FreeLists / va-richmond-general / [va-richmond-general] Rabies confirmed Marlvern Hill & Possible Case Pony Pasture

["katya" <katya@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 Dear Friends at RAS,

I just read this e-mail from Ralph White and thought it was something I should share with you all.

Katie

    Your concern about rabies is well-founded. It is an absolutely awful disease if it infects a human --- a slow, frightening and tortuous process that always leads to death.  We may have had a small raccoon die of rabies a week ago at the Pony Pasture Rapids Park in Pleasant Creek near the Charlie Slade Bridge.  We haven't heard back from the Health Dept yet.

    The over-arching issue is the need to manage the over abundance of wildlife now developing in our cities and sub-urban areas. Rabies (and distemper) spread by saliva contact with an open wound. Such contact occurs during mating ...(not much you can do about that) ...  and when animal populations are abnormally large due to too much food or too few predators.

    Birders and other people interested in nature and wildlife should be pushing City and State officials to begin to take responsibility for the ballooning populations of certain species .... like raccoons ... and deer .... and Canada Geese.

    I don't know what the control mechanisms will be --- almost any action will generate some kind of opposition --- but I do know that it is about time we took responsibility for the consequences of our good actions in cleaning up and caring for the environment.

    Best wishes,

        Ralph White

        Park Mgr