CCWHC News

Report on Wildlife Pathogens and ...

This technical report has just been made available to the public. The report was prepared by the CCWHC at the request of Environment Canada. It provides summaries of 28 wildlife diseases and pathogens in Canada that are noteworthy with respect to national ecological status and trends, wildlife conservation and human health concerns.
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Type E Botulism on the Great lakes – Fall 2011

Since mid-August, dead fish and birds have been appearing on the beaches in Nottawasaga Bay in southeastern Georgian Bay on Lake Huron. An estimated 200 or more sturgeon, as well as whitefish and other species, have washed up on shore. Diagnostic tests on the one sturgeon examined were inconclusive, but were suggestive of a bacterial infection.
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Report Available: Management of ...

The second of two national workshops to review the management of Chronic Wasting Disease in Canada was held in Saskatoon on 5-6 April 2011. The report from this workshop, entitled A Proposal for Canada's National Chronic Wasting Disease Control Strategy (2011), now is available for download as a PDF file from the following site: Download Report ...
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White Nose Syndrome of Bats found in...

New Brunswick Museum Researchers Dr. Donald McAlpine and Karen Vanderwolf have discovered White-nose Syndrome (WNS) in New Brunswick’s most important known bat over-wintering cave, located in Albert County. At least twenty-five percent of the bats in the cave have died as a result of this fungus, which grows on bats during their winter hibernation period. Since it was first discovered in New York State in 2006 ...
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"Mange" in Wild Sheep of Similkameen Valley, BC.

A new health issue of wild sheep has been recognized in the Similkameen Valley (Southern British Columbia). This condition is known as Psoroptic Mange, Psoroptic scabies or Psoroptes infestation.
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CCWHC Workshop for Wildlife ...

On February 23-24, 2010 the CCWHC hosted a two-day workshop for wildlife health professionals. The purpose of the workshop was to bring together individuals active in the fields of wildlife health and disease management nationally and engage them in discussions surrounding two broad themes; animal welfare issues in wildlife management, research and harvest and the One World One Health concept.
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Proposal for a National Wildlife ...

This summer the Headquarters Office of the CCWHC, the Centre for Coastal Health and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the University of Peradeniya carried out a feasibility study for the development of a national wildlife health centre in Sri Lanka.
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CCWHC Alberta Welcomes the Centre's ...

The CCWHC Alberta node was established in 2005 and has been advancing its operations as the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) at the University of Calgary has developed. The UCVM, also established in 2005, accepted its first class of students in the fall of 2008.
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Asia-Pacific Conference on ...

Dr. Ian Barker (CCWHC, Ontario-Nunavut Region) and Dr. Catherine Soos (Environment Canada), were invited by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the United States Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS), to represent Canada at the "Asia Pacific Conference on Wildlife Borne Diseases," in Beijing, China, from July 19-23, 2010.
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Sylvatic Plague in Grasslands National Park

In July of 2010, a black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) was found dead by researchers from the Calgary Zoo on a prairie dog colony located within Grasslands National Park near Val Marie, Saskatchewan. The dead prairie dog was submitted to the CCWHC Western and Northern Region for necropsy on July 19th, 2010.
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Newcastle Disease in Double-crested ...

Newcastle Disease was detected in Double-crested Cormorants (DCCO) in summer 2010 in both Saskatchewan and Ontario. In Ontario, 18 mortality events in DCCO were reported between 8 June and 1 September 2010; Newcastle Disease virus was confirmed in five, at Toronto (2), Mississauga(2) and Kirkfield (1) northeast of Lake Simcoe.
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Minke Whale Necropsy on PEI ...

On June 16, following a day and night of very strong wind and heavy surf, a dead minke whale was found on the north shore of Prince Edward Island.
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Leatherback Turtle ...

The skeleton of a Leather Back Turtle is being articulated and mounted this year. This will be the third skeleton to be mounted from specimens originally received as necropsies by CCWHC Atlantic. An Atlantic white-sided dolphin and a harp seal, the previously completed skeletons, are now proudly displayed in the new Learning Commons area of the Atlantic Veterinary College.
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Amphibian Health Research Network, PEI ...

With the purpose of monitoring the health of amphibian populations in a more active way, the CCWHC has sought the collaboration of scientists and other professionals involved in research, monitoring and conservation of aquatic environments.
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Whole Kernel Corn Inhalation in Wild Turkeys ...

As part of a Manitoba Conservation project, one hundred and forty wild turkeys were banded during winter 2010, using bait and a pneumatic net launcher to capture the birds.
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Red Vent Syndrome in wild Atlantic Salmons in Quebec ...

Red vent syndrome in wild Atlantic salmons in Quebec. Since 2008, some Atlantic salmons come back in the rivers of Quebec with a red vent. This syndrome seems to be emerging in North Atlantic.
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Endangered Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle found in Nova Scotia ...

A Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle was found alive in Morden, NS (at the shore of the Bay of Fundy) on September 30, 2009. The turtle received veterinary care, but unfortunately died October 2nd and was submitted to the CCWHC.
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Rabies vaccination of raccoons and skunks in N. B.

On October 8-10th of 2008, wildlife pathologist Dr. Scott McBurney and technician Darlene Weeks volunteered with the New Brunswick Department of Health on their Wildlife Rabies Control Program.
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Blue Whale Excavation 2008

In December of 2007, the CCWHC-Atlantic team was involved in the preliminary excavation of a Blue Whale skeleton. The purpose of this exploratory dig was to find out if it was feasible to recover the skeleton to display at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum atrium at the University of British Columbia.
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Snowy owls in the Canadian Maritimes

From the end of November to December 15, 2008 the CCWHC received five Snowy Owls: three from Prince Edward Island and two from Nova Scotia. The birds submitted to the CCWHC had died of emaciation/starvation and in some cases weighed less than half of their normal body weight. Currently there is a snowy owl in rehabilitation at the Atlantic Veterinary College.
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Trichomoniasis in Finches - the American Goldfinch ...

In fall 2007, two incidents of purple finch, Carpodacus purpureus,mortality, involving 4 -5 birds each, were reported from mainland Nova Scotia (NS). One finch was submitted for post mortem examination from one location, and two finches were submitted from the other.
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