| DISEASE SURVEILLANCE
- avian influenza
- plague & tularemia
SPECIAL INTEREST
WDBs mobilized to protect ferrets from plague
in South Dakota (July 2008)
On May 15, WDB Powers was notified about the discovery of dead prairie
dogs on Forest Service
property in southwest South Dakota. On May 13, personnel from the US
Forest Service discovered the prairie dog die off, collected carcasses
on May 13th and 14th and
submitted them to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Ft. Collins
for testing. On May 15,
the CDC confirmed they were DFA presumptive positive for Yersinia
pestis. On May 19th, WDB
Powers participated in a multi-agency conference call to discuss the
situation and on May 22nd
WDB Powers attended a multi-agency meeting in Wall, SD to develop a
plan of action in response
to the plague outbreak. At the meeting a plan was drafted that included
the application of an
insecticide (DeltaDust) to approximately 10,000 acres of prairie dog
colonies in an attempt to
protect the most productive black-footed ferret relocation sites. The
US Fish and Wildlife Service
(FWS), US Forest Service (FS) and Badlands National Park (BNP) vowed
to provide
equipment and personnel in response to this effort. WDBs Wiscomb (MT),
Powers (ND/SD), Pipas (WY), Moyles(CA) and Hill (WV) assisted the FWS,
FS and BNP personnel with the dusting effort. As of August 6, approximately
720 acres have been dusted within Badlands
National Park and 6,800 acres have been dusted on Forest Service property
within the Conata
Basin. Plague has affected nearly 9,700 acres of prairie dog colonies
on Forest Service property
within the Conata Basin.
Feral Swine discovered in North Dakota (2008)
In March 2008, WDB Ryan Powers (ND/SD) met with personnel from
the North Dakota Game and Fish Department after receiving a confirmed
report of feral swine, an invasive species, in Sheridan County. In March,
the North Dakota Feral Swine Working Group and the North Dakota Attorney
General's office met to discuss the situation and develop a plan of
action.
Later that month, the North Dakota Board of Animal Health approved
a motion allowing the State Veterinarian to determine and employ the
most efficient and practical means to eliminate feral swine in North
Dakota. WS personnel met with personnel from the Sheridan County FSA
office and compiled a list of landowners to contact for permission to
remove feral swine from their property. WS personnel then met with landowners
and received signed permission to remove feral swine from their respective
property. On March 31, WS personnel initiated eradication efforts and
21 feral swine were removed from the area. Blood samples were collected
from all 21 animals for pseudorabies, swine brucellosis, classical swine
fever, plague, and tularemia testing. In addition, blood samples were
collected for genetics testing in cooperation with the University of
North Dakota. On April 1, the ND WS fixed wing aircraft was utilized
in an attempt to locate additional swine however no more were located.
Personnel from WS and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department as well
as local landowners are continuing to monitor the situation.
Contact:
Wildlife Disease Biologist Ryan Powers (ND/SD)
(701)250-4405
Ryan.A.Powers@aphis.usda.gov
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