[Fwd: deaths among Ohio Raptors, possibly WNV???

I am forwarding the following message from a bird rehabilitator in Ohio.
Hopefully some or many of the birds are being tested or analyzed to determine
the cause of death. If there is massive mortality from WNV it suggests to me a
first year phenomenon, but WNV should have been in Ohio birds prior to 2002.

At the recent International Ornithological Congress, the cause of sudden death
syndrome among vultures in India was discussed. A new organism (a Mycoplasma)
has been isolated from some dying vultures. Whether it is incidental or
causative is not known.

MICHAEL GOCHFELD
=========================================

>
> >>>>
> >>>>From: "Mona Rutger" <mona@backtothewild.com>
> >>>>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
> >>>>
Received on Thu Sep 05 14:33:47 2002