SUPPLEMENT TO THE JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES
APRIL, 1999 Charlotte F. Quist, Editor
Wildlife Diseases Newsletter Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease
Study
JWD Vol. 35: No. 2 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
Visit the WDA website at: http://www.vpp.vet.uga.edu/wda
President's Corner
The 1999 WDA Annual
Conference will be held in Athens, Georgia, from August 8-12, 1999, and
we expect another exciting scientific meeting on wildlife diseases and
wildlife health. I can remember two other WDA meetings held in Athens
and both were full of informative presentations, rewarding professional
interactions and enjoyable social events. We have a number of long-time
WDA members as hosts for this meeting and we can look forward to their
southern hospitality. Athens and Georgia in August can be fun.
The focus of our collective
attention has begun to return to the plight of migratory birds in this
hemisphere. This group of avian species continues to have increased
threats, beyond the historical hazards, from additional loss of habitat
and degradation of habitat throughout their summer and winter ranges and
migratory routes. Fewer and fewer undeveloped or unmodified sites
are available to many species to provide extra protection from risks.
Efforts to return pieces of land from cultivation or from other developmental
uses to allow this land to be more fully used by wildlife, including migratory
birds, have been successful and should be encouraged (as mentioned
in the previous President's Corner). However, we as ecologists and
wildlife health scientists realize that the quality of the habitat on these
newly protected sites is crucial for the health of the wildlife that begin
to colonize and use the food and shelter resources located there.
Flooding a piece of land does not make it a viable wetland. Water
birds can be attracted to the site because of its physical features.
For example, migratory waterfowl use reservoirs or holding ponds created
in dry regions of the country to store water used in recovering minerals
and these birds are frequently at great risk of contamination or of surface
coating with these minerals. Abundance of food at some of the contaminated
bodies of water, like the Salton Sea in California, attract thousands of
fish-eating water birds which are then in danger of contamination or have
increased exposure to pathogens causing avian botulism. As habitats
shrink in number and size and their quality deteriorates, migratory bird
populations, particularly waterfowl, are being concentrated at sites conducive
for transmission of certain diseases such as avian cholera and avian botulism
and for exposure to environmental contaminants. Agriculture
grain crops that attract and provide extra food for wintering waterfowl
or other migratory birds can become toxic under certain environmental conditions
and can kill thousands of birds in a short period of time. The deterioration
of our marine waters has resulted in increased production of biotoxins
that are affecting waterfowl species as well as marine mammals and sea
turtles.
Restoration of recaptured
pieces of land to make them suitable to our wildlife has gained importance
and offers promise for their future. A number of habitat or ecosystem
restoration initiatives are surfacing and gaining momentum and those on
coastal waters and riparian habitats should benefit migratory birds and
other wildlife species. Some of the hazardous sites as mentioned
above that are created unintentionally or intentionally need to be monitored
and the birds protected from these contaminated sites until their are restored.
The restoration project for the Salton Sea is an example of a coordinated
and concentrated effort for the long-term recovery of this man-made ecosystem
that will continue to deteriorate without intervention. Scientific
monitoring of the response of the ecosystem to recovery efforts is a necessary
part of the strategic plan to evaluate the success of restoration actions.
One goal of this effort is to restore the habitat for the large number
of migratory and resident birds that regularly use the sea. Diseases
have killed hundreds of thousands of birds at the sea recently and long-term
monitoring of the health and condition of these bird populations will be
crucial to the recovery program.
Robert G. McLean, WDA President
WDA ACTIVITIES
Second Notice!! 1999 WDA Conference. The 48th
Annual Conference of the WDA will be held August 8-12, 1999, at the Georgia
Center for Continuing Education on the University of Georgia Campus in
Athens Georgia, USA. The meeting will be sponsored by the Southeastern
Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study with the assistance of several other
departments at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia.
Athens, known locally as "the Classic City", provides a wonderful setting
to host members of the WDA, and we hope everyone will relax and enjoy true
Southern hospitality. Many of the traditional events of our annual
meeting will take on a southern flair by featuring fine southern cooking
and regional music. Athens is becoming known for its music scene
and has entertained the world through the music of the rock band, REM,
and country music star, John Berry. So, Y'all come, y'hear!!
The Editorial Board
and WDA Council will meet on Sunday, August 8, prior to the beginning of
the Conference. A welcoming reception will be held on Sunday evening
at the Georgia Center. The general sessions will begin on Monday,
August 9, 1999 highlighted by a Symposium on International Issues in Rabies
Re-Emergence hosted in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control
in Atlanta, Georgia. Contributed papers begin on Monday and continue
through Thursday afternoon. Social events will include the usual
Monday evening picnic and the ever-popular auction on Tuesday evening.
The banquet and awards presentations will be held on Wednesday evening.
Complete information
regarding the Conference and Athens can be obtained from the WDA website
at http://www.vpp.vet.uga.edu/wda which has registration
forms and information on accommodations. Information also can be
obtained from Charlotte Quist (706-542-5349) or Susan Little (706-542-8447),
Local Arrangements Co-Chairs, at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University
of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA. Fax: (706) 542-5977; Email:
WDAmail@calc.vet.uga.edu).
Call for Papers. Requests to contribute a paper
at the 1999 WDA conference, as well as the accompanying abstracts, should
be received no later than May 17, 1999. Please send the abstract
via electronic mail to Dr. John Fischer, Program Chair at: abstract@calc.vet.uga.edu.
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. John Fischer at the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife
Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens,
Georgia 30602 USA. Phone: (706) 542-1741; Fax (706) 542-5685.
Abstract Email: abstract@calc.vet.uga.edu.
Program chair email: jfischer@calc.vet.uga.edu
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
T6G 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, 60? 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 Offices, 1999.
Presidential nominee(s)
WDA Council nominee(s)
Tonie Rocke
John Fischer
Ellis Greiner
Jonna Mazet
Vice Presidential nominee(s)
Margaret Wild
Charles Rupprecht
Pam Yochem
Bill Samuel
Margo Pybus
John Blake
Secretary nominee(s)
Lynn Creekmore
Thijs Kuiken
Treasurer nominee(s)
Les Uhazy
WDA Student Activities. The Wildlife Disease Association
offers several awards to encourage student participation in the Association
and our 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 deadlines. The following awards are available:
1) Terry Amundson Student Presentation Award. Deadline
May 17, 1999. This award recognizes the best student paper presented
at the annual conference. The award is based on the 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 Honorable Mention which includes a plaque
and a conference registration fee rebate.
Students wishing to be considered for this award should submit
an abstract by May 17, 1999 to Dr. John Fischer Program Chair of the 1999
Annual Meeting (see above guidelines) and a copy of this abstract to Dr.
Ellis Greiner, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville,
Florida 32511 USA.
(Editor's note: As the deadline for application for the
next two awards may be passed by the arrival of this publication, students
considering these awards should check the January 1999 Supplement or the
webpage for guidelines for application for next year's competition.)
2) Student Research Recognition Award. Deadline April
15, 1999. 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.
3) Wildlife Disease Association Scholarship. Deadline
April 15, 1999. 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.
For more information regarding any of these awards or other student
information, please contact Dr. Ellis Greiner, College of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32511 USA. Telephone:
352-392-4700 ext.5861; FAX: 352-392-9704. Email: greinere@mail.vetmed.ufl.edu
MEMBER NEWS
Dr. Werner Heuschele Passes Away.
Dr. Werner P. Heuschele, long-time director of the Zoological
Society of San Diego's Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES),
WDA member, who was a veterinarian and researcher for decades at the San
Diego Zoo, died February 1, 1999, after a long illness. He was 69
years old. "Dr. Heuschele was an inspiration to many of us in this
organization," said Douglas Myers, executive director of the Zoological
Society of San Diego. "He was a wonderful example of what one person's
hard work can accomplish. He left us much too soon and will be missed
not only in San Diego but also by colleagues worldwide." As director
of CRES, Dr. Heuschele led a staff of 70 scientists and support personnel
in such varied disciplines as genetics, behavior, endocrinology, microbiology,
behavior, ecology and infectious diseases. The mission of CRES, founded
in 1975, is to apply new scientific advances to help reverse the decline
of rare and endangered wildlife species. CRES scientists work to
develop new techniques that will help establish self-sustaining populations
of animals in zoos, understand wild animals in their natural habitats and
provide lab and field support for research and conservation.
Born in Ludwigsburg, Germany,
Heuschele grew up in the United States. He graduated from San Diego
High School and attended San Diego State University while working as a
summer bus driver at the San Diego Zoo. Determined since childhood to become
a veterinarian, Dr. Heuschele made the best of his Zoo bus driver's job
by learning all he could about the exotic wildlife. Encouraged by
San Diego Zoo directors Belle Benchley and Dr. Charles Schroeder, he graduated
with honors from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of
California at Davis in 1956. Heuschele was hired that same year,
at the age of 27, as the San Diego Zoo veterinarian and manager of the
Zoo hospital. He also served as secretary of the Zoological Society
of San Diego Research Council, guiding Zoo research efforts more than a
decade before the founding of CRES. Dr. Heuschele left the Zoo in
1961 to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a research veterinarian
at the Plum Island Animal Disease Laboratory. He completed a two-year
USDA field assignment in Kenya and worked a residency in veterinary pathology
at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C. in 1965
and 1966. From 1966 through 1969, Dr. Heuschele attended the University
of Wisconsin, earning a doctorate in medical microbiology, virology and
immunology.
Throughout much of the 1970s,
Dr. Heuschele spent time working in the private sector and teaching at
universities. From 1976 through 1981, he held professorial positions
in the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine at Ohio State University.
He returned to the San Diego Zoo in 1981 and began work in CRES as a microbiologist/virologist.
At CRES, Dr. Heuschele pioneered studies in a viral disease -- malignant
catarrhal fever -- that is carried by wildebeest and has a severe impact
on both domestic cattle and endangered hoof stock. Heuschele's research
into infant animal diarrhea helped save many sickly newborn animals at
the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park.
During his professional
career, Heuschele authored and co-authored over 100 scientific publications
and was considered an internationally recognized authority on infectious
diseases of animals. He served as the Vice President of the Wildlife
Disease Association from 1985-1987 and was on the WDA Council from 1981-1984.
In 1995, Dr. Heuschele received the WDA's highest honor, the Distinguished
Service Award. In 1998, he received the Dolensek Award from the American
Association of Zoo Veterinarians.
Adapted from the Zoological Society of San Diego press release;
reprinted with permission.
HAPPENINGS IN THE FIELD
TB Regs Finalized for Cervids. The U.S. Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), USDA, has published a Final
Rule on Tuberculosis in Captive Cervids in the Federal Register (Vol.
63, No. 251, December 31, 1998, pp 72104-72129). This Final Rule
amends the federal regulations concerning bovine tuberculosis (TB) by adding
provisions for all members of the family cervidae that are held in captivity
(deer, elk, moose, et al.) Formerly, the federal program only applied
to cattle and bison. The new federal regulations set standards for
TB testing for captive cervids moved interstate or exported to other countries.
A voluntary herd accreditation program has been devised whereby participating
captive cervid herds would be subjected to progressively less restrictive
requirements for moving animals as a testing program is implemented and
maintained.
There will be three
classes of captive cervid herds in regards to TB status: Accredited,
Qualified, and Monitored. The Accredited herd status
provides the greatest assurance of freedom from TB. To achieve Accredited
herd status, captive cervids herds must be tested negative to at least
three consecutive official whole herd TB tests that are conducted at 9
to 15 month intervals. A Qualified herd is in the process
of reaching accreditation status and has at least one negative whole herd
test. The concept for the Monitored herd is different, because
it applies to captive cervid herds where it is not possible to capture
and test every animal for a whole herd test because the animals are held
in large enclosures and/or are extremely wild. Monitored herd
status is obtained by inspection of statistically acceptable numbers of
cervids over time at approved slaughter establishments or diagnostic laboratories.
The slaughter data can be supplemented by live animal TB tests on additional
animals. Cervids from Accredited herds will be allowed to
move interstate without a required TB test. Animals from Qualified
herds and Monitored must have one negative TB test within 90 days
prior to movement. All other captive cervids (animals from herds
of unclassified status) must have two negative TB tests conducted no less
than 90 days apart, and the last test must have been within 90 days or
less.
The Final Rule also
provides details on the administration and interpretation official TB tests
and the procedures for quarantining and investigating herds with test-positive
animals. The establishment of federal regulations to combat TB in
captive cervids can be viewed as an important milestone toward the final
elimination of this disease in the captive cervid industry. Of interest
to wildlife managers is the caveat that limits APHIS's final rule only
to captive cervids, which are defined as "all species of deer, elk,
moose, and all other members of the family Cervidae raised or maintained
in captivity for the production of meat and other agricultural products,
for sport, or for exhibition." Whether there will be attempts
to apply the current standards to the interstate relocation of wild cervids
has yet to be determined.
Adapted with permission from the SCWDS Briefs, Vol. 14 (4).
Guidelines for CWD in Captive Elk. A Model Program
for Surveillance, Control, and Eradication of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
in Domestic Elk was developed at the October 1998 meeting of the United
States Animal Health Association (USAHA). This Model, which was developed
through the initiation of the North American Elk Breeders Association,
was published in the USAHA Proceedings as a joint recommendation of the
Committee on Wildlife Diseases and the Committee on Captive Wildlife and
Alternative Livestock.
This Model sets minimum
standards for herd surveillance and monitoring by calling for a voluntary
CWD testing of all elk 16 months or older that die in a given herd.
An annual herd inventory with verification by a state or federal animal
health officer would be made, and elk herds would obtain a graded status
depending upon the number of years monitored without evidence of CWD.
Animals can be transferred among herds of equal or lesser status.
In the event of a diagnosis of CWD in a captive elk herd, the
Model outlines mandatory steps for herd disposition. The length of
the quarantine period depends upon whether the state veterinarian believes
there is evidence of spread of CWD within the herd as opposed to a single
case. The minimum quarantine for high risk animals (those that were
in contact with a CWD-positive elk) is 4 years. Herd surveillance,
which includes mandatory death reporting and CWD testing, must be done
for 5 years after the last CWD case is diagnosed. There are provisions
for sacrificing and testing the high-risk animals in the herd. High
risk animals are elk that were pen-mates of an affected elk for any time
up to 1 year prior to the death of the affected animal. Trace-back
and trace-forward elk herds must be monitored for 3 years from the date
of exposure to the affected animal.
The Model has been
distributed to all state veterinarians and will be available in the 1998
USAHA Proceedings. Although the surveillance aspect in the Model
is intended to be voluntary among elk farmers, it is likely that many state
veterinarians will make it mandatory. A program to deal with CWD
is greatly hindered by the lack of a proven test for live animals.
Given this circumstance, the Model is a compromise that gives elk farmers
a chance to prove that their herds are clean by long-term vigilance.
Hopefully, a much-needed diagnostic test will surface soon so that the
extent of the problem can be more clearly defined.
Adapted with permission from the SCWDS Briefs, Vol. 14 (4).
Chronic Wasting Disease in a Game Farm Elk (Cervus elaphus) in
Saskatchewan. In late March 1998, a male elk on a game farm
in Saskatchewan was noted to be depressed and not coming to eat with other
animals. The animal, born in 1996, was one of 68 elk (all males)
on the farm, and had been on the farm since January, 1998. It died
on April 1 and was necropsied at the Department of Veterinary Pathology,
Western College of Veterinary Medicine. Brain lesions compatible
with a spongiform encephalopathy were found. Accumulation of disease-specific
prion protein was found in the brain using immunohistochemical analyses.
A diagnosis of chronic wasting disease (CWD) was made. Following
the diagnosis, the dam of the animal and five siblings were collected from
three other game farms in Saskatchewan by the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency, euthanized, and tested for CWD by immunohistochemistry. All
were negative.
This animal was the
third case of CWD in Canada and the first in an animal born in this country.
The previous cases of CWD, a mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) from
an Ontario zoo and a game farm elk from Saskatchewan, were imported from
the USA. The dam of the current animal was imported from South Dakota
in 1988. CWD behaves like a transmissible disease, and it has been
suggested that lateral transmission may occur among captive elk (Miller
et al. 1998. Epidemiology of chromic wasting disease in captive Rocky Mountain
elk. JWD 34:532-538). The source of the disease in the current
case remains unknown. Surveys for CWD among hunter-killed wild deer
and surveillance of game farmed animals is ongoing in the region.
Adapted with permission from the CCWHC Newsletter, Vol. 5(3).
Chlamydiosis in Wildlife Workers. Chlamydia psittaci
is an unusual bacterium that occurs in many species of birds. It
usually does not cause disease, and healthy birds may shed the organism
in their droppings. The bacterium can remain alive in the environment
for long periods and may be inhaled with dust from dried bird feces.
Human infection has been known to occur for many years; two recent cases
in western Canada demonstrate a risk for wildlife personnel. In the
spring of 1998, and enforcement officer inspected the premises of 15 aviculturists
in Saskatchewan. Birds in the collections were predominantly native
waterfowl. He subsequently developed stiffness and muscle aches,
chills and a persistent fever. a physician diagnosed pneumonia. Eleven
days later, the individual requested the physician perform serology for
C. psittaci, which was positive. In total, the individual was sick
for 4 weeks. The second individual was involved in waterbird carcass
cleanup during botulism outbreaks in northern Alberta in the summer of
1998. He developed aggressive flu-like symptoms followed by a prolonged
hacking cough, generalized weakness, and difficulty in breathing.
A blood test was positive for C. psittaci. Individuals usually recover
will after appropriate antibiotic therapy but in some cases the infection
can be persistent and recurrent, requiring aggressive and consistent treatment.
The exact source of
infection for these individuals will never be known, but it is likely they
were exposed to airborne stages of C. psittaci while examining buildings
in which waterfowl were held and while handling bird carcasses. Because
human chlamydiosis of this type is uncommon, most physicians are unfamiliar
with the disease or only associated it with exposure to parrots or other
psittacines. If a person develops clinical signs as described above
after working with birds, it is important to inform the physician that
the person may have been exposed to chlamydiosis so that appropriate tests
can be conducted and proper antibiotic therapy can be implemented.
Adapted with permission from the CCWHC Newsletter, Vol. 5(3).
1998 Hemorrhagic Disease Outbreak in the U.S. For
the last 19 years, the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study
has conducted a survey tracking the incidence of hemorrhagic disease in
the United States. The success of this survey, based on a mailed
questionnaire, has traditionally been excellent, thanks to the efforts
of wildlife managers and deer biologists in the various states. In
1998, many states reported substantial virus activity during the summer
and fall. Essentially all the virus isolates were epizootic hemorrhagic
disease virus serotype 2 (EHDV-2). Large scale deer die-offs were
reported in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska,
South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington. Several other
states reported focal losses or evidence of convalescent cases including
Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Oklahoma, and South Carolina.
The survey also disclosed that California is continuing to have outbreaks
of deer adenovirus, a disease that mimics hemorrhagic disease.
Awareness of the hemorrhagic
disease syndrome is increasing among wildlife managers, and it is suspected
that deer biologists will soon be factoring the impacts of hemorrhagic
disease occurrences into their deer populations and harvest models.
In addition, hemorrhagic disease certainly has gotten the attention of
some deer farmers who have suffered heavy losses among white-tailed deer
maintained in enclosures in hemorrhagic disease endemic areas.
Adapted with permission from the SCWDS Briefs, Vol. 14 (4).
Botulism Mortality on the Canadian Prairies. Avian
botulism continues to cause high waterfowl losses in the prairies this
year, but, rather than being restricted primarily to a few large lakes
in the southern regions of the provinces, as occurred in 1997, the disease
was more widespread. In Alberta, approximately 165,000 avian carcasses
were collected, with 80% of the losses occurring on lakes in the boreal
forest ecoregion of northern and north-central Alberta. Approximately
19,400 carcasses were collected in Saskatchewan. The statistical
estimate of mortality at Old Wives Lake was 52,000, and an estimated mortality
of 10,000 occurred at Crane Lake. Approximately 20,000 avian carcasses
were collected in Manitoba. The total number of carcasses collected
in the summer of 1998 from lakes in the Canadian prairies was 204,000.
Preliminary results of a study to determine the efficiency of carcass cleanup
showed that less than 25% of avian carcasses on a marsh are retrieved;
therefore, total estimated animal botulism mortality for known outbreaks
in the three prairie provinces was likely in excess of 1 million birds.
Adapted with permission from the CCWHC Newsletter, Vol. 5(3).
NWHC Quarterly Mortality Report. Multiple avian
cholera outbreaks began this quarter in the western United States; outbreaks
were most numerous in California, but a single epizootic occurring on the
Great Salt Lake represented the greatest magnitude of mortality.
In California, outbreaks occurred throughout the length of the state from
Del Norte County in the north to Imperial and Riverside Counties (Salton
Sea) in the south. Approximately 42,000 waterfowl and coots have
been collected at these California outbreak sites. Although snow
geese, the waterfowl species typically associated with avian cholera outbreaks,
predominated in some of the pick-ups at refuges in the Sacramento National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex, ruddy ducks and American coots were the
species most involved in outbreaks in the northern part of the state and
other central valley sites. Also of note, over 700 Aleutian Canada
geese (2% of the population) died from avian cholera this winter at the
San Joaquin River NWR.
The largest avian
cholera event this winter occurred on the south of arm of the Great Salt
Lake where approximately 35,000 birds (primarily eared grebes and lesser
numbers of California gulls) died from this disease. Avian
cholera die-off events occurring on the Great Salt Lake as well as involving
primarily eared grebes are rare. This is only the third documented
avian cholera epizootic on the Great Salt Lake reported to NWHC.
All three of these die-offs have involved eared grebes; In 1994, an estimated
10,000 eared grebes and 5,000 northern shovelers died from avian cholera
and in 1995 1,000 eared grebes and northern shovelers were involved.
Pathologists at the
USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) in Madison, Wisconsin and the
Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS) at the University
of Georgia have found changes in the brains of coots, mallard, wigeon and
ringed-necked ducks from Woodlake, North Carolina that are similar to the
changes found in the brains of American coots and bald eagles with vacuolar
myelinopathy. The disease had not previously been documented in species
other than American coots and bald eagles. In addition, bald eagles
collected from 4 new locations (near Woodlake, North Carolina; Aiken, South
Carolina; and Strom Thurmond Lake and Lake Juliette, Georgia) and coots
from Aiken, South Carolina appear to also have the same brain disease.
In Arkansas, at least 58 bald eagles and an unknown number of coots have
died from this disease since it was first detected in 1994.
Coot and scaup mortality
due to Leygonimus and Sphaeridiotrema parasites occurred again this fall
on Shawano Lake in Wisconsin. As in previous dieoffs, Leygonimus
was found in the coots in large numbers, and Sphaeridiotrema in the scaup.
Approximately 3,000 of the 3500 birds picked up during the 4 week dieoff
were coots.
AVAILABLE PULICATIONS AND AUDIOVISUALS
Chronic Wasting Disease Video: Chronic wasting
disease (CWD) is a fatal neurologic disease of deer and elk caused by infectious
proteins or "prions". Diseases caused by prions are often referred
to as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. This video informs
viewers about this transmissible encephalopathy of cervids, describes and
demonstrates the appearance of animals with CWD, and explains how to collect
appropriate samples for diagnosis of the disease.
The video was produced by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department
in cooperation with the University of Wyoming, Colorado Division of Wildlife,
and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. It
was produced for the Western Wildlife Cooperative of the Western Association
of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. The video is 13 minutes long and costs
$10.00 U.S. per copy plus $4.00 U.S. per shipment for shipping and handling.
To order, contact: Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Attention: AE, 5400
Bishop Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82006 USA. Telephone: (307) 777-4570.
Bulletin d'Information sur la Pathologie des Animaux Sauvages en France (BIPAS). Volume 19 of BIPAS has recently been published. It contains a summary of findings from the French SAGIR (Surveillance Sanitaire de la Faune Sauvage) network for the first half of 1998 and a short review on tuberculosis in wildlife. There is a case report on an osteochondroma in a wild boar and a preliminary report on investigations of pneumonia in chamois. There are also articles on the role of the SAGIR network on the health of mountain wildlife, various aspects of keratoconjunctivitis in Alpine ibex and a report on meningoencephalitis of unknown cause in ibex. A compilation of papers on diseases of wildlife in Europe published from 1992 to 1998 is also included. Copies of BIPAS can be obtained from Marc Artois, Laboratoire d'Etudes sur la Rage et la Pathologie des Animaux Sauvages, CNEVA Nancy, BP 9, 54220 Malzeville, France (telephone +33 3 83 29 89 50; fax + 33 3 83 29 89 59; e-mail, marc.artois@nancy.cneva.fr).
NEWS FROM AUSTRALASIA
WDA Australasia now has a web page courtesy of David Middleton.
It can be reached through the Wild Health Australia web page located at:
http://www.wha.org.au
"Be good to your mother."
Contributed by Peter Holz, Australasian Newsletter Editor
NEWS FROM EUROPE
Caspian Environment Program - Bio-Resources Network.
Within the Caspian Environment Program, the World Bank has assisted in
the establishment of a Bio-Resources Network (Bio-Net) as a resource group
of scientists from the Caspian countries and outside the region. The Bio-Net's
purpose is to assist the scientists to collaborate in designing and implementing
projects that will contribute to conservation and restoration of the Caspian
environment. An initial Bio-Net workshop which took place in Bordeaux
in November 1997, brought together a small group of scientists to exchange
current information on Caspian bio-resources and biodiversity problems.
The proceedings from this workshop have now been published.
The Caspian states
and international organizations held a meeting of the Caspian Environment
Program Steering Committee 2-3 May 1998 in Ramsar, Iran. The Caspian
states reached decisions on a number of key points related to start-up
of the program including:adoption of a final version of the concept paper
as the organizational framework for the Caspian Environment Program, adoption
of the draft UNDP/Global Environment Facility (GEF) Program Brief as the
technical basis for implementation of the Caspian Environment Program (to
be submitted to GEF in November 1998 for a planned January 1999 start date),
decision to locate the Program Co-ordination Unit in Baku for the first
four years, then in Iran for the following four.
Decisions regarding the topics and host locations of nine Caspian Regional
Experts Centers (CRECs) (formerly "Activity Centers") are as follows:
Azerbaijan: Pollution control/data management (plus PCU)
Iran: Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM), emergency response, pollution
monitoring
Kazakhstan: Biodiversity, water level fluctuations
Russia: Fisheries/bioresources, legal/regulatory issues
Turkmenistan: Desertification, sustainable human development and health
It is anticipated
that most future activities of the Bio-Net will be planned and implemented
with the assistance of the appropriate CREC. These will likely include
at least both the fisheries CREC in Russia, which will address problems
associated with Caspian fish and other species that have commercial uses,
and the bio-diversity CREC in Kazakhstan. The World Bank will continue
to co-ordinate Bio-Net activities until the CRECs have become operational,
expected in approximately autumn 1998 - winter 1999. Piotr Wilczynski,
Caspian Environment Program Team Leader, Europe and Central Asia Region,
The World Bank, 1818 H Street N. W., Washington, DC 20433, USA.
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 members 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 (July 1999) is 21 May 1999. 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: seamus.kennedy@dani.gov.uk
NEWS FROM LATIN AMERICA
Latin Vet Fauna Recently Formed. The Latin American
Association of Wildlife Veterinarians or Latin Vet Fauna was officially
established at the Annual Pan American Veterinary Congress held in Santa
Cruz, Bolivia, last November 1998. A wildlife symposium covering
several aspects of wildlife veterinary medicine and conservation presided
this important event for the Latino wildlife vets. Dr. Oscar Rendon,
Dr. Alonso Aguirre, Dr. Christian Bonacic and Dr. Marcela Uhart were responsible
for writing up the general statues and constitution for the establishment
and functioning of the new Association. This effort was supported
by more than 60 veterinarians from many Latin American countries and the
US which were at the Meeting. Also, Dr. Aguirre officially represented
the WDA and the AAZV. The newly awaited Association has followed
the efforts of ABRAVAS (the Brazilian Association of Wildlife Veterinarians)
also recently formed. Among the activities for 1999, the formulation
of an action plan to designate representatives of each interested country
has been suggested. We plan to hold the first official conference/workshop
of Latin Vet Fauna in November 1999. The official directory has been
proposed as follows:
President: Dr.
Oscar Hugo Rendon Burgos BOLIVIA
Vice-president: Dr.
Jose M. Barbanti Duarte BRAZIL
Secretary: Dr.
Cristian Bonacic Salas CHILE
Treasurer: Dr.
Marcela Uhart ARGENTINA
USA Representative:
Dr. Alonso Aguirre U.S.A.
Central America Rep:
Dr. Jose Antonio Rivera-Diaz CUBA
If you want to become an active member please subscribe at: http://www.eGroups.com/list/latinvet
or you can visit our website (still under construction) at: http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lounge/3210/index.html
Contributed by Alonso Aguirre; USA Representative for the
Latin American Section.
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 Lee Skerratt, School of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne, Princes Hwy, Werribee, Victoria 3030 Australia. Telephone: 61 3 9742 8330, Fax: 61 3 9741 0401, E mail: skerratt@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au
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 (July 1999) is 21 May 1999. 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, TUSVM Wildlife Clinic, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA; telephone: (508) 839-7918; fax (508) 839-7930; email: aguirre@wpti.org
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, WM/4 Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921; telephone: (607)
267-7472; fax: (608) 267-3579; 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 (July 1999, JWD Vol. 35, No. 3) is May 25, 1999.
AVAILABLE GRANTS
AAV Accepting Proposals for 1999 Conservation Award:
The Association of Avian Veterinarians is dedicated to the advancement
and promotion of avian medicine and stewardship. As part of its commitment
to avian stewardship, the AAV awards small grants each year for projects
that address the conservation needs of wild avian populations. This
year the AAV will broaden its research to include proposals that relate
not only to habitat preservation, but also education and research. Veterinarians,
non-veterinarians, and veterinary students are encouraged to apply.
Priority will be given to in situ conservation efforts.
Applications should
be organized in the following sections; investigator(s), title, introduction
or statement of need, goals, objectives, materials and methods, project
timetable (not to exceed 12 months), and budget. Grants are rarely in the
excess of $4,000. Successful applicants must submit a report to the AAV
Conservation Committee one year after receiving a grant.
Applications should
be submitted to the AAV Conservation Committee in care the Central Office,
P.O. Box 811720, Boca Raton, FL 33481, USA. Please use double-sided
printing. Electronic applications may be sent to aavctrlofc@aol.com.
Applications must be received by June 7, 1999 to be considered.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Internship in Wildlife Medicine and Surgery. The PAWS
Wildlife Center is offering a 12 month internship in wildlife rehabilitation
medicine and surgery. PAWS is a private, non-profit organization
consisting of a wildlife hospital and rehabilitation facility, small animal
shelter, adoption and spay/ neuter clinic, and animal advocacy located
in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, 12 miles north of Seattle, Washington.
PAWS receives over 4,000 animals yearly, representing approximately 200
species, including marine mammals and marine birds. It is one of the few
facilities in the country to rehabilitate large carnivores such as black
bears and cougars. The Center has a fully equipped hospital including
x-ray, surgery and laboratory. The intern will be involved in all
aspects of rehabilitation medicine from intake to release, including physical
exam, radiology, surgery, anesthesia, medical treatments, dietary analysis,
and critical care. The Center has 9 permanent staff including two
veterinarians, several seasonal employees and numerous volunteers.
The intern will work closely with veterinarians and other staff, and will
supervise senior veterinary students and undergraduate interns.
Interested candidates
should possess strong clinical, diagnostic and interpersonal skills.
A background in wildlife medicine or biology is helpful but not required.
Candidates must be eligible for licensure to practice veterinary medicine
in Washington State. Application materials required are: letter
of intent, curriculum vitae, veterinary school transcript and three letters
of reference. Applications will be taken until the position is filled.
Anticipated starting date is June 1.
The salary is $18,000 and housing is available for part of the year.
Please address all
inquiries and application materials to Dr. Darlene DeGhetto, PAWS Wildlife
Center, 15305 44th Avenue West, Lynnwood, WA 98035. (425)787-2500,
ext.814. email: deghetto@aol.com
TRAINING/EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
MSc in Wild Animal Health. The Royal Veterinary
College (University of London) and the Institute of Zoology (Zoological
Society of London) invite applications from EC or overseas graduates in
veterinary or relevant sciences for a twelve month course in wild animal
health beginning in October of 1999. 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 the staff at The Royal Veterinary College and the Institute
of Zoology as well as invited speakers from other veterinary and zoological
centers.
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 0TU.
Telephone: +171 468 5000; FAX: +171 388 2342.
MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS
4th International Symposium on Urban Wildlife Conservation.
May 1-5, 1999; Tucson, Arizona. The goal of the symposium is to provide
a form for the exchange of ideas and research that address management and
conservation of wildlife and wildlife habitats in cities, towns, and suburbs.
For more information, contact: http://ag.arizona.edu/urbanwildlife
or Urban Wildlife Symposium, 325 BSE, School of Renewable Natural Resources,
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA.
19th Scandinavian Symposium of Parasitology. May 8-11, 1999; Reykjavik, Iceland. The Scandinavian Society for Parasitology will be holding this symposium from 8 to 11 May 1999 in Reykjavik, Iceland. Oral and poster presentations on all aspects of parasitology will be presented. The official language of the symposium is English. For detailed information, contact SSP-Symposium 1999, Institute for Experimental Pathology, University of Iceland, Keldur, IS-112 Reykjavik, Iceland. Tel: +354 567 4700; Fax +354 567 3979; E-mail: karlsk@rhi.hi.is
European Wildlife and Zoo Pathology Workshop. May
26-28, 1999; Berlin, Germany. A Workshop on the Pathology of Wildlife
and Zoo Animals will be held at the Institute for Zoo-Biology and Wildlife
Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany from Wednesday 26th to Friday 28th of May,
1999. It is being organized by IZW and Jersey Wildlife Preservation
Trust and is
endorsed by the Charles Louis Davis, DVM Foundation for the Advancement
of Veterinary and Comparative Pathology. The Workshop is particularly
aimed at veterinary pathologists and clinicians who carry out diagnostic
pathology, working with wildlife or zoo animals. However, a limited
number of places also are available to biologists and others who are involved
in routine work or research on morbidity and mortality in free-living or
captive wildlife. For additional information, please contact Christopher
J. Dutton and John E. Cooper, Veterinary Department, Jersey Wildlife Preservation
Trust, Les Augres Manor, Trinity, Jersey, JE3 5BP, Channel Islands, United
Kingdom. Telephone: (44) 1534 864666; FAX: (44) 1534 865161. Email.
cjdutton@jwpt.org
Society for Tropical Veterinary Medicine. June 12-16,
1999; Key West, Florida. The 5th Biennial Conference of the Society
for Tropical Veterinary Medicine (STVM' 99) will meet in Key West, Florida
in June, 1999. The programmatic theme of the conference is:
Tropical Diseases: Control and Prevention in the Context of "The New World
Order". Veterinary and medical research scientists, epidemiologists
and information specialists veterinarians and physicians, molecular and
wildlife biologists, vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturers, immunologists
and pathologists, public health and veterinary regulatory officials, economists
and disease modelers who are interested in tropical and emerging diseases
are encouraged to attend. STVM '99 will explore the "new world order"
theme during symposia in the mornings and "break out" sessions by discipline
in the afternoons. Participants are invited to submit papers and
posters for these sessions. Topics may focus on epidemiology, global
trade, vaccines and diagnostic technologies, and their relationships to
emerging diseases. We also welcome papers and posters specializing
in areas outside the general theme. Travel scholarships are available
for all students and participants from developing countries. Extensive
details of the conference, on-line registration and abstract submission
and links to websites on Key West, may be found at: http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~conferweb/stvm.htm
For more information,
contact Beth Miller-Tipton to request a printed brochure and call for papers.
University of Florida, Office of Conferences & Institutes (OCI), PO
Box 110750, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA. Telephone: 352-392-5930;
FAX: 352-392-9734; email: bamt@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu
5th Meeting of Japanese Society of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine. July 2-4, 1999; Osaka, Japan. The 5th Meeting of Japanese Society of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine (JSZWM) will be held at Osaka Prefecture University in Osaka, Japan from July 2nd until 4th, 1999. For more information, please contact: Dr.Yoshihiro Ohnishi of Osaka Prefecture University. FAX: +81-722-54-9499; email: ohnishiy@jyui.vet.osakafu-u.ac.jp. Additional contact: Dr.Koichi Murata of Kobe Municipal Oji Zoo. FAX: +81-78-861-5640; email: k_murata.muf.biglobe.ne.jp
Australasian Section of the Wildlife Disease Association Annual Meeting. July 5-9, 1999; ANU Jervis Bay Field Station, NSW. The field station is located in a very nice part of the world and comes complete with bunk-style accommodation and associated facilities. For more information, contact Susan Hemsley, Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Pathology, University of Sidney, NSW 2006. Telephone: 02 9351 3284. Email: shemsley@mail.usyd.edu.au
Wildlife Capture Courses for Veterinarians. July 10-17, 1999 and October 2-10, 1999; Krueger National Park, South Africa. This course is presented by the Price Forbes Chair in Wildlife (Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria) and the National Parks Board. Intensive discussion sessions over 2-3 days, dealing with the pharmacology of immobilizing drugs and tranquilizers. This is followed by training in the capture of a variety of species, including elephant, antelope and lions. Darting techniques from vehicles and helicopter is included. Cost: US $1,300 which includes lectures, accommodations, meals, and transport while on the course. For more information, Contact: Professor David Meltzer, Centre for Wildlife, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pvt Bag X04 Onderstepoort 0110. Telephone: +27 12 529 8077; FAX: +27 12 529 8312; e-mail: dgam@op1.up.ac.za
48th Annual Conference of the Wildlife Disease Association. August 8-12, 1999; Athens, Georgia. For more information, see postings in this issue or visit the WDA website at: http://vpp.vet.uga.edu/wda
World Veterinary Congress. September 23-29, 1999; Lyon, France. A joint meeting of the European Division of the Wildlife Disease Association, World Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, the European Association of Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians and the Groupe d'Ecopathologie de la Faune Sauvage de Montagne (GEEFSM) will be held during the World Veterinary Congress in Lyon, France, 23-29 September 1999. The general theme will be "Managing Wildlife Health and Emerging Diseases" and it is planned to have special sessions on the following topics: diseases of zoonotic importance in free-ranging wild animals, economically important diseases of free-ranging wildlife, wild animals in captivity; control of infectious diseases in zoological parks and in farming/ranching of newly domesticated wild animals. For further details, contact Dr. Francis Scullion, Secretary WAWV, 16 Cranlome Road, Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone BT70 2HS, Northern Ireland. E-mail: F.Scullion@zoo.co.uk
Australian Society for Parasitology Annual Scientific Meeting and AGM. September 26-30, 1999; Rockhampton, Queensland. The conference will be held at the Capricorn Internation Resort in Rockhampton, Queensland, which is a world class resort located on the Central Queensland Coast just north of the Tropic of Capricorn.. The theme of the conference is "Reef and Beef" which has been chosen to reflect the Australian tropical Outback location at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. Main topics will include: marine parasitology, ecology of parasites, ectoparasites, chemotherapy and drug resistance, protozoa, helminths, immunology and vaccine, and phylogeny and molecular parasitology. For more information, contact ASP '99, Associated Professor L. Warner, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Queensland 4702. FAX 61 7 4930 9209. Email: l.warner@cqu.edu.au
Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians Conference. October 6-9, 1999; Columbus, Ohio. For more information, contact Wilbur B. Amand, Executive Director, Box 605, Chester Heights, Pennsylvania 19017 USA. Telephone: (610) 358-9530; FAX: (610) 892-4813. Email: 75634.235@compuserv.com
American Association of Zoo Veterinarians. October
9-14, 1999; Columbus, Ohio. The American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
will hold its' annual conference in Columbus, Ohio on October 9-14, 1999.
Program sessions include avian medicine, primates, small mammals/carnivore,
nutrition, large mammals/hoofstock, reptilian and amphibian medicine, infectious
diseases, reproductive technologies/contraception, ethics, imaging, gerontology
and case reports. There will also be a poster seession, veterinary
student and resident/graduate paper competitions, and workshops/wet labs.
A new feature this year will be the presentation of three master sessions.
For information regarding
session chairpersons, please contact Michael Barrie DVM, at the Oklahoma
City Zoo, 2101 NE 50th, Oklahoma City, OK 73013. Telephone: (405)
425-0249; FAX: (405) 425-0207. Email: mbarrie@okczoo.com
4th International Wildlife Ranching Symposium. November
8-12, 1999; Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The 4th International Wildlife
Ranching Symposium will be held at the Regal Constellation Hotel in Toronto,
Ontario, Canada from November 8-12, 1999. The Wildlife Ranching Symposium
Series, which is hosted by the North American Elk Breeders' Association,
was developed to bring together the diverse disciplines in agriculture
and wildlife in order to confront the need for sound but evolving approaches
to all facets of wildlife and habitat management. Through the co-ordination
of both technical and practical experience and research, mission-orientated
goals can be developed to vertically integrate new tools, information,
and benefits to the private sector and management, conservation, and production
of wildlife. The program will be designed to disseminate the information
for professional, scientific, and practical applications. The symposium
should be attended by academic, government, policy makers, researchers,
wildlife managers, and game farm and industry persons. The theme
of 4th IWRS is "Biodiversity, Conservation & Sustainability, Ecotourism,
Traditional Medicines & Health". The Program will feature a Plenary
Session on: Historical View of Wildlife Domestication and Utilization,
Politics and Wildlife Management, and Wildlife Utilization and Conservation.
This is a call for papers and posters. Proposed titles for papers
and/or posters should be sent to Dr. Lyle A. Renecker, Chairman, 4th International
Wildlife Ranching Symposium R.R.# 5, Stratford, Ontario, Canada N5A 6S6.
Telephone: (519) 393-6425; FAX: (519) 393-6404. E-mail: ltrenecker@golden.net
Year 2000 Meeting of the European Division of the Wildlife Disease
Association (EWDA). May, 2000; Zaragoza, Spain. The 4th meeting
of the EWDA is provisionally scheduled to take place in Zaragoza, Spain
during the first week of May, 2000. It will be organized by the SEDIFAS
Wildlife Diagnostic Service at Zaragoza University. A meeting of
the Groupe d'Etude de l'Ecopathologie de la Faune Sauvage (GEEFSM) is due
to take place around the same time and a joint conference session between
EWDA and GEEFSM is planned. For further information, contact Christian
Gortázar, SEDIFAS Wildlife Diagnostic Service, Veterinary Faculty,
Zaragoza University, c./ Miguel Servet 177, E-50.013 Zaragoza, Spain. Fax:
+34 976 105 209; Tel: +34 610 444 207; E-mail: ebronatura@facilnet.es