state wildlife rehabilitation council, inc. · 2015. 9. 21. · diving ducks are specialty birds...

Volume 35, Number 2

Feb. 2015

THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE NEW YORK

STATE WILDLIFE REHABILITATION COUNCIL, INC.

NYSWRC Board Meet-ings are open to everyone. E-mail Kelly Martin, President 2015 NYSWRC Annual Conference Nov. 6-8 in Syracuse

NYSWRC Board of Directors

Kelly Martin, President [email protected]

Barb Hollands, Vice Pres. [email protected]

Cheryl Hoople, Secretary [email protected]

Amy Freiman, Treasurer & Release [email protected]

Jean Alden, Membership [email protected]

Barb Cole [email protected]

Maggie Ciarcia [email protected]

Virginia Frati [email protected]

Sue Heighling [email protected]

Beverly Jones [email protected]

Ellen Kalish [email protected]

Terri Murphy [email protected]

Veronica Serwacki [email protected]

Lauren Schulz Eddings [email protected]

Matt Zymanek [email protected] Advisory Board: Andrea Sammarco, Attorney at Law

George Kollias, DVM, PhD

Noha Abou-Madi, DVM, Msc.

Karen Moran, DVM Webmaster: Molly Gallagher [email protected]

www.NYSWRC.org

Back issues of Release are available in color online.

Too Cold!, Too Long!, Too Much! by Beverly Jones Many of you may have read the press release that was sent out by the DEC in March of 2014. The report stated that thousands of dead ducks were observed along the shore waters of Lake Erie and the Niagara River. Sightings of dead ducks were reported as far East as Irondequoit Bay on Lake Ontario. The DEC’s Wildlife Health Unit examined hundreds of dead birds and diagnostic testing did not reveal any infectious diseases. Starvation was listed as the primary cause of death. The die off was determined to be a natural, weather-related event due to extreme and prolonged cold temperatures. This article will share with you the experiences of the SPCA Wildlife Department during this water bird crisis. In Western New York, the winter bird migration is dominated by the arrival of hundreds of thousands of diving ducks. These birds summer in Alaska and in the Northern Canadian Shield. The birds begin to arrive around the middle of December with their peak numbers occurring in the middle of January, and most will depart by the end of March. Local DEC wildlife biologists perform annual winter waterfowl surveys during the winter months in order to monitor bird populations over time. Diving ducks are specialty birds that live their entire lives on the water. 250,000-350,000 birds arrive annually to winter on the Niagara River and Lake Erie. The Buffalo area is a magnet for these migratory diving ducks for two essential reasons, one because it has open water and two because it offers an abundant food supply. Open water is created by the New York Power Authority’s Ice boom that stretches across the head water of the Niagara River. This ice boom was put in place in 1961 in order to keep the Niagara River and Niagara Falls free of ice buildup from Lake Erie. Water remains open in the Dunkirk harbor, located on Lake Erie, 40 miles south west of Buffalo due to the nearby Dunkirk Power Plant. The steam generator power plant draws in cold water from the lake to cool their equipment. The water is warmed in the process and is then returned to the lake.

Editor’s note: I welcome your articles, poems, information, questions and artwork. We are pleased to print articles from our members, but caution each reader that NYSWRC is not responsible for the accuracy of the content or information provided, and does not necessarily endorse the policies proposed. Submissions should be sent to: [email protected]

Too Cold!, Too Long!, Too Much!

On January 8th, the day after the blizzard 6 diving ducks

arrived at the SPCA Serving Erie County Wildlife

Department. This group of water birds included two horned

grebes, one red necked grebe, one red throated loon, a

common loon and a ruddy duck. Because of the strong winds

the night before, we were not surprised that these birds were

found stranded on the ground away from water. The 3 grebes

and red throated loon were in good weight, had great water

proofing and were feisty. The common loon and ruddy duck

were strong, but a bit thin. All were checked for water

proofing and were fed live fish which they ate ravenously. It

was decided that the grebes and red throated loon would be

released the next day but the ruddy duck and common loon

would stay in the wildlife hospital awhile longer.

Diving ducks are specialty birds for many reasons, but one of

the things that make them unique is their inability to manage

land well. Some of these birds walk poorly on land while

others cannot walk on land at all. So to release these birds,

they must be placed directly into water. Because our usual

release locations into Lake Erie and the Niagara River were

frozen over, we contacted our local Coast Guard to see if they

could help us get the birds to open water. They explained

they were unable to do this because their rescue boat was

frozen into the ice and rescues were being done only by

helicopter. To their thinking, our dilemma did not warrant

taking diving ducks out for a helicopter ride.

Our next thought was to drive the birds to the Dunkirk boat

harbor for release as we have had great luck with that location

in the past. When we arrived at the dock, we were

disappointed to discover that the power plant was in low

operation and very little warm water was being returned to the

harbor. There were pockets of open water with lots of birds

within the harbor but the shore line and the water surrounding

the docks was beginning to freeze. Because skim ice was

preventing us from lowering the birds into the water from the

dock, Jean Alden and I drove around town looking for

something to help us open up the water. We found a house

under construction where we dug through large mounds of

frozen earth in search of large stones and big chunks of frozen

dirt. We loaded up the back of Jean’s SUV and raced back to

the harbor before our dirt bricks melted into mud. We began

hurling the debris through the skim ice which drew the

attention of a nature photographer who was on the dock in

search of cool things to photograph. Apparently he found us

to be as interesting as the birds because he stayed with us to

watch. So, after much effort on our part, we finally opened up

the water enough to release the birds. The release went well as all of the birds landed directly in the

water. We did have an “Oh-no” moment when one of the

horned grebes lifted out of the water and landed on an ice shelf. We had always been told that loons and grebes need

open water in order to take flight so we became very

concerned that the little guy was now stranded. Fortunately,

we soon learned that either this theory does not apply to light

weight grebes or that it does not apply to ice shelves in

general because we were delighted to watch the little grebe lift

The second important factor for the birds is food

availability. While some species of water birds like

canvasbacks do eat plant vegetation and some species like

scaups eat mussels, diving ducks are primarily fish eaters.

Every one of these migratory water birds needs fish in the

winter to fuel their metabolisms. Lake Erie is a highly

productive lake, and as such, allows for the creation of a

“fish factory” of emerald shiners. Wintering water birds

thrive on the massive volume of fish which are available to

them all winter long. The open water and abundant fish

supply are what congregate the migratory birds. Because of

the high number of water birds in the area, this corridor is

designated as a globally significant Important Bird Area or

IBA. There are only 75 IBA’s in the lower 48 States. So

why then, was Buffalo not the usual haven for migratory

diving ducks during the winter of 2014?

The answer is due to the arrival of the Polar Vortex. The

Polar Vortex is an area of low pressure, dense arctic air

which spins in a circular pattern with wind speeds up to 100

mph. This Vortex is semi-permanent, is often in place at

the poles and is strongest during the winter. Beginning in

early January of 2014, powerful high pressure system

originating in the Eastern Pacific stretched to the North

Pole and shoved part of the Polar Vortex South and deep

into the United States. This shift of Arctic air created

temperatures so low that they shattered many of the all-time

low temperature records kept by many states. When the

strong air from this system weakened and fell apart, the

Polar Vortex retreated back to the North Pole, returning

areas to “historically” normal temperatures.

Due to the Polar Vortex, ice cover on the Great lakes

reached historic levels. Peak ice hit on March 6th when

92% of the Great Lakes were frozen over. By early

January, the arctic air caused the Niagara River to

completely freeze in many locations and in other places,

shoreline ice reached 200 feet out into the river. The long

lasting extreme cold created expansive and persistent ice

cover and ice shelves. In a typical winter, the water will

freeze but the ice will break up after a few days. But the

winter of 2014 was anything but typical. To follow the

impact of the Polar Vortex on the migrating diving ducks,

we will take a walk through the winter calendar month

by month.

The already frigid weather worsened when Buffalo was hit

by a blizzard on January 7th. A blizzard has strong

sustained winds of 35 mph or greater which last for a period

of 3 hours or longer, is accompanied by frigid temperatures

and creates a visibility of less than a quarter mile. The air

temperature during the January blizzard was minus 5

degrees with a wind chill of minus 28 degrees. These temperatures tied the 1942 record of coldest blizzard on

record. Lake effect snow dumped 7-14” of snow around

the Niagara Falls/Greater Buffalo area and up to 24” of

snow in the south towns. All of Erie County was in a State

of Emergency. Prior to this storm, the last declared

blizzard to hit Buffalo was in 1993.

himself up and fly away. Happily we had a nature

photographer along to document the event.

Four more birds were admitted over the next couple of days.

Two of these birds were strong with great water proofing so

they went back out to open water. Two had medical

problems so they had to stay. The common loon and ruddy

duck from our original group of 6 were doing great and they

were released on January 13th. We had released 8 of the 10

birds admitted thus far so we were feeling pretty good about

things, but this feeling came to sudden end with the

admission of more diving ducks late January and early

February.

Our concern was that two of the next four birds that came in

were emaciated and weak and died two days after

admission. The other two were very thin but were strong

enough to survive. Still ignorant of the water bird crisis, we

reasoned that since the birds were found in suburban back

yards, they must have come down accidentally and been

stranded for a few days before being noticed. By the time

the two surviving birds were ready for release, the Dunkirk

harbor was nearly frozen over as was most of Lake Erie.

Access to the Niagara River was still very limited. We

could reach open water in the Niagara River in a couple of

locations but that water was very fast moving and it was not

our preferred choice for a release. Fortunately, one of our

wildlife volunteers has a family connection to a local

marina. Since the US Border Patrol docks boats there, the

water is always kept open. When we went to visit the

marina, we were thrilled to see lots of diving ducks

swimming in the water. We could also see lots of emerald

shiners in the water, so we figured this was the best place to

release our stranded birds.

This became our plan of action for the next couple of weeks.

From February 1st to February 15th, we admitted 19 more

diving ducks. The majority of these birds were red breasted

mergansers and greater scaups. When a diving duck came in

to the SPCA we would give the bird a physical exam, swim

the bird to evaluate water proofing, and feed the bird several

big meals of fish. If they were strong and water proofed, we

would take them to the marina for release. Weak birds or

those with poor water proofing would stay with us for

treatment until they were in good shape. Knowing we could

not possibly house all of the birds that came in to us for the

long term, we thought this to have been a pretty good plan,

but we were really beginning to worry because the birds did

not stop coming. We could not figure out why they were still

being admitted in numbers like we had never before seen.

As time went on the birds were arriving with body

conditions that were getting worse and worse.

We sent several carcasses to the DEC’s Wildlife Health

Unit for necropsy where it was determined that the cause of

death was starvation. We suspected this to be the case as the

birds were responding very well to supportive care and good

nutrition.

By this time, diving ducks were being reported in places

where they had never before been seen. They were on

creeks and small rivers and any place where there was open

water. It was frightening to know that the starving birds

were leaving the Niagara River in search of food elsewhere.

A duck hunter reported seeing 350 red heads, which eat

only fish and river vegetation, land in a corn field to eat the

corn. Water birds were found in wood lots and back yards

and on roads and highways. The birds were flying around

in search of open water and food until they were completely

out of energy and then would literally fall out of the sky and

hit the ground exhausted.

We wondered if the birds were starving because there was a

crash in the fish population or if it was because the ice

shelves and ice cover were preventing the birds from

getting to the fish. We learned through the DEC that the

problem was the ice, not the fish. The fish were plentiful,

but they were hiding under the massive ice shelves out of

reach of the diving ducks. I heard of an ice fisherman who

went out on the river to fish. As soon as he made a hole in

the ice to drop his line, his hole was overrun with diving

ducks trying to push themselves into the water. He soon

left his fishing hole because it broke his heart to watch the

starving, and desperate birds in their frantic search for food.

The last two weeks of February presented us with another

48 diving ducks. All of these birds were emaciated and

weak with little or no water proofing. Some of the birds

died shortly after admission and others were immediately

euthanized as death was certain. DEC Wildlife biologist,

Connie Adams who was collecting deceased waterfowl by

the truck load was quoted as saying:

“This is unprecedented. We’ve never seen anything like

this. We are contributing it to prolonged ice cover for an

extended period of time. I knew it was going to be bad

when I was first alerted to the situation, but it is worse

than I thought.” By now, we knew that a release at the marina was no longer

the safe haven we once thought it to be. The number of live

birds on the water had greatly diminished and there were

numerous dead birds visible on the ice near the docks. We

kept hoping that the weather would break so the ice would


melt and food could become available but the cold

temperatures marched steadily on… We had now reached

the first of March. We were mentally and physically

exhausted as well as emotionally drained.

On March 3rd , I sent an e-mail to Erica Miller titled “Water

bird overload situation—do not read if you are already

depressed.” We were wondering if she was seeing this

same kind of die off in the Delaware area. Less than an

hour later, Erica sent back a reply that was full of support,

suggestions and connections. Erica said they were only

seeing a high mortality rate in American coots and that few

of the birds were surviving to make it into rehab. Erica

forwarded our sad story along to Sarah Tegtmeier. Sarah

is a global oil spill response coordinator for Tri-State Bird

Rescue and Research, Inc. Sarah quickly e-mailed back

that she was at a conference in New Hampshire and that

she and her co-worker, Ryan Wheeler could be with us by

the week’s end. On March 7th, Sarah and Ryan walked into

the SPCA full of support, enthusiasm, energy and a plan to

streamline our process of rehabilitating starving water

birds. They were exactly what burned out rehabilitators

needed.

Sarah and Ryan’s big tour consisted of a walk through the

SPCA, a drive to see the frozen river and marina and a stop

at the local bait shop to buy more shiners. The SPCA

wildlife hospital consists of 4 small rooms that are 10 x 10’

in size. It was comforting and a boost for our morale to

hear Sarah compliment us on our set up for managing the

water bird crisis in such a small space. Sarah’s kind and

warm words had me realize that it is as helpful and

necessary to hear what you are doing well as it is

helpful and necessary to learn how you can do things

better. The set ups and methods we were using were all

taught to us by Erica and Sarah at past NYSWRC and

NWRA conferences, so she was able see firsthand the

positive impact of their lectures and workshops.

Sarah and Ryan contributed to us in many amazing ways.

They went shopping at Home Depot and returned with

supplies so that Ryan could build us two collapsible swim

pools. The smaller was 4’x4’x2’ in size and the larger

4’x8’x2’ in size. Up until then, we had only one large

swim tub and two very large plastic totes for swimming

birds. Sarah taught us how to get the diving ducks to eat

dead smelt which greatly reduced the amount of live fish

we needed to purchase. She also showed us how many

smelt each bird should be eating per feeding so we knew

how much to supplement until they were eating enough on

their own.

Sarah helped us to create a method for keeping track of

how each bird was progressing and how to move the birds

along so they could obtain appropriate water proofing more

quickly. She provided us with helpful euthanasia

guidelines so we could better triage the severe cases that

we were receiving. She also gave us release criteria to give

the birds the best chance of survival after release. Sarah

and Ryan also spent time talking with area rehabilitators

from Messinger Woods, Hawk Creek and Wild Kritters of

Niagara County who stopped by to watch and to learn.

They shared with them the work they were doing with us

and answered any questions they had. They were a bright

light in our darkest days and it was wonderful to have

them with us.

Within the first two weeks of March another 64 diving

ducks were admitted. Although by now we had our water

bird protocol well organized and we felt confident in the

knowledge of the care each bird required, we were still

taking in more birds than we had the ability to reasonably

manage. We were also very upset at the thought of

putting all of this effort into the birds only to release them

back onto empty water to die of hunger. I had commented

to Sarah as we were looking at birds that were good for

release, that with oil spill situations the birds are treated

and then released into clean water, and they are not

returned to an oily ocean.

Holding these birds until a spring thaw was not an option

for us. Keeping them in captivity in small enclosures for

extended periods of time was stressful for them.

Maintaining their water proofing was also very difficult.

Once they achieved good water proofing did not mean that

it would stay that way. They could easily backslide if

their swim schedules were disrupted or if they became

soiled. We were also concerned that the birds could

eventually develop feet or keel issues despite being kept

on loon beds and in water as much as possible. We also

did not have the space to house lots of diving ducks long

term.

It was suggested we send out a call to all federally

licensed rehabilitators in the state and have everyone take

a couple of birds. The concern there was that these birds

are not at all like mallards and Canada geese. They are

very difficult to manage without the proper training and

set up. We did not feel it was the right thing to do to the

birds or to the rehabbers. We had rehabilitators with

experience in the care of dabbling ducks bring us diving

ducks after doing their best with them, and it was

heartbreaking to look at the birds and to see that despite

how hard the rehabbers tried, they just did not have the

experience or equipment to care for the birds

appropriately. We did transfer out several birds but only

to rehabilitators that had experience with diving ducks.

On March 11th, I contacted Joe Therrien from Special

Licenses at the DEC and explained our situation. I shared

that we were most tormented by the fact that we did not

feel we had a viable release location for these birds after

we brought them back to strength. Joe was very

understanding and supportive and immediately reached

out to others in the DEC for suggestions. The next day I

received a phone call from Beth Bunting from the Animal

Health Diagnostic Laboratory at Cornell. She too was

wonderfully supportive and caring. She was in contact


with DEC regional managers for possible release locations

into the Finger Lakes area. Meanwhile, back at the

ranch…A second blizzard hit on March 12th. During this

blizzard, 14 inches of snow fell in the city of Buffalo and

air temperatures reached a high of only 20 degrees. By the

end of this storm, the season snowfall total reached 120.5

inches, 2 feet more than average. On March 14th Beth

phoned to say we had permission from the DEC to relocate

birds to Cayuga Lake. The water was open and there were

no reports of lots of dead birds so it appeared to be a good

option. Beth gave us directions and said she would meet us

to help with the release.

Two days later, Paula Jaszka and Madalyn Fliesler, SPCA

wildlife volunteers, drove 8 SPCA birds and 4 area

rehabilitator’s birds to Cayuga Lake for release. On March

18thKaren Moran, our wildlife veterinarian, spent her

birthday driving to Ithaca to release 3 SPCA birds and to

transfer 2 SPCA birds and 1 area rehabber bird to the

Cornell Wildlife Clinic. Karen arrived at the release

location on Cayuga Lake to find 3 dead birds on shore, a

Red head, a Greater Scaup and a Canvas Back. There were

not any Redheads released two days before so we knew

that bird was not from Buffalo, but the bird was thin so we

did not take that as good sign. The Greater Scaup was in

good weight and all of the Buffalo birds released were still

thin so we knew that bird was not from our release either,

and we took his healthy weight as a good sign. The

Canvasback, however, had paint on his head so we knew

that bird was a Buffalo bird and that made us very sad.

Two days after Karen’s trip, Jean and I drove 5 SPCA birds

and 2 area rehabilitator’s birds to Syracuse for transfer to

Jean Soprano. Jean had experience with diving ducks so

she kept a few and then transferred the others to another

rehabber that she knew who had experience as well. We

were very grateful to Beth Bunting for helping us move

some birds out of the area. But, we were still deeply

concerned about the chance of survival for the rehabilitated

water birds.

On March 22nd at 3 AM, I sent an e-mail to Karen titled

Can’t sleep.

“Can’t sleep… don’t know how long I laid there before

finally getting up… I am sitting here having another melt

down… crying... I can’t get the birds out of my head… I

just don’t feel good about any of it… and I feel like I am

supposed to be enthusiastic and cheerful and motivating

for others and I really feel like curling up into a ball.

Perhaps I am making myself too significant… I watched

a great documentary yesterday on Net-Flix called “I am”.

It is about a film director that had a life changing

experience that caused him to really take a look at what

is important in this world, and it goes into how all things

are connected, all life forms on this planet, and how we

humans separate ourselves from nature—and it will be

the end of us if we continue on our current path. But his

point was that it is not too late. It was really inspiring

and made me feel better for a while, until I started

thinking about the water birds again…”

Karen responded,

“ I understand your pain. We sure are trying our hardest

and draining ourselves physically and mentally over

these birds, but I can never be happy when I say we

released some. I have to pretend to be excited for the

sake of those asking about it. I just have to hope that a

few manage to overcome the odds and that we gave them

enough strength and waterproofing that they could

survive out there and find food. Anyway, I don’t know

if knowing that I feel the same way helps.”

On March 15th we admitted 11 diving ducks. This was the

highest number admitted in a single day, and it was a very

dark and bleak day for us in wildlife. But then, between

March 16thand March 30th we admitted only 11 more

birds. The crisis seemed to have ended as quickly as it

began. For those of you who have never rehabilitated a

loon, grebe or diving duck you may be wondering what is

so difficult about them. We will now walk you through the

work involved in caring for these specialty birds.

These are the steps that each of our birds went through

upon admission:

Perform physical exam (ALWAYS wear latex gloves)

Obtain temperature, weight and blood for a PCV

Assess hydration status and administer SQ fluids if

necessary

Evaluate PCV, total solids and the buffy coat

PCV, packed cell volume: This tells you the amount of red

blood cells in the blood and shows level of anemia

Total solids: This tells the amount of protein in the blood-

shows degree of emaciation

Buffy coat: This tells the amount of white blood cells in

the blood-indicates infection

Consider euthanasia if Temperature is in the low 90’s and PCV is < 10%

If anemic, treat with Liqutinic. Recheck the PVC in 3

days to reassess for continuation of iron. Do not give

Iron dextran or IM injections initially as it can cause

muscle damage if the bird is too thin.

Sarah, Ryan and Dr. Moran at washing station


Administer Vit. B orally

Give one dose of Vit. E if the bird was stressed during

capture (capture myopathy)

Place bird on Itraconazole to prevent aspergillosis.

Check fecal

If the bird has lice, use powder instead of spray

If cold, put into incubator set at 90 degrees and check

temperature every hour. Remove from incubator when

body temp reaches 102 degrees

Diving ducks require many special features in order to be

housed correctly. All birds must be placed on loon beds

made of netting. You never want to leave them on blankets

or towels as they will soil themselves which will damage

their water proofing. Prior to the crisis, we only had two

loon beds in the hospital. We quickly realized that we

needed many more. Fortunately Karen likes to MacGyver

things so she managed to create an assembly line in her

living room to produce eight new beds.

Diving ducks are social birds who usually like the company

of their own species. We typically housed two together in a

medium sized shore line cage or three in a large shore line

cage when appropriate and necessary. Opaque plastic

covers were placed on the doors of the enclosures to allow

light through but acted as a visual barrier for the birds.

When putting food into the enclosures with the birds, we

discovered that you need to place plastic guards on all the

dishes. This will prevent the birds from sitting in their food

bowls and becoming soiled.

If the bird was weak and emaciated upon admission, we

would tube feed 50% diluted Emeraide Piscivore for the first

two feedings then switch to full strength. We would keep the

bird on a tube diet for several days and start feeding fish when the bird is stronger. If the bird was strong and thin we

would, give 100% Emeraide Piscivore and offer solid food

immediately. We would tube feed for a couple of days along

with the fish. When the bird was eating fish well, we would

discontinue the tube feeding. We would try to hand feed

whole lake smelt at the end of a bird’s swim time. If the bird

would not eat, then we would offer live fish in a bowl with a

food guard. We would also offer krill, meal worms, blood

worms and Mazuri diet.

The fun part of diving bird care was learning from Sarah the

“How to train your bird to eat dead fish” game. You need to

wiggle the fish back and forth in the bird’s face several times

and then toss the fish into the water in front of them. You

need to be patient as it can take a few sessions before the

bird picks up on it. Once they start eating the dead fish, toss

one fish at a time into the swim tub at the end of the swim

session. Red Breasted Mergansers were the most fun to feed

because they would take the smelt right from your hand and

suck them down like pasta. Scaups were much messier

eaters as they would smack their bills on them and masticate

them as they went down.

We would spray birds with water after removing them from

the swim tub and placing them back on net beds as smelt are

very greasy. You do not want to leave dead fish in the swim

tub with the bird because dead fish secrete a slime coat that

will soil the feathers. It is critical that you use an over flow

tub for swimming and feeding.

It is estimated that in the wild, a diving duck will consume

20% of its body weight in fish per day. Our goal was to try

to get 20% of the bird’s average healthy weight, not

incoming emaciated weight, of food into the bird per day.

Meal plan with live fish: (Before Sarah arrived)

greater scaup (950 gr.) 25 cc piscivore, 1/8 cup meal worms,

1 TBS krill and 40 grams live fish TID

red breasted merganser (1000 gr) 30 cc piscivore , 1/8 cup

meal worms and 40 grams live fish TID

canvasback (1200gr.) 35 cc piscivore, 1/8 cup meal worms,

¼ cup mazuri and 50 grams live fish TID

horned grebe ( 475 gr) 10 cc piscivore and 30 grams live fish

TID.

Meal plan with dead fish: (After Sarah arrived)

greater scaup (950 gr.) 7-8 (75 gr.) Lake smelt, Krill and

meal worms TID

red breasted merganser (1000 gr.) 10-12 (110 gr) Lake

smelt, meal worms TID

canvasback (1200 gr.) 13-15 (140 gr.) Lake smelt, meal

worms, Mazuri diet TID

(If the birds ate under this amount, they were supplemented

with tube feedings)

We know the birds would have eaten more live fish than we

fed them but we did not have the ability to give them live

fish until they did not want any more. Because of expense


Loon on “loon bed”

swim multiple birds at a time for much longer periods.

We would only give a Dawn bath if the bird was very soggy

or very dirty. Swimming in an overflow tub can fix water

proofing without bathing if the bird is only surface wet. If a

bird is bathed, you cannot swim them again for 1-2 days,

instead, mist them 4 x’s a day with warm water. When it

was time to swim them, put them in water for only 10-15

minutes initially and gradually increase the swim time.

Bathing a bird is a very detailed procedure. This is not

about putting the bird in the sink, adding some soap to the

water and then rinsing them under the stream. You must

have the right water temperature, water pressure (by using

appropriate water nozzles) and the correct soap

concentration to do a proper job. The procedure is also

very stressful on the bird. So stressful, in fact, that we did

lose one bird after bathing it.

Swim time was based on the bird’s strength and feather

condition at the time of admission. These birds were so

depleted of fat that their uropygial glands could not produce

enough oil to maintain good water proofing. This added to

our concerns for release as we could not put significant

weight on them and we were not sure how well they would

do over time. We would swim the birds, monitor their

waterproofing and increase swim time as the bird improved.

It is important to note that the birds had to be completely

dry before putting them back into a tub to swim again.

We provided supplemental heat to chilled or poorly water

proofed birds through both incubators and ceramic heating

units. Maintenance staff grew a bit wary of us as we

continuously blew fuses. Cage dryers or heat lamps would

also work well. If the bird was very soggy, we did not

swim for the first day or two but instead misted the bird

with water 4 times a day. If the bird was still soggy after a

couple of days then we would consider a Dawn bath.

Now we’ll discuss the four pool swim system that we used

to restore the bird’s water proofing and we named the pools

to make them easy to identify.

The Guppy pools are two blue totes were kept in wildlife.

We started by swimming birds 5-15 minutes in the guppy

pool three times a day. The room air temperature was 72

degrees and we used warm water.

The Garage Oasis pool is a big black tub located in the

garage. The birds were placed here when stronger, where

they would swim for 20 minutes to 1 hour three times a day.

We were constantly checking on them to look for a

decrease in waterproofing to prevent them from getting

water logged. The Air temperature was about 70 degrees

and we used warm water for swimming. The pool had an

over flow with the garage hose continuously on to agitate

the surface of the water. This will keep the water surface

free of oils and contaminants.

The Heated pool is a small collapsible pool in the heated

barn room. The birds were swum here for 1-3 hours, two or

three times a day once they were eating well and had good

water proofing. The temperature in the barn was about 60

and availability, we had to ration the fish and supplement

with piscivore, meal worms and Krill. Things were

simplified dramatically when Sarah arrived and we

switched to lake smelt. Each smelt weighs about 10 grams

vs the emerald shiners that only weighed a couple of grams.

The smelt were also far cheaper and easier to purchase. We

do not have an accurate estimate for the amount of money

we spent on live fish as wildlife volunteers were

continuously donating fish or money to purchase fish. We

do know, that despite these supplemental deliveries, for two

months the SPCA wildlife department was making daily

trips to the nearby bait store and purchasing three scoops of

live fish for $18. At times, we would frequent several bait

shops in one day if our local bait shop ran out.

It was frustrating to discover that even when the birds ate all

of the fish they wanted, which was 20% or greater of their

healthy weight in food per day, they still were not putting

on significant amounts of weight. This can be seen from the

following few examples:

SPCA Wildlife Hospital:

horned grebe 7 days 349/339g

greater scaup 6 days 686/642

ted head 5 days 613/635







yundra swan 32 days 3.7kg-4.7kg

Cornell Wildlife Clinic:



canvasback died despite two blood transfusions to treat

anemia.

We concluded that because the birds were so starved, that it

would take a very, very long time to get these birds back to

good weight if it was possible to do at all in captivity. Most

of the birds were coming in weighing nearly half of what

they should weigh. The risk of a lengthy amount of time in

captivity could compromise them in other ways. It was

disheartening to know that we were still releasing the birds

with emaciated weights. An even bigger challenge than

feeding was restoring their water proofing.

Restoring and maintaining water proofing was very difficult

work. Before Sarah and Ryan came to visit, we were using

2 large totes with wheels and one large swim tub with an

over flow system. Because we were trying to swim about

20 birds, we were sometimes doing 60 water changes a day.

These totes had to be pulled out of our wildlife room and

into the garage so they could be dumped, cleaned, refilled

and dragged back into wildlife. This was back breaking

work. Halfway through the crisis, carts were made for the

totes which helped significantly. Things were much better

after the creation of the two new swim pools, as we could


degrees. We left the barn hose running continuously with

cold water.

The Sunny pool is the large collapsible outdoor pool. When

water proofing was very good, the birds were moved to the

outdoor sunny pool for up to 6 hours. This pool also had a

hose with cold water continuously running. Ideally, you

want the birds in an outdoor tub for 24 hours before

releasing but since our birds seemed to respond quickly to

improved water proofing, Sarah felt that 6 hours was

adequate. Both pools were spot cleaned with a shop vac a

couple of times a day and both were drained, cleaned and

refilled daily. Sarah helped us to organize our swim

sessions so we knew who was going where for how long

through the use of a dry erase board. Once we had this plan

mastered, birds were being constantly moved about from

swim pool to dry dock multiple times a day. Again, with so

many birds to swim, we were having a very hard time

keeping each bird in the water for as long as they needed to

be. We created a water proofing score chart so we could

monitor how the birds were doing.

Water proofing score chart:

Scale 1 out of 4

Very poor-Bird is very soggy and rides low into the

water

Poor-The bird is surface wet, the bird rides low in the

water and the water reaches at least ½ way through

the feathers and almost to the skin, the feathers do

not curl around the surface of the body

Good-There are a few areas of surface wetness but the

feathers curl around the body

Great-There is beading of water, the bird looks dry and

rides high on the water. The feathers are dry

beneath the surface of the bird.

To check for water proofing, you really need to look at the

condition of the feathers beneath the surface as well.

The following are intake numbers and the months the birds

were admitted into the SPCA Wildlife hospital:

Jan 1st – April 30th 2013 admitted 3 common loons….

Jan 1st- April 30th 2014 admitted 159 fish eating diving

ducks

13 birds admitted in January

67 birds admitted in February

75 birds admitted in March

4 birds admitted in April

During the same 4 month time period we admitted 8 Ring-

billed Gulls, 4 Canada

Geese and 14 Mallards.

The breakdown of the

159 diving ducks were as

follows:

greater scaup - 67

red breasted merganser -28

canvasback -13


horned grebe -11

bufflehead -8

red necked grebe -7

red headed duck -6

common loon -4

lesser scaup - 4

hooded merganser -3

white wing scoter -2

golden eye -2

red throated loon -1

ruddy duck -1

long tailed duck -1

tundra swan -1

Contributing rehabilitators: intake and final dispositions

SPCA Serving Erie County: 159

Released -79

Died -27

Euthanized -35

Transferred -18

Messinger woods: 47

R-36

E/D -7

T-4

Wild Kritters of Niagara County: 27

R -5

E/D - 16

T-6

Hawk creek: 25

R -24

E/D -1

NOTE- when looking at final outcomes, know that all

contributing rehabilitators worked very hard and did their

very best. Some had better success as their birds arrived

earlier and were in better condition while others received

birds late in the crisis and their birds were very debilitated.

It has been said by DEC biologists that at least a quarter of

a million birds died during this water bird crisis. This is

only an estimate because most of the dead birds were

never recovered. Many died on the ice out of reach and

many others died in the water and then sank. The DEC

biologist who does the Buffalo area winter bird survey told

me that in the seven years that he has been doing these

counts, only once did he find a dead diving duck- a female

red breasted merganser.

2014 set a record for late Ice out. The ice shelves

remained through mid-May which was well past the time

the birds would have left to migrate North. We know the

birds were physically stressed and compromised before

migration. Did they have enough in them to complete

their journey? Fortunately, this past summer had perfect

nesting conditions for those birds that did make it back.

Although there was great sadness and sorrow in this crisis,

Time magazine featured an article on the polar vortex and

climate change getting the conversation out to the public.

Because we all love nature and because we all love

wildlife, we all need to educate ourselves and then become

involved in the bigger conversation. The Audubon Society

has just recently released a seven year study outlining the

impact of global climate change on the birds of North

America. If you are a member of the Audubon Society,

please read and share this issue. If you are not a member,

you can obtain the study on line. The book HOT Living

through the next fifty years on Earth by Mark Hertsgaard is

also an important book to read and then share.

We all feel that we connect well with animals. Obviously,

as that is why we do what we do. But how are we with our

human connections? Strong connections to human beings

are critical to the survival of a wildlife rehabilitator. We

cannot do this work alone. Your most valuable tool in your

rehab tool box is the human tool. If I had not had my

SPCA Wildlife co-workers and volunteers, my local

rehabilitator friends, my friends from Tri-State and the

DEC or my own family and friends to turn to during this

crisis, I would have been as dead in the water as those

diving ducks. Rehabilitators need to reach out and make

connections to other rehabilitators. And attending a

NYSWRC conference is a wonderful way to strengthen

those connections so that we can share the questions that

we find ourselves asking…

Was our best good enough?

Was this the right thing for us to do?

What if this happens again?

And remember… “You are what hope looks like to a bird.”

David Yarnold, CEO and President-Audubon

there were also positive things learned. Through the

instruction and guidance provided by Sarah and Ryan and

the large number of birds to care for, we gained insight into

what it would be like to respond to an oil spill crisis. We no

longer shrink in fear at the sight of a single common loon.

We recently used the “Teach your bird how to eat dead fish”

game on a cormorant and found it worked like a dream. We

know that we went beyond what numbers we were capable

of adequately handling so we are now in the conversation

about setting limits. The swim pools are a gift that keeps on

giving. They were used to house 5 tortoises that arrived this

past summer in a single confiscation case along with 100

small exotic birds, 14 large parrots, 5 dogs and 6 cats.

Our most rewarding release was that of a Tundra Swan. The

swan was admitted on February 28th. She had been found

sitting on shore, watching the other swans out in the River.

X-rays and blood work confirmed that she was suffering

from severe emaciation. It took five days of nutritional

supportive care before she had the strength to stand. She

was a very sweet natured swan and was easy to manage,

despite her very large size. She became our comic relief

during the crisis. Her feet were as big as dinner plates and it

was fun to watch her flap them on the floor while she

strolled around for exercise. Water proofing was never a

problem for her and she ate like a champ. Watching her

improve every day brought us much needed joy. She had

been with us for a month when we decided to load her up

and send her on her way.

I have spent quite some time talking about our feathered

beautiful creatures but I would like to end by spending a few

moments talking about another kind of beautiful creature,

my cousin Meghan who is 10 and my cousin Cora who is 6.

It is because of them that I know I need to be involved in a

much larger conversation,

the conversation of Global

climate change. I don’t

know what this

conversation looks like for

me as I have yet to create

it, but this water bird crisis

was an epiphany for me.

Megan & Cora Connie Adams at work.


The Frog’s Den

At conference last year we shared our experiences of the 2014 water bird crisis. We struggled both physically and

emotionally with the work but we came out on the other side with the realization that we need to be a part of the

bigger conversation. This conversation will include global climate change and other human impacts on our natural

world. To begin our involvement in this conversation, we have created a section in RELEASE which we have

titled “The Frog’s Den”. Granted, frogs do not live in dens, but a den is defined as a secret and safe place to hide,

and we do know that all wild animals need these types of places to survive. So, it will be through “The Frog’s

Den” that we will share news of our natural world and how we can be a positive difference. As with RELEASE,

your contributions are welcomed. To start off our segment, we thought it appropriate to share a wonderful poem

written by Kiana Shurkin of Columbia, Maryland. Kiana was the Grand Prize Winner of the 2014 SAVE THE

FROGS! poetry contest, for her poem "The Cry Of The Frogs”. (Thank you Kiana for permission to share your

amazing poem!) We encourage you to look into the wonderful work that Save The Frogs does to protect

amphibians by visiting www.SaveTheFrogs.com . Hoppily yours, Bev Jones and Karen Moran

The Cry Of The Frogs

By Kiana Shurkin

The echo of a footprint

Is all that will remain:

A webbed, tiny silver glint

Among the drops of rain.

On the sad forgotten pond

There floats a lonely lily pad

If only we could wave a wand,

Return the friend it had.

Fading on the breeze

Like the tinkling of a chain,

Are the imprints of nocturnal cries-

A song they sang in vain.

When all we have are whispers

Lonely echoes in the night

We'll think what might be different

If we'd listened to their plight.

When we lay in awkward silence

Mourning absence of their song

We'll wish we hadn't left it late

To try and right the wrong.

Without their constant lullabies

To lull us into sleep,

With only nature's mournful sighs

Our company to keep,

We'll wonder why we turned deaf ear

In time of greatest need

To songs our children cannot hear

And signs we failed to heed.

But in this solemn hour

There remains a flash of hope:

A greenish blur beside the creek,

A hopeful, timid croak:

Because it isn't yet too late

To try and spread the word-

To speak for those who sing at night

And help them to be heard.

There is still time to fight for frogs,

To save their woods and streams-

Their noble cause is not as lost

As it may sometimes seem.

For if we add our voices

To their dwindling chants

The song may just grow strong enough

To give a fighting chance.

http://www.SaveTheFrogs.com

Reprinted From Wild Things Sanctuary Newsletter,

by Victoria Campbell, NYSWRC member; An Update

As many of you know, Wild Things Sanctuary now

specializes in native bat care. So far, I've admitted about 50

bat patients this year. Who knew that specializing in bats

could keep me so busy! They come from all over as there are

so few places that work with bats. However, I also help out

with other animals when I can, and am able to oversee

"junior" rehabilitators' (those who work under my license)

who work with a variety of different species.

In total, our Wild Things Sanctuary team helped about 150

animals in 2014, in addition to talking to hundreds of

members of the public online and on the phone about injured

animals and wildlife concerns. Here are some of our patients'

stories:

“Lola” may look like a baby alien, but she is a Big brown bat

pup. Her mother died giving birth to her twin. I didn’t know

if this tiny newborn would survive. But Lola bounced back

and was among the biggest and healthiest of the orphan pups

this year! On the left, she is a day old sucking on a tiny

sponge as a pacifier. On the right, she is almost four weeks

old lying on top of her adopted brother “Frankie.” We are

learning a lot about specialized bat care: from infant formula

to adult care, medications, and wound healing.

Just another bat?

Actually this tiny 4

gram fellow is a

Northern long-eared

bat, a rarity

nowadays as sadly

they are a species

devastated by White

-nose Syndrome. He

was found on the

Cornell campus with an injured tail. In the next few months

these bats may be federally listed as an endangered species

under the Endangered Species Act. They are already listed as

endangered in several states. Wild Things Sanctuary was

happy to help him and give him a safe, clean place to

hibernate for the winter. He's up to a whopping 8 grams!

Two Big brown bats injured by cats. Because of their

injuries, I don't yet know if these two will be releasable. I

hope one day New York State will allow permits for

unreleasable bats to be used for education purposes;

meeting bats in person would really help people care more

about these personality-packed little animals that are in

trouble in so many ways. For now, many thanks to the

Organization for Bat Conservation that has helped us with

unreleasable cases.

A young Great Horned Owl chick was found after her nest

was destroyed in Ithaca, New York. After unsuccessfully

trying to reunite her with her parents for several days, I

brought the baby to Wild Things Sanctuary. To have a

chance at being wild, I knew she needed owl foster parents.

The Adirondack Wildlife Refuge, six hours away, has

several adult owls and agreed to take her in. She was

successfully raised by her foster parents and was released a

few months ago. She is doing well and stops by from time

to time if she needs an extra snack while she perfects her

hunting skills.

http://wildthingssanctuary.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5edfb58406446ff359993905e&id=5154363e02&e=da02ef349a

http://wildthingssanctuary.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5edfb58406446ff359993905e&id=5154363e02&e=da02ef349a

http://wildthingssanctuary.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5edfb58406446ff359993905e&id=56143c533c&e=da02ef349a

http://wildthingssanctuary.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=5edfb58406446ff359993905e&id=9e40f45ae8&e=da02ef349a

http://wildthingssanctuary.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5edfb58406446ff359993905e&id=88cd2e9feb&e=da02ef349a

Cotton Rabbit (Sylvilagus spp.)

Natural history

The cottontail is found

throughout the eastern and

Midwestern United States,

and is common

throughout much of its

range. The high

reproductive capacity and adaptability of this species has

made the cottontail one of the most important game

animals in North America.

Taxonomy Class Mammalia, Order Lagomorpha, Family Leporidae

Cottontail rabbits belong to the same family as hares and

European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Species There are approximately ten cottontail species

including the:

Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) widest

distribution

Audubon’s cottontail (S. audubonii )

Brush rabbit (S. bachmani)

Marsh rabbit (S. palustris)

Mountain cottontail (S. nuttallii)

Although distinct species, all are commonly

referred to as “cottontails”.

Diet Cottontail rabbits eat a wide variety of plant foods

including grasses, sedges, sprouts, leaves, fruits, buds,

and bark. During the summer months, cottontails

primarily eat grasses, legumes, succulent annuals,

weeds, as well as the occasional garden vegetable. The

winter diet includes small grains, as well as twigs,

bark, and buds of shrubs and trees. Favorite food items often include white and crimson

clover, Bahia grass, and green succulent vegetation

like alfalfa, wheat, barley, ryegrass, and winter peas. A

captive diet frequently consists of a variety of greens,

grasses, clover, and hay.

Husbandry

Cottontail rabbits serve as the “poster child” for prey

species, as they serve as fair game for nearly all predators.

This species tends to be high strung and easily stressed.

Cottontails do not bear the rigors of captivity well and

should be maintained in captivity for as short a period as

possible. Provide adequate visual security like a hide box

and house them as far away as possible from the sight,

sound, and smell of dogs and cats. Cottontails are solitary animals that are relatively intolerant of conspecifics.

Cottontails are also crepuscular and nocturnal. Feeding activity peaks 2 to 3 hours after dawn and during the hour

Reproduction The doe creates a shallow nest made of grass and lined

with fur. Here the young remain hidden by litter or leaves.

The doe cottontail may breed the same day the litter is born

and may repeat the young rearing process three or four

times during the breeding season. A new nest is generally

constructed for each litter. The doe’s milk is extremely

rich, and the young are nursed once or twice daily for 3-5

minutes at a time. Most rabbits presented for medical care are young, less than 1 year of age. Trauma is a common reason for presentation. Other health conditions reported in cottontail rabbits include:

Ectoparasites like ticks, lice, mites, and especially fleas are frequently observed on cottontails rabbits (see Ectoparasite Control in Small Mammals).

Cuterebra cutaneous myiasis (also known as “warbles” or “bots”): Large fly larvae are commonly found in the subcutaneous space of the neck and chest during warm weather months. Adult flies lay eggs on the rabbit fur, which later hatch into larvae that bore through the skin. Cuterebra larvae grow until they are approximately 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) long, at which time they emerge from the rabbit’s skin and fall off the rabbit. The larva then burrows into the ground where it pupates and later emerges as an adult fly. Mortality is rare in infected rabbits.

Coccidiosis is found in most cottontails. Eimeria media and E. perforans can infect the intestines, potentially causing fatal enteritis in stressed juveniles. Hepatic coccidiosis is caused by E. steidae.

Fibroma virus, a member of the poxvirus, causes Shope’s fibroma or “rabbit horn”. Disease is spread by arthropod vector. Skin lesions are occasionally seen on the legs, feet, and ears of cottontail rabbits. Lesions begin as a slight thickening of subcutaneous tissues, and progress over several months before suddenly regressing.

Papillomavirus causes horny warts on the neck, shoulders, ears, or abdomen of cottontail rabbits.

There is no treatment for either type of skin lesion, and both conditions usually resolve spontaneously over several months. Interestingly these viruses are a possible explanation for myths about the “jackalope”, a mythical rabbit-like creature with the antlers of an antelope.

Myxomatosis causes fibrotic skin nodules and is also transmitted by arthropod vectors. Wild rabbits are generally considered quite resistant to myxoma virus, however the brush rabbit (S. bachmani) is the natural host of the North American (Californian) strains. Some cottontail species (S. nuttallii, S. audubonii) are also susceptible to South American (Brazilian) strains of myxoma virus. Unlike the disease seen in European rabbits, myxoma virus does not appear to cause disseminated disease in healthy cottontails.

Staphylococcus aureus infection is transmitted by skin abrasion or insect bites, Infection can manifest as abscessation of lymph nodes, and can even become systemic. Diagnosed is confirmed by bacterial culture.

Cottontail rabbits can also serve as asymptomatic carriers or intermediate hosts of a number of infectious organisms including Sarcocystis falcatula, Taenia pisiformis, Francisella tularensis (tularemia or “rabbit fever”), Listeria monocytogenes, Pasteurella spp., Yersinia spp., Leptospira spp., and Rickettsia rickettsia (Rocky Mountain spotted fever).

These conditions are very unlikely to be responsible for admission for medical care, however gloves and protective clothing should ideally be worn when handling injured rabbits since they can serve as potential reservoirs of disease.

Venipuncture Collect larger volumes from the jugular vein or lateral saphenous vein. Smaller samples may be taken from the cephalic vein.

The principles and precautions for cottontail rabbit restraint

are the same as for the European rabbit, however the high-

strung nature of the cottontail requires particularly swift and

sure technique.

Rabbits possess a relatively lightweight, delicate skeleton

paired with extremely strong, well-developed back and leg

muscles. With improper restraint, rabbits that struggle or

kick run the risk of a broken back or leg. Always restrain

rabbits on a non-slip surface such as a large, heavy towel or

pad.

Gloves and protective clothing may also be indicated due to

potential zoonotic risk (see ‘Important medical conditions’

above).

Antibiotics to Avoid

Avoid antimicrobials that attack only gram-positive

bacteria such as beta-lactams. P.L.A.C.E.:

Penicillin

Lincosamide, lincomycin

Amoxicillin, ampicillin

Cephalosporins, clindamycin

Erythromycin

References & Further Reading:

Hernandez-Divers SM. Wildlife diseases: what you might

see come into your practice. Proc Amer Assoc Zoo Vet 2009.

Mikita K. Slvilagus floridanus eastern cottontail. Animal

Diversity Web. Available at http://

animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/

Sylvilagus_floridanus/. Accessed on Mar 19, 2013.

Silvers L, Barnard D, Knowlton F, et al. Host-specificity of

myxoma virus: Pathogenesis of South American and North

American strains of myxoma virus in two North American

lagomorph species. Vet Microbiol 141(3-4):289-300, 2010.

Wardyn SE, Kauffman LK, Smith T. Methicillin-resistant

Staphylococcus aureus in central Iowa wildlife. J Wildl Dis 48

(4):1069-1073, 2012.

Yarrow G. Cottontail rabbit biology and management.

Available at http://www.clemson.edu/extension/

natural_resources/wildlife/publications/fs8_cottontail%

20rabbit.html. Accessed on Mar 19, 2013.

Written by: Christal Pollock, DVM, Dipl. ABVP-Avian; Lafeber Company Veterinary Consultant. Mar 20, 2013.

Normal physiologic values

Temperature 101.3-103 F 38.0-39.6 C

Pulse not available (n/a)

Respiration n/a

Mean life span <3 years

Sexual maturity 2-3 months smaller species reach puberty earlier than larger species

Gestation 25-31 days

Litter size 1-7 (average 3-4)

Birth weight 23-33 g

Eyes open Day 4-5

Gestation 25-31 days

Litter size 1-6 (average 2)

Weaning age 6-8 weeks

Emerge from nest ˜ Day 14

Weaning age Day 16-22

Independent Week 7-8 Eyes open, ears erect, ˜ 4 inches (10 cm) long

Body weight, 6 months

0.5 kg (1.1-1.2 kg)

Adult weight 1.76-3.37 lb (0.8-1.53 kg)

Eyes open, ears erect, ˜ 4 inches (10 cm) long

Target environmental temperature:

65-70°F 15.6-21.0°C

Target environmental humidity

30% to 50%

Daily h2o intake 120 ml/kg/day

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Sylvilagus_floridanus/



http://www.clemson.edu/extension/natural_resources/wildlife/publications/fs8_cottontail

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/natural_resources/wildlife/publications/fs8_cottontail

What is ranavirus? Frequently Asked Questions o Ranavirus is a genus (i.e. group) of viruses that are highly infectious and often lethal to aquatic and terrestrial cold-blooded wildlife. Ranaviruses can cause mass die-offs, especially in aquatic populations. These viruses are found nearly worldwide. What species are affected by ranavirus? o At this time any species of fish, amphibians (frogs & salamanders) and reptile (turtles & snakes) could be susceptible to the virus, although not all species have been documented with ranavirus. As of 2013, ranavirus was known to infect >104 species and subspecies. What are symptoms of ranavirus? o Clinical signs of disease can include swelling of the legs and body, internal hemorrhaging, redness of the legs and vent, and discoloration of internal organs. o White plaque in mouth, wheezing and swollen eyes may also be present in reptiles. o Behavioral changes may include lethargy, anorexia and erratic swimming. o Note that many of these symptoms can be signs of other diseases as well. What is the prognosis for animals infected with ranavirus? o Ranaviruses are commonly lethal to larvae or young individuals, quickly spreading through populations that tend to congregate in large groups. Some infected populations of amphibians have suffered 90% mortality. o Adults can also become infected, but many are likely to survive the illness. However, once infected with ranavirus, their overall health may suffer and they can become more susceptible to other diseases and to depredation. How is ranavirus transmitted? o The virus is primarily transmitted by contact between carriers of the virus and uninfected individuals. Any animal or object that enters a wetland could potentially pick up and transmit the virus. The virus can then be passed to other individuals in the same wetland or be transported to other wetlands via the host’s movements. o Depending on environmental conditions, the viruses can survive in water for several weeks outside the host, and for shorter periods of time under dry conditions. Drying may also inactivate the viruses. Can humans prevent the spread of ranavirus? YES! o Humans may be the number one long-distance transmitters of ranavirus, due to our ability to travel great distances and visit many wetlands. (e.g. to conduct research, to fish, to kayak). o If you frequent wetlands, be sure to decontaminate your boots and other gear between each visit. Items that come into contact with water NEED to be cleaned prior to entering another wetland. For decontamination procedures and other information visit the NEPARC and SEPARC websites.

o DO NOT TRANSPORT WILDLIFE. To reduce the spread of disease, fish, amphibians, and reptiles should not be released in areas where they did not originate. This includes transportation and release of live or dead animals. o If you think you observe an outbreak (e.g. 10 or more dead or dying amphibians or two or more freshly dead turtles or snakes) contact your state wildlife agency. For more information visit http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/other_diseases/ranavirus.jsp

Ranavirus - USGS publication USGS scientists have isolated ranaviruses associated with die-offs involving more than 20 species of amphibians and turtles.

Massive die-offs of amphibians are often caused by ranaviruses. USGS scientists have isolated ranaviruses associated with die-offs in over 25 states involving more than 20 species of turtles and amphibians in mortality events ranging from one to thousands of individuals affected. Some events may involve a single species, others may involve multiple species. Frogs and salamanders in the same pond, for example, may die from ranaviral infections at the same time.

Ranavirus-caused die-offs in amphibians have occurred on private, State, and Federal lands, including several National Parks and Wildlife Refuges. Many of the amphibian species involved in die-offs are fairly common and widespread in the United States, but some are either declining in number or are already threatened or endangered.

Host species: The USGS National Wildlife Health Center has isolated amphibian ranaviruses from 16 species of frogs, one species of toad and six species of salamanders. Mortality events due to ranaviruses occur most commonly in larval amphibians such as mole salamanders (Ambystoma spp.), true frogs (Lithobates spp. and Rana spp.) and chorus frogs (Pseudacris spp.). Infrequent isolates have been obtained from adult newts (Notophthalmus viridescens), adult tree frogs (Hyla spp.) and post-metamorphic Columbia spotted frogs (Lithobates luteiventris). In states east of the Mississippi River, especially Atlantic coastal states, mortality events tend to involve all species within the wetland (frogs, toads and salamanders) while those in western states, with less amphibian species diversity, tend to involve only one species.

Ranavirus infections in turtles occur mostly in captive colonies of eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) and true tortoises, but die-offs of free-ranging box turtles also have been observed. Because box turtles in the wild usually are solitary animals, it has been difficult to document die-offs of multiple box turtles from an area.

Distribution: Amphibian ranaviruses probably are present in every state with the possible exception of Hawaii. Globally, ranavirus diseases in amphibians have been diagnosed in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

All confirmed cases of ranaviral infection in wild eastern box turtles on file at the USGS NWHC are from Maryland. Most of the affected turtles came from a single field study site. Additional ranaviral disease outbreaks in box turtles have been reported by others in New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Florida. Unexplained die-offs of wild box turtles with signs resembling ranaviral infection, although not confirmed, have been reported in Virginia and North Carolina.

Seasonality: Because mortality events due to ranaviruses mostly affect larval amphibians, there is a strong correlation between the presence of amphibian larvae in the spring and summer with ranaviral die-offs. Mortality events often are first detected in April when large populations of wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus, formerly Rana sylvatica) are present in eastern and northern wetlands. Early and mid-summer die-offs due to ranaviruses tend to involve a variety of amphibian species nationwide. Late summer and autumn mortality events involve mostly larval bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) and tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum).

Cause/Etiology: Ranaviruses are DNA-based viruses of the genus Ranavirus, in the family Iridoviridae. Occasionally, amphibian ranaviruses are called iridoviruses; however, this can be confusing because there is a genus of insect viruses called Iridovirus. Some isolates of amphibian ranaviruses have been named; most noteworthy are Frog Virus-3 (FV-3), first isolated in the 1960s, and Ambystoma tigrinum (tiger salamander) Ranavirus. Other strains or isolates of ranaviruses have informal names (e.g., Bohle virus in Australia, Redwood Creek virus in northern California, Southern High Plains virus, etc.), but the status of most isolates as species or strains of Ranavirus has yet to be clarified.

Signs and Lesions: Field signs of a ranaviral epizootic include sudden or explosive onset of illness in amphibians in a wetland, often with hundreds or thousands of sick and dead amphibians found in a 1–5 day period. Overall mortality rates in juvenile frogs and salamanders in a wetland can exceed 90%. Affected individuals usually present with subtle to severe hemorrhages in the ventral skin, especially at the base of the hind limbs and around the vent opening. Hemorrhages may be present from tip of chin to tip of tail ventrally and may be pinpoint or irregular patches.

Other clinical signs include lethargy, swimming erratically, weakly, or on their sides, and mild to severe fluid accumulation under the skin (in lymphatic sacs) of the abdomen and proximal hind limbs. Internally, there

may be fluid accumulation (clear or red-tinged) in the body cavity (called hydrocoelom), and hemorrhages on the serosal surfaces of viscera, especially heart, stomach and liver. Occasionally, white minute foci of necrosis are evident in the liver or spleen. Ulcers of the skin and palate tend to be randomly scattered, but are detected in a low percentage of casualties.

Turtles with ranavirus infection show weakness, swollen eyelids, discharge from the nose and mouth, and the tongue and palate may show dull white or thick yellow plaques. At dissection, these plaques also may be found in the pharynx and esophagus. Occasionally, turtles may show ulcers on the bottom of their feet. Like ranaviral infections in tadpoles and salamanders, infection in box turtles spreads throughout the body affecting many organs including blood vessels. Additional research is needed to determine whether ranaviruses from box turtles and amphibians are identical and may be transmitted between the different genera and species.

Significance/Zoonotic Risk: At present, ranaviral infections appear to be limited to ectothermic vertebrates (i.e., fish, amphibians and reptiles). The virus generally cannot be cultured at temperatures above 30oC, so it probably is not infectious to domestic mammals and humans. At present, it is unclear how many strains or species of ranavirus are infecting and killing amphibians and turtles. Ranaviral outbreaks involving more than one class of vertebrates (i.e., fish and amphibians, or amphibians and reptiles) at a site are rarely reported in the wild, but such mortality events are of great interest ecologically. Ongoing research by USGS scientists and others will help to determine whether die-offs due to ranavirus are causing or contributing to population declines in turtles and amphibians.

For additional information about amphibian diseases, please contact:

Dr. D. Earl Green, U.S. Geological Survey

National Wildlife Health Center

6006 Schroeder Rd.,

Madison WI 53711-6223

(608) 270-2482

Tadpole with swelling of the legs;

a clinical sign of ranavirus

NYSWRC

1850 N. Forest Rd.

Williamsville, NY, 14221

www.NYSWRC.org

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