[Bristol-Birds] Aerial distribution of rabies vaccine set for August 8-26
- From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Bristol-birds" <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2005 22:48:15 -0400
Bristol Area Birders:
In case you are on the Clinch Ranger District of the Jefferson National Forest
in Southwest Virginia from August 8-26, the USDA Wildlife Services
wants folks to know that they will be aerially distributing oral
rabies vaccines to attempt to vaccinate raccoons against the rabies virus. The
Clinch Ranger District is National Forest Land in portions of counties mostly
along the Kentucky border, including Scott County, VA.
This is part of a nationwide, cooperative effort by USDA, Center for Disease
Control, and VA Department of Health to prevent the westward spread of raccoon
rabies in the US. This is the fourth annual baiting event in Southwest Virginia.
Starting on or about August 8, approximately 340,000 ice-cube sized baits
containing the oral rabies vaccine will be distributed across a 2,000
square-mile bait zone. Low-flying aircraft will be distributing these baits
across parts of 8 counties: Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Scott, Russell,
Washington, Wise, and
Tazewell. This is supposed to be continued for 2 weeks.
A navigator will be controlling the machine distributing the baits and will
avoid dropping baits on roadways, structures, large bodies of water, etc. In
addition, in late August, USDA Wildlife Services personnel will distribute
approximately
11,000 baits by handbaiting or by vehicles in suburban and developed areas
within the bait zone. The oral rabies baits used for aerial distribution
will be plastic packets of vaccine coated with a substance to attract
raccoons. The baits used for handbaiting within urban/suburban areas will
be square blocks made of fishmeal and fish oil, imprinted with a toll free
number if people find or come in contact with those baits. If you are out
in the field on the Clinch during this time period, you might see the
aircraft or come across the plastic packets of bait.
They will be flying a good swath of area starting in North
Carolina, Tennessee, across VA (in the counties listed above), and into WVA
all the way to the Ohio border. For more information you may contact the USDA
Wildlife Services: 1-877-722-6725.
Let's go birding......
Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
Other related posts:
- » [Bristol-Birds] Aerial distribution of rabies vaccine set for August 8-26
