FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] Fwd: [IN-BIRD-L] West Nile affecting raptors in Ohio

["Jackie Elmore" <jackiebelmore@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I picked this up off the IN-BIRD list concerning the West Nile problems. I 
thought many of us would be interested in this report.

Jackie B. Elmore
Bowling Green, KY
Warren County


>From: "C. C. Murray" <ccmurray@xxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: "C. C. Murray" <ccmurray@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: IN-BIRD-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [IN-BIRD-L] West Nile affecting raptors in Ohio
>Date: Fri, 23 Aug 2002 11:11:19 -0500
>
>The following copied from the Ohio list. Chilling.
>Clint
>
>From: "Mona Rutger" <mona@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: Back To The Wild update on wildlife crisis . . .
>Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2002 00:56:46 -0700
>
>Dear Friends:
>
>I wanted to make you all aware of what is happening at Back To The
>Wild.  This is an update on a wildlife crisis in Ohio that has hit
>rehabilitation centers and zoos hard!  It is statewide.  In just two
>weeks, almost every center in Ohio has experienced unheard of admissions
>of Great Horned Owls daily from the wild; [plus] Red-tails, Coopers and
>other raptor species.  Most are Great Horneds - and most all have head
>tremors and some with paralysis of the legs.  Many are dying quickly,
>within 48
>hours, though a few seem to be recovering.  Most are found standing or
>laying on the ground, unaware of their surroundings and allow you to
>just pick them up.  Today, I received eight more affected Great Horned
>Owls,
>two Red-tails and yet another call just now about another Great
>Horned!  It is unbelievable.  How many birds are down out there that
>aren't being found? There are 18 sick birds here and I have begun
>euthanizing several.  A few are recovering and then will be immune for
>the rest of their life to West Nile.
>
>Worse yet, most centers have lost Education Birds that have been at our
>centers for 10 or more years.  They die overnight, without
>warning.  Rehabbers are devastated.  I have lost four caged birds here,
>and fear for the Bald Eagles and other raptors at our center.  Sue has
>lost her program Snowy Owl and Merlin and most centers have lost
>Barreds, Great Horneds, Red-tails and Kestrels.  I have heard several
>Falconers
>have lost Gyrfalcons.  We cannot protect our birds, as we don't have
>results back yet, and we can't move them to safer quarters, because
>doing so would cause major stress and weaken their immune systems.  We
>are all
>suspecting West Nile.  Bringing them into our centers means that
>mosquitoes feeding on them can fly about the program cages and infect
>those birds.  This is a great health risk and even euthanizing any
>incoming birds doesn't protect our Education Birds, because they are
>coming from every county in Ohio and if it is West Nile, that means the
>mosquitoes are out there anyway.  We know we can't save all these
>incoming birds and shouldn't, but we do have to protect our permanent
>residents
>at our centers.  Next year, the weaker ones should be eliminated from
>the
>environment and those that survived will be a perfect example of
>nature's efficient system of "natural selection".
>
>My veterinarian was here until 11:30 p.m. collecting blood and tissue
>samples and we packaged entire birds on ice to be sent to the Ohio Dept.
>of Health and the National Health Animal Diagnostic Lab in Madison,
>WI.
>
>One center sent in two Great Horned Owls and one Red-tail and all
>three tested positive for West Nile.
>
>The advice from Federal and State
>agencies is to put mosquito netting over all our cages!  Absolutely
>impossible!  Some of the cages are over 60 to 100 feet long and 16 feet
>high.  How can you mosquito proof that?!  Humans will not get the West
>Nile virus from contact with an infected bird in their area, but must be
>bitten by a mosquito who has bitten an infected bird.  However, lab
>technicians have contracted West Nile from the blood of infected birds,
>that came in contact with cuts on their hands.   News Channel 13 called
>and some newspapers who will create a public panic if they don't handle
>this right.  Very few humans get sick from exposure to West Nile -
>flu-like symptoms and then it is over.  Individuals with weakened immune
>systems, however, are at risk.
>
>Well, I really wanted to let some of you who would have interest in this
>and are involved with Back To The Wild, to know what's going on before
>you read about it in the paper, etc.  We are running on nerves and
>little
>rest and a great support system networking with our fellow rehabbers and
>veterinarians.  Marianne Socha, DVM in Huron, once again has donated her
>time and energy to help us through this.  We are truly indebted to
>her.
>
>Take care.
>
>Bill and Mona Rutger
>Castalia, Ohio




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