honourable Mention which includes a plaque and a conference registration fee rebate.

Students wishing to be considered for this award should submit an abstract by June 1, 1998 (or date selected by program chair), to the Program Chair of the 1998 Annual Meeting of the WDA (see "Call for Papers" elsewhere in this issue) and a copy of this abstract to Todd O'Hara, Chairman of the WDA Student Activities Committee, North Slope Borough, Department of Wildlife Management, P.O. Box 69, Barrow, Alaska 99723, USA. Telephone: +1 (907) 852-0350. Fax: + 1 (907) 852-0351. E-mail: TOHARA@co.north-slope.ak.us

2) Student Research Recognition Award This award is given to the student judged to have the best research project in the field of wildlife disease, based on written communication and scientific achievement. The winner receives a plaque and up to $1,000 US to cover travel, housing, registration, etc. related to the annual conference. The student will be the featured presenter during the Student Presentation Session at the conference.

Applicants should submit a summary (6-10 pages, double-spaced, 12 font) of their project, which must include an abstract (maximum 200 words), rationale for the study, objectives and hypotheses, experimental design, methods, results, and conclusions. Also required is a short statement indicating how the research relates to WDA objectives (see inside back cover of Journal of Wildlife Diseases) and a letter of support from the faculty advisor indicating the degree of student involvement in the planning and execution of the research project. Applications should be submitted by April 15, 1998, to Todd O'Hara at the above address.

3) Wildlife Disease Association Scholarship. This scholarship acknowledges outstanding academic and research accomplishment, commitment, and potential in pursuit of new knowledge in wildlife disease (or 'health'). The scholarship has a value of $2,000 US and is awarded annually to an outstanding student who is pursuing a master's or doctoral degree specializing in research on wildlife disease.

To be considered, the candidate should:

· possess an undergraduate degree that is equivalent to a four-year baccalaureate degree. Applicants with first-class standing (i.e., grade point average above 3.5 in 4.0 system, 80% in percentage system, or B+ or better) will receive priority;

· be committed to leadership, scholarship, and service in the wildlife disease profession.

Applicants should submit:

· one copy of all relevant transcripts. Transcripts can be official (i.e., with the imprint of the official seal of the institution and the signature of the responsible university of ricer) or copies signed by the student's faculty advisor;

· up to three letters of support, including a letter from the student's faculty advisor, that address the following specific abilities of the applicant: academic achievement, scholarly promise, research ability, verbal and writing skills, industriousness, leadership abilities, judgement and potential for contribution to the field of wildlife disease;

· evidence of superior scholastic achievement (course work, scholarships);

· evidence of potential or achievement in research (publications, publication awards, invitations to present;

· other evidence of distinction OR commendation (letters, accomplishments).

The award is non-renewable and can be received only once by a given candidate. Applications must be submitted by April 15, 1998, to: Bill Samuel, Department of Biological Sciences, CW-405 Biological Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada TOG 2E9.

HAPPENINGS IN THE FIELD

Western Wildlife Health Cooperative Annual Meeting. The WWHC held its annual meeting on July 26, 1997 in Sparks, Nevada. Jim de Vos, Chairman, reiterated the purpose of this organization. Years ago, the conflict between wild bighorn sheep and domestic sheep was a primary health issue facing wildlife agencies of western North America. As there was no organized forum for dissemination of wildlife health information or interaction between wildlife agencies, it was apparent that there was a need for a wildlife health cooperative. As many capable diagnostic laboratories are present in the West, a central laboratory like the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study was deemed unnecessary. After considerable discussion, the agencies associated with the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies formed the Western Wildlife Health Cooperative as a central forum to share information on wildlife health issues. Eighteen western states and provinces of the United States and Canada are now members of this Cooperative. Issues addressed by WWHC members in the July 1997 newsletter include guidelines for domestic sheep management in bighorn habitats, Trichinella spp. surveys in Alaskan wolves and bear, declining fish populations in the Grand Canyon of Arizona, concern regarding malignant catarrhal fever in captive and free-ranging ruminants in Califomia, neurologic disease in wild ruminants in Idaho, surveys for Fascioloides magna in elk and studies on Brucella abortus in bison in Montana, vesicular stomatitis in New Mexico, and an unusual alopecia seen in blacktail deer in western Washington. Abstracted from Western Wildlife Health Cooperative Newsletter, No. 4, July 1997.

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Center's Fifth Year in Operation! A review of this organization's achievements was published in the May 1997 issue of the Canadian Veterinary Journal (Leighton, F.A. et al., 1997). The CCWHC Newsletter is now available on the Internet at the ProMed/AHEAD web site. The address is . Click on the CCWHC logo to access the Newsletter. The Summer 1997 Newsletter features an excellent review of chronic wasting disease by Dr. Ted Leighton.

Second Edition of The Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study's Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases in the Southeastern United States Now Available. This new manual has extensive revisions with updated chapters on toxicoses, white-tailed deer, wild swine, raccoon, red fox, bobcat, opossum, gray squirrel, woodchuck, wild turkey, and bobwhite quail. Three new sections have been added on common disease problems of nongame birds, disease issues related to captive Cervidae, and diseases that have human health implications. Sales will be handled by the American Association for Vocational Instructional Materials. Orders can be placed by mail (AAVIM, 220 Smithonia Road, Winterville, GA 30683-9527), FAX (706-742-7005)or telephone (1-800-228-4689). The cost is $20 US plus shipping and handling (shipping charges vary with size of order).
Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report. The following highlights wildlife mortality and morbidity events reported to the National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) from July through September, 1997. There were 33 reports this quarter.

Newcastle Disease virus (NDV) has been confirmed from two additional double-crested cormorant nesting colonies in the western US this quarter. Last quarter ND was diagnosed as the cause of a mortality event in double-crested cormorants at the Salton Sea in southern California. This quarter NDV was diagnosed in a cormorant nesting colony within the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge on the Great Salt Lake in Utah and a double-crested cormorant nesting colony near the mouth of the Columbia River on the Washington-Oregon border. The 300 nest colony in Utah had low-level morbidity and mortality while the Columbia River nesting colony did not have any noticeable mortality but fledgling aged juvenile cormorants were observed to have the characteristic neurological signs associated with NDV. NWHC isolated ND virus from birds collected at both these sites and the virus isolates from both sites were characterized as mesogenic in poultry by the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. The Salton Sea, Bear River and Columbia River events represent the second outbreak of NDV in double-crested cormorants in the US and the first time the disease has been seen in cormorants west of the Rocky Mountains (the West Coast population of double-crested cormorants). The first documented outbreak of NDV in double-crested cormorants in the US occurred in 1992 in the Midwest and Great Lakes region (the Interior population of double-crested cormorants) and was classified as a velogenic neurotropic virus in poultry.

Avian botulism began or continued at multiple sites in the Central and Pacific Flyways during this quarter. Large scale losses were recorded at Old Wives, Pakowki and Whitewater Lakes in Central Canada as well as the Great Salt Lake in the US. Smaller botulism events occurred in California, Nevada, Montana and North and South Dakota. All of these events involved primarily waterfowl, shorebirds, and coots. Unusual botulism type C mortality involving fish-eating birds (white and brown pelicans, gulls, herons, and egrets) occurred again at Salton Sea in southern California. A similar die-off at Salton Sea in 1996 involved over 14,000 birds while mortality this year was about 2,250. The occurrence of botulism type C in fish-eating birds is unusual and the source of the toxin is unclear. Sick and dead fish were collected from various sites in both years and research on the role of fish in these events is ongoing.

Gull mortality in and around Chicago from late June to mid July received a lot of public and media attention. Several hundred ring-billed gulls were found sick and dead along roads and public areas from Waukegan (near the Illinois-Wisconsin border) to Calumet Harbor (near the Illinois-Indiana border). Carcasses necropsied at NWHC were all fledglings in poor body condition with no signs of infectious or toxic disease. It is possible that the emaciated condition of the birds resulted from diminished food supplies or an overabundance of fledglings competing for food resources.

More than 12,000 birds including over 11,000 coots on Shawano Lake in northern Wisconsin have died of trematode parasite infections from September 30 to mid-November. Three trematode parasites including Sphaeridiotrema globulus were identified as the cause of the mortality. To date, all coots examined died from the trematode Leyogonimus sp. There are no reports in the literature of this trematode infecting coots in North America. Editor's Note: Please refer to the published version of the Quarterly Report for the accompanying Table.

NEWS FROM EUROPE

Illegal Poisoning of Birds of Prey in Spain. The use of poisons for control of predators was banned in Spain in 1973 because of the impact of this practice on wildlife. Nevertheless, illegal poisoning has continued in some areas and the Spanish Government made a special effort to eradicate this practice in the early 1980's. During the last two years, the number of birds of prey found poisoned has increased dramatically all over the country. In the Laboratorio Forense de Vida Silvestre, Madrid (LFVS), poisoning has been diagnosed in over one hundred captors, including endangered species such as the Imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) and the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus). Since November 1994 at least 350 birds of prey have been found dead. This figure includes 11 Imperial eagles, 2 bearded vultures (3 more cases currently under investigation), 8 Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus ), 150 red kites (Milvus milvus), 46 black vultures (Aegypius monachus), 23 golden eagles ( Aquila chrysoetos)and 20 griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus). Other scavenger bird species and small mammals such as foxes have also been found in high numbers.

Mortality by poisoning is suspected as having had a dramatic effect on some species. At least 15 breeding pairs of Imperial eagles (out of 158) have been lost because of poisoning and, in at least 9 further pairs, one of the adults has been proven to have been replaced. Nevertheless, the total breeding population has increased because of a reduction in juvenile mortality over the last four years. The bearded vulture is considered to be highly sensitive to poisons use and poisoning is displacing shooting as the most important cause of mortality of this species in its northern range. The impact of poisoning on other raptor populations remains to be determined. Analysis of the recorded poisoning events reveals a strong association with hunting properties. A variety of substances has been used as poison in baits including strychnine, organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides in common use (carbofuran, aldicarb, fenthion and malathion) and rodenticides.

In response to the problem of illegal poisoning of wildlife, major environmental nongovernmental organisations in Spain have jointly financed the Programa Antidoto coordinated by the LFVS (Mauro Hernandez). This program has also recently received funding from the Ministry of the Environment. Major goals of the program are i) to determine the incidence and importance of poisoning in birds of prey populations, ii) improve methods of diagnosis of poisoning, iii) determine the impact of poisoning in highly endangered species, iv) provide technical information on post-mortem examinations, sample collection and analytical techniques to rehabilitation centers, ornithologists, veterinarians and naturalists and v) contract specialized lawyers for the prosecution of infractors and provision of legal advice to people involved in wildlife study or management. More information is available from Dr. Mauro Hernandez, LFVS, P. Conde de los Gaitanes, 145, La Moraleja, 28109 Madrid, Spain. Telephone: +34 908 400431; fax: +34 1 6506956; E-mail: 106271.41@compuserve.com

Commentary on Mass Mortality in Mauritanian Mediterranean Monk Seals. It is estimated that approximately two thirds of the Mauritanian colony of Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus) died from May to July 1997. This colony represents approximately 50% of the surviving world population of this species and the recent high mortality is therefore of serious concern. Evidence of saxitoxicosis has been detected by several Spanish laboratories (see article by Ian Robinson and Mauro Hernandez in the October 1997 issue of the Supplement to the Journal of Wildlife Diseases). More recently, serologic evidence of morbillivirus infection has been found in sera, and a morbillivirus isolated from tissues of several affected seals (Osterhaus et al. Nature 388: 838-839, 1998). These authors report that preliminary characterization of the isolated virus indicates that it is more closely related to the dolphin strain of cetacean morbillivirus than to any of the other known morbilliviruses. They also state that tests for saxitoxins, carried out in their laboratories, were negative. Serologic evidence of morbillivirus infection in this colony has also been identified at the Pirbright laboratory (T. Barrett, unpublished).

The relative etiologic importance of saxitoxins and cetacean morbillivirus infection in the monk seal die-off is currently the subject of intense debate. Epidemiologic data which indicate that mortality was almost exclusively confined to adults are more consistent with death by intoxication than with a morbillivirus etiology. The absence of histopathologic lesions, characteristic of morbilliviral disease, in lung tissue of 14 seals examined microscopically (S. Kennedy, unpublished) also suggests that these animals may not have been killed by morbillivirus infection. The finding of serologic evidence of cetacean morbillivirus infection in pilot whales (Duignan et al. Marine Mammal Science 11: 150-162, 1995) and Floridian manatees (Duignan et al. Marine Mammal Science 11: 441~51, 1995) without apparent mortality highlights the possibility that this virus can infect several species of marine mammal without causing fatal disease. Morbillivirus infection of the Mauritanian colony of Mediterranean monk seals, which are more distantly related to cetaceans than are manatees, may therefore have caused only mild or inapparent disease.

On the other hand, the isolation of a morbillivirus from tissues of some affected seals is indicative of recent viral infection. If cetacean morbillivirus infection is relatively nonpathogenic in Mediterranean monk seals, the temporal links between the recent mortality and morbilliviral infection in this colony must be considered as merely coincidental. It could be argued that the likelihood of such a coincidence is low. Furthermore, the laboratory diagnosis of marine mammal mortality events caused by dinoflagellate toxins is frequently highly problematic. The difficult nature of such diagnoses was illustrated by investigations of the 1987/88 die-off of bottlenose dolphins along the eastern coast of the United States in which brevetoxin (Geraci. Clinical investigation of the 1987-88 mass mortality of bottlenose dolphins along the US central and south Atlantic coast. Final report, US Marine Mammal Commission, Washington, DC, pp. 1-63, 1989) and then morbillivirus infection (Schulman et al., Veterinary Pathology 34: 288295, 1997) were implicated.

In summary, two possible etiologies for the monk seal die-off have been identified but the relative importance of each is not yet clear. Seamus Kennedy, Veterinary Sciences Division, Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SD, Nonhern Ireland; telephone +44 (1232) 525701, fax: +44 (1232) 525767, e-mail kennedys@dani.gov.uk; Tom Barrett, BBSRC Pirbright Laboratory, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 O0NF, UK; telephone +44 (1483) 232441; fax: +44 (1483) 232448; e-mail: tom.barrett@bbsrc.ac.uk

Latest Issue of BIPAS. The latest issue of BIPAS (Bulletin d'information sur la pathologic des animaux sausages en France) has been published (Volume 16, August 1997). It is principally devoted to a summary of wildlife disease surveillance in France in 1996 but also includes papers on chlamydial infection in a fennec, parasites in birds and tuberculosis in wild boar. In an editorial, Marc Anois highlights the success of the SAGIR wildlife disease network in 1996. This volume also contains a bibliography of recent publications on wildlife disease in Europe. Copies of BIPAS are available from CNEVA Nancy, B.P. 9, 54220 Malzoville, France. Telephone: +33 3 83 29 89 50; fax: +33 3 83 29 89 59.

African Section. For information regarding the African Section, contact Nancy Kock, Department of Paraclinical Veterinary Studies, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP 167, Mount Pleaseant, Harare, Zimbabwe; telephone: 303211; fax: (263) (4) 333407/335249.

Australasian Section. For information regarding the Australasian Section, contact Wendy Blanshard c/o Seaworld, P.O. Box 190, Surfers Paradise Queensland 4217; telephone. (075) 588-2222; fax (075j 591-7603.

European Section. Material suitable for publication in the Newsletter includes news of recent wildlife disease outbreaks in Europe, short case reports, announcements and reports of relevant meetings in Europe, and job and scholarship announcements. Submissions should be in English, but contributors for whom English is a second language and who send material in basic English or in their own language will be accommodated as far as possible. Deadline for submission of articles for the next issue (April 1998) is 21 February 1998. Please mail (floppy disk preferred), fax or e-mail submissions to Seamus Kennedy, Veterinary Sciences Division, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Stoney Road, Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SD, Northern Ireland; telephone: +44 (1232) 525701, fax: +44 (1232) 525767, e-mail: kennedys@dani.gov.uk

Latin American Section. For information regarding the Latin American Section, contact Alonso Aguirre, P.O. Box 8291, Honolulu, HI 96830 USA; telephone: (808) 592-8308; fax: (808) 592-8301; e-mail: Alonso.Aguirre@nosa.gov

Nordic Section. For information regarding the Nordic Section, contact Hans-Henrik Dietz, Danish Veterinary Laboratory, Department of Fur Animal and Wildlife Diseases, 2 Hangovej, DK-8200 Aarhus N. Denmark; telephone: 45-89-37-24-17; fax: 45-89-37-24-70; email: hhd@svs.dk

Wildlife Veterinarian Section. For information regarding the Wildlife Veterinarians Section, contact Sarah Shapiro Hurley, Bureau of Wildlife Management, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 101 S. Webster Street, Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921; telephone: (607) 267-7472; fax: (608) 267-7857; e-mail: HURLES@DNR.STATE.WI.US

Note from the Editor: Please send meeting announcements, diagnostic riddles, position and grant announcements, miscellaneous items, etc. for the Supplement to the Journal of Wildlife Diseases to Charlotte F. Quist, SCWDS/Athens Diagnostic Lab, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602; telephone: (706) 542-5349; fax: (706) 542-5977; e-mail: CQUIST@ADL300.VET.UGA.EDU Double spaced typewritten or electronic mail files in WordPerfect 5.1 or Microsoft Word are preferred. The deadline for submission of articles for the next issue (April 1998, JWD Vol. 34, No. 2) is February 25, 1998.

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENTS

Journal Editor. The International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, a non-profit wildlife rehabilitation organization, is seeking an experienced editor for a professional quarterly publication. An applicant with a veterinary or animal science background is preferred. The editor must work closely with authors and help solicit articles. He/she must have own computer. Macintosh experience is a plus; can work from home. Pagemaker/MS Word. The Editor is the primary contact for authors and guest editors. Responsible for incorporating all corrections into proofs; contacting authors to obtain late or missing materials; creating key word/subject indexes; overseeing manuscript tracking process; final proof layout; and communication with Executive Director and committee chair to ensure a cohesive agency message. This is a contract position. For detailed job description, phone (707-864-1761), fax (707-864-3106), or email: iwrc@inreach.com>, with your name and mailing address.

Internship in Native Wildlife Medicine/Rehabilitation. A year-long internship in native wildlife medicine and rehabilitation is being offered to veterinarians by The Wildlife Center of Virginia. The Wildlife Center is a private, non-profit, organization with a professionally staffed, fully equipped, 5,700 square foot hospital, research, and rehabilitation center located in Waynesboro, Virginia, in the heart of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. WCV is presented with over 2,500 patients annually representing over 200 different species. Seventy percent of the patients are birds and approximately half of the birds are raptors. Common non-avian patients include turtles, deer, opossums, squirrels, and rabbits.

The intern will be supervised by an experienced wildlife veterinarian and assisted by a licensed veterinary technician, rehabilitation staff and numerous volunteers. The intern will also advise wildlife rehabilitators and supervise senior veterinary students from various schools. The intern will be involved in all aspects of wildlife medicine and rehabilitation including physical examination, sample collection, radiography, diagnosis, anesthesia, surgery, medical treatment, physical therapy, necropsy, husbandry, record maintenance, telephone consultations and presentations at rounds.

Veterinary candidates must have a strong interest in native wildlife medicine, especially avian medicine and must have well developed interpersonal and clinical skills. Experience in wildlife medicine is desirable, but not required. Preference will be given to applicants with clinical experience. Interested candidates should send a letter of intent, curriculum vitae, veterinary school transcript, and three letters of reference. A Virginia veterinary license is not required. The deadline for applications is March 1, 1998. An interview will be required. The selection will be made by April 15, for a June 1 starting date. The salary will be $18,000. Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Edward J. Gentz, The Wildlife Center of Virginia, P.O. Box 1557, Waynesboro, Virginia 22980.

TRAINING/EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Graduate Study in Zoo Animal Medicine and Pathology. A three year residency/Doctor of Veterinary Science program in Zoo Animal Medicine and Pathology, commencing September 1, 1998, will be offered by the Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph and the Toronto Zoo, with the support of the Zoological Soeiety of Toronto. Relevant preparatory education including pathology, aquatic animal and wildlife diseases is carried out at O.V.C. during the first 8 months. The resident is then based for 28 months at the Toronto Zoo, working in all aspects of the zoo veterinary programme, under the supervision of the zoo's two staff veterinarians.

The Toronto Zoo houses over 6,000 specimens, including invertebrates and fish, in extensive outdoor and enclosed exhibits on a 700 acre site. Specialists in reproduction and nutrition are based at the zoo. In addition to clinical work, the resident carries out necropsies. Follow-up pathology is completed 1 day a week at Guelph working in consultation with O.V.C. pathologists.

There is a comprehensive examination in the area of Zoo Animal Medicine and Pathology at the end of the second year of the programme. A thesis describing the results of an applied research project must be defended successfully prior to graduation. Remuneration (about C$27,000 in the first year) is commensurate with that of residents in comparable programmer at the Ontario Veterinary College.

Applicants must possess a D.V.M. or equivalent qualification, and must meet the standards for admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Guelph. Selection of the successful applicant is based on a combination of academic criteria, relevant interest and experience, referees' evaluations, and an assessment of the candidate's career goals and motivation. Requests for further information, and application forms, should be addressed to The Graduate Secretary, Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1; Email: gdavis@ovenet.uoguelph.ca. Telephone or

e-mail inquiries should be directed to Dr. Ian Barker (519) 823 8800, Ext. 4616; FAX (519) 824 5930; email ibarker@ovcnet.uoguelph.ca. Closing date for receipt of completed applications, and supporting documentation, is February 27, 1998.

New Diploma in Zoological Medicine. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (UK) has recently established a new diploma in this subject. It will have three specialty options: avian, mammalian and reptilian. It is hoped that the first examinations will take place in 1998. The closing date for enrollment is 1 May. For further information contact the Education Department, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Belgravia House, 62-64 Horsefeny Road, London SW1 2AF.

MSc in Wild Animal Health. Applications are invited from EC or overseas graduates in veterinary or relevant sciences for a twelve month taught MSc course in wild animal health beginning in October 1998. The course includes practical and theoretical instruction in the husbandry and nutrition of wild animals, taxonomy, population biology, conservation genetics, utilization of wildlife, welfare and ethical aspects, epidemiology, immunology, infectious and non-infectious diseases, disease investigation, therapeutics, imaging and preventative medicine, and restraint, anaesthesia and aspects of surgery in various taxa, together with an individual research project. Training will be given by staff at The Royal Veterinary College and the Institute of Zoology as well as invited speakers from other veterinary and zoological centres. Full particulars and an application form are available from the Head of Registry or Dr. M.T. Fox, The Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London NW1 OTU. Tel: +171 468 5000 or Fax: +171 388 2342.

Postgraduate Course in Wildlife Health to be Launched in Uganda. The importance of wildlife is well recognized by veterinarians in Uganda, East Africa. The undergraduate course at Makerere University, which leads to the degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM), includes a lengthy module on wildlife diseases, management, and fisheries and students are examined in detail on this in the fourth year of their studies. As a result, all Makerere veterinary graduates have a good grounding in ecological principles, wildlife health and aquaculture.

Now the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Makerere plans to start a Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Health and Management. The term "wildlife" is interpreted in its broadest sense: the new Diploma will cover all groups of non-domesticated free-ranging and captive terrestrial and aquatic animals together with new food sources, including mini (micro) livestock. The Diploma course will last for one academic year and will consist of core and elective modules as well as a field project study. Admission is not restricted to veterinary graduates; others with a degree in biological sciences or who have appropriate experience are also eligible to apply.

The proposed course is the first of its kind in East Africa. The organisers believe that the new Diploma will help to address the local, regional and international need for training in wildlife health and management.

Further information about the Diploma is available from Dr. Christine Dranzoa, Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.

General inquiries about this and allied matters can be addressed to Professor John E. Cooper, DICE, The University, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NJ, U.K.

University of Edinburgh Zoo Animal Courses. The Institute of Ecology and Resource Management of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland is organizing the following courses in 1998. The "Zoo Animal Behaviour and Welfare Winter Short Course" will be held on 10-13 February 1998 at Chester Zoo while the "International Summer School in Zoo Animal Behaviour and Welfare" will take place from 6-17 July 1998 at Edinburgh Zoo. Further details are available from Yvonne Kinnaird, UnivEd Technologies Limited, 15 South College Street, Edinburgh EH8 9AA, United Kingdom. Telephone: +44 131 650 9016; fax: +44 131 650 9019; E-mail: Yvonne.Kinnaird@ed.ac.uk

Ninth International Training Course on Identification of Helminth Parasites of Economic Importance. July 6-August 14, 1998. Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, United Kingdom. The course will benefit those engaged in routine identifications of helminth parasites in medical and veterinary laboratories, field work and those involved in training and teaching. Participants from over 50 countries have attended since the course was founded in 1982 by the CABI International Institute of Parasitology. The aim of this applied course is to familiarize participants with up-to-date methods of identification of helminth parasites of economic importance. Identification to genus and species levels will be taught and a large part of the course is devoted to practical work and techniques. The course is designed to enable participants to identify important helminth parasites rather than to act as further training for research taxonomists. A certificate of attendance will be awarded on completion of the course. Admission is limited to a maximum of 15 participants. Candidates should have a good working knowledge of the English language and have some experience of working with helminth parasites. A fee of L:2,400 per participant will be charged, payable in advance. This will cover teaching, manual, practical material, administration

etc. Board and lodging may be available at the Royal Veterinary College's own Halls of Residence at extra cost. The course will be held at the Royal Veterinary College's Hawkshead Campus situated in the Hertfordshire countryside approximately 20 miles (32 km) to the north of London and is accessible by rail, car or taxi. Further information and application forms may be obtained from: Dr. L. M. Gibbons, The Royal Veterinary College (University of London), Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms Hatfield, Herts, AL97TA United Kingdom. Tel: (01707) t-~66208 Fax: (01707) 661464 E-mail: djacobs@rvc.ac.uk
MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS

3rd International Raptor Biomedical Conference. August 9-11,1998. Midrand, South Africa. This International Conference is the third in a series of which the first one was held in London (1980) and the second in St. Paul, Minnesota (1988). The conference will be held in conjunction with the 5th World Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls (August 4-11) at the ESKOM Training and Exhibition Centre. The main sessions for the symposium are Pathology and Microbiology, Environmental Disease and Mortality Factors, Management of Captive Raptors and Falconry Birds, Medicine and Therapeutics, Surgery and Anesthesia, Breeding and Genetics, Rehabilitation and Post-release Monitoring and Survival, and Legal Aspects. Suggestions for papers or wet labs are due by November 15, 1997, and deadline for full length manuscripts is March 31, 1998. The organizing committee is chaired by P.T. Redig of the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota, 1920 Fitch Avenue, St. Paul, MN 551~)8 USA. FAX: 612 624 8740. email: redigO01@maroon.tc.umn.edu Communications are managed by N. Forbes, Clockhouse Veterinary Hospital, Landsdown Veterinary Practice, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL53JD ENGLAND. FAX: 045375065. e-mail: drhawk@cix.compulink.co.uk

Seventh International Otter Colloquium. March 14-19,1998. Trebon, Czech Republic. This meeting is being organized by the IUCN Otter Specialist Group, The Czech Environmental Organisa6On and German Aktion Fischotterschutz. For the full program or latest update visit website http:t/www.envi.cz/ otter.colloquium. For further information contact Robert Dulfer, PO Box 53, 379 01 Trebon, Czech Republic. Telephone/fax +420 333 721136; E-mail: dulfer@envi.cz

47th Annual Conference of the Wildlife Disease Association. August 10-13, 1998. Madison, Wisconsin USA. See full meeting announcement and call for papers under WDA Activities in this Supplement.

Third International Symposium of Aquatic Animal Health. August 30-September 3, 1998. Baltimore, Maryland. This meeting will be the first major international forum to focus comprehensive attention on a diversity of aquatic animals, including fish, shellfish, marine mammals and sea turtles, from a diversity of habitats including aquaria, aquaculture and the wild. The meeting will be held at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel, located in Baltimore's picturesque Inner Harbor. For further information, please visit the symposium website at: www.soml.ab.umd.edu/AquaticPath/isashweb, or contact Dr. Sarah Poynton or Ms. Sylvia Lee, Division of Comparative Medicine, Johns Hopkins Univesity School of Medicine, 459 Ross, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; tel: (410) 955 3273, fax: (410) 502 5068, E-mail: wellfish@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu

Second International Conference on Emerging Zoonosis. November 5-9, 1998. Strasbourg, France. The meeting promises to be of interest to investigators interested in zoonosis including veterinarians, infectious disease specialists, microbiologists, pediatricians, general practitioners and health administrators. The conference language is English. For information, contact: S.D. Pitlik, Target TOUB Ltd. P.O. Box 29041, Tel Aviv 61290, Israel. Telephone: +972 3 5175150; fax: +972 3 5175155; e-mail: trgt@netvision.net.il