Fellow birders: In case you are out and about birding in southwestern VA the next few weeks, you should be aware of the following: Beginning August 9, 2004, USDA Wildlife Services Program (WSP) will distribute approximately 350,000 ice-cube sized oral rabies vaccine baits aerially across a 2,000 square-mile zone in southwestern VA including parts of Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Scott, Russell, Washington, Wise, and Tazewell counties. This includes parts of the Jefferson National Forest. The vaccine will be distributed by low-flying aircraft for about 2 weeks and will avoid dropping baits on roadways, structures, and large bodies of water. In late August, USDA WSP personnel will distribute approximately 11,000 baits by handbaiting or from vehicles in suburban and developed areas within the bait zone. The oral rabies vaccine baits are square, ice-cube sized, blocks made of fishmeal and fish oil. The vaccine is contained inside of a plastic packet (red liquid) in the hollow center of the block. Each bait block is imprinted with a toll-free number (1-877-722-6725) to call for assistance or information if found. This is an effort by USDA WSP to abate in part an emergency human health and safety rabies issue affecting the eastern United States. Implementation of this program in VA is a cooperative effort between USDA WSP, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Virginia Department of Health, and other state agencies. An Environmental Assessment was completed by USDA WSP at the Regional level (several states are involved in this effort). USDA WSP states that the vaccine is not harmful to wild animals or pets and the exposure risk to humans is very slight. However, they are recommending the following in areas that will be baited: * Encourage children to leave the baits alone * Keep dogs and cats inside or on leashes at least a week after your area is baited * If you have contact with the liquid vaccine inside the bait (a red fluid), thoroughly wash the exposed skin with soap and water and call your local health department * The vaccine cannot be used to vaccinate a pet against rabies *********************************************** Carol Hardy, Ph.D. Forest Wildlife Biologist George Washington & Jefferson National Forests 5162 Valleypointe Pkwy Roanoke, VA 24019 ************************************************ ************************************************* BRISTOL BIRDS NET LIST Bristol Birds Net Photo Gallery located at: http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jwcoffeyy/album?.dir=/efd5 This is a regional birding list sponsored by the Bristol Bird Club to facilitate communications between birders and bird clubs of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. -------------------------------------------------- You are subscribed to Bristol-Birds. To post to this mailing list, simply send an email to: bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, send an email to bristol-birds-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the one word 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. -------------------------------------------------- Wallace Coffey, Moderator wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (423)764-****