#13: Top Five Wildlife Health News Stories of 2021

Michelle and Vin discuss a hilarious and fascinating award given to a unique wildlife health study in the....transportation category? We wrap up by overviewing other winners of the award in 2021.   Ig Noble Award winners and Annals of Improbable Research (AIR) https://improbable.com/ig/winners/   Rhino Study https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-wildlife-diseases/volume-57/issue-2/2019-08-202/THE-PULMONARY-AND-METABOLIC-EFFECTS-OF-SUSPENSION-BY-THE-FEET/10.7589/2019-08-202.short   Connect with Us! Website | https://wildlifehealth.org/podcast/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wildlife_health_connections/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeHealthConnections

Anytime a wildlife disease story gets covered in mainstream news media, we get excited!  In January 2022, a news story about Skunk Adenovirus 1 causing mortality in porcupines caught our attention.  In this episode, we chat with Dr. David Needle, senior pathologist at the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Lab and the first person to diagnose Skunk Adenovirus 1 in the U.S. Since then, he’s been studying this emerging wildlife disease as it keeps popping up in different species.   Links! Check out the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Lab: https://colsa.unh.edu/new-hampshire-veterinary-diagnostic-laboratory   Here’s that awesome book that Dr. Needle mentions:   The North American Porcupine by Uldis Roze (second edition) -https://www.buteobooks.com/product/c517.html   News Stories about Skunk Adenovirus:    https://apnews.com/article/science-health-maine-wildlife-harbors-0e8fea831c4edfbd8fe69effd6ea4269   https://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2018/12/unh-veterinary-pathologist-identifies-first-case-skunk-adenovirus-1-us-third-world    *** Connect with Us!   Website | https://wildlifehealth.org/podcast/   Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wildlife_health_connections/   Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeHealthConnections  

The Yellowstone area is a hub of North American wildlife, but lead (Pb) poisoning via ingestion of Pb hunting ammunition remains a serious concern for some species. The interplay of the Yellowstone area as an important area for both wildlife and human activities such as hunting is undoubtedly complex.  In this episode, we dive into the issue with Bryan Bedrosian, Conservation Director of the Teton Raptor Center as well as the Director & Co-founder of Sporting Lead Free. Bryan has spent the past 2 decades studying the issue of lead in many species in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem including eagles and ravens. We discuss the various pathways of lead exposure and its impacts on wildlife, as well as the challenges of capturing and sampling raptors and ravens in the wild. We dive into the Sporting Lead Free initiative with Bryan and discuss their efforts to drive non-political, voluntary reductions in lead consumption by wildlife and people.  Let's Go!   We’re a podcast with a purpose! One of our main goals is to support all the individuals and organizations fighting the good fight and working to keep our wildlife and ecosystems healthy.  If you enjoyed this episode, please check out the great work of Teton Raptor Center and Sporting Lead Free:   To Learn More About Bryan's work at Teton Raptor Center:   Website:  https://tetonraptorcenter.org/  IG:  https://instagram.com/tetonraptorcenter  FB:  https://m.facebook.com/tetonraptorcenter    To learn more about Sporting Lead Free: SPORTING LEAD FREE Website:  https://sportingleadfree.org/  IG:  https://instagram.com/sportingleadfree  FB:  https://m.facebook.com/Sportingleadfree    Here's the direct link to become a member of Sporting Lead Free and receive an AWESOME COOZIE for free or preferably with a donation: https://sportingleadfree.org/become-a-member    *** Connect with Us! Website | https://wildlifehealth.org/podcast/  Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wildlife_health_connections/  Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeHealthConnections   

2021 has been a busy year in wildlife health. Michelle and Vin discuss some of the top stories that highlight the overlap of domestic animal, wildlife, human, and environmental health. They also share their resolutions for the podcast.   ***   Connect with Us!   Website | https://wildlifehealth.org/podcast/   Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wildlife_health_connections/   Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeHealthConnections

In Washington State, around the year 2008, reports of limping wild elk started to rise dramatically. These elk had hooves that were completely abnormal looking. Some of the deformities looked so bad that it was hard to tell it was even a hoof. The elk looked like they had a claw or a slipper on their feet instead of a hoof. And to complicate things, at the time wildlife managers still didn’t know exactly what caused this horrible elk hoof disease, or if it could spread from one infected elk to another. In today’s episode, we get to hear all the details about how our guest Dr. Margaret Wild and her team at Washington State University designed and built a facility to study hoof disease in a captive elk herd.  By studying elk in a captive setting, this allowed Dr. Wild to set up carefully controlled studies to answer the key questions of 1.) what actually causes elk hoof disease 2.) can it be spread between elk and 3) what other factors such as nutrition or environmental conditions influence this disease process?    ***   To Learn More About Dr. Wild’s Elk Hoof Disease Research at Washington State University: https://vmp.vetmed.wsu.edu/research/elk-hoof-disease/wsu-research     More Info on Elk Hoof Disease (Treponeme-Associated Hoof Disease): https://vmp.vetmed.wsu.edu/research/elk-hoof-disease/about-elk-hoof-disease     Link to Craig Stephen et al Article- Using a Harm Reduction Approach in an Environmental Case Study of Fish and Wildlife Health: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10393-017-1311-4     We’re a podcast with a purpose! One of our main goals is to support all the individuals and organizations fighting the good fight and working to keep our wildlife and ecosystems healthy.  If you enjoyed this episode, please check out the following link to support the Elk Hoof Disease Research Fund: https://foundation.wsu.edu/give/?fund=656590c1-c379-4751-a7fc-a49e7ec77ef9&cat=idonate_colleges&area=idonate_veterinary_medicine&utm_source=veterinary-medicine&utm_medium=wsu-link&utm_campaign=elk-hoof-disease-research-fund     ***   Connect with Us!   Website | https://wildlifehealth.org/podcast/   Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wildlife_health_connections/   Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeHealthConnections

Catch up with Michelle & Vin as they discuss ongoing wildlife health news and issues, developments with the podcast, and then get into some new segments including: Who's Back in Wildlife Disease, Challenging Terms in Wildlife Health (i.e. Words Vin Mispronounces), Parasites are Cool Too, and This Week in Wildlife Health.    Link to Frog Story:  https://www.arguk.org/get-involved/news/look-out-for-leech-predation-on-amphibians-by-a-new-alien-species-placobdella-costata   Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus: https://wildlifehealth.org/rabbit-hemorrhagic-disease-virus/ Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Updates: https://wildlifehealth.org/tag/epizootic-hemorrhagic-disease-virus/   Huntington Beach Oil Spill Updates:  https://owcn.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/pipeline-p00547-incident   ***   Connect with Us!   Website | https://wildlifehealth.org/podcast/   Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wildlife_health_connections/   Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeHealthConnections

Veterinarian Dr. Rebecca Duerr discusses the recent Orange County, California oil spill, her role at International Bird Rescue (IBR), and the operation of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) on the west coast. Dr. Duerr shares how these organizations respond to oiled wildlife (from rescue, rehab, release, and post- release tracking) and how volunteers play a critical role in this work.     For more information and how you can help, check out IBR and OWCN at: www.birdrescue.org https://owcn.vetmed.ucdavis.edu    *** Connect with Us!   Website | https://wildlifehealth.org/podcast/   Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wildlife_health_connections/   Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeHealthConnections  

The Conclusion to Episode #8!   Dr. Mark Johnson has worked with some of the most iconic species of North America, including grizzly bears, mountain lions, and wolves. Dr. Mark was the first wildlife veterinarian for the National Park Service, serving as Yellowstone National Park’s veterinarian for several years. During this time, he was the project veterinarian for the Yellowstone Wolf Reintroduction Project from 1995-1996. In this episode, he shares some of the craziest stories from his work with wildlife, and explains his unique approach to wildlife capture for research that emphasizes respect and calm energy while minimizing stress for both the people and animals involved. Learn More about Dr. Johnson’s New Online Courses and Enroll:   Full Course: Foundations of Wildlife Chemical Capture: https://courses.wildlifecaptureandcare.com/a/42869/GFigpPUf   Short Course: How to Do TPRs- Patient Monitoring for Zoo & Wildlife Professionals: https://courses.wildlifecaptureandcare.com/a/30937/GFigpPUf   More About the Yellowstone Wolf Reintroduction Project: https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/wolf-restoration.htm    *** Connect with Us!   Website | https://wildlifehealth.org/podcast/   Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wildlife_health_connections/   Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeHealthConnections  

Episode Part 1 of 2! Dr. Mark Johnson has worked with some of the most iconic species of North America, including grizzly bears, mountain lions, and wolves. Dr. Mark was the first wildlife veterinarian for the National Park Service, serving as Yellowstone National Park’s veterinarian for several years. During this time, he was the project veterinarian for the Yellowstone Wolf Reintroduction Project from 1995-1996. In this episode, he shares some of the craziest stories from his work with wildlife, and explains his unique approach to wildlife capture for research that emphasizes respect and calm energy while minimizing stress for both the people and animals involved.   **** Learn More about Dr. Mark Johnson’s Courses and Enroll:   Full Course: Foundations of Wildlife Chemical Capture: https://courses.wildlifecaptureandcare.com/a/42869/GFigpPUf     Short Course: How to Do TPRs- Patient Monitoring for Zoo & Wildlife Professionals: https://courses.wildlifecaptureandcare.com/a/30937/GFigpPUf     More About the Yellowstone Wolf Reintroduction Project: https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/wolf-restoration.htm     Connect with Us!   Website | https://wildlifehealth.org/podcast/   Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wildlife_health_connections/   Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeHealthConnections

Not your typical podcast episode! Listen in as wildlife vets treat a few of the wildlife cases in the clinic- including a constipated white-winger scoter who needs an enema, and a red-tailed hawk with a fracture. Hear how these cases ended up...and spoiler alert... there is both good news and bad news. Learn more about all the awesome work being done by New England Wildlife Center to protect both wildlife and human health, and how YOU can help out and become involved!   *****   To support New England Wildlife Center, please visit: https://www.newildlife.org/donate/   For more info on New England Wildlife Center’s Cape Wildlife Center: https://capewildlifecenter.com/     Connect with Us!   Website | https://wildlifehealth.org/podcast/   Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wildlife_health_connections/   Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeHealthConnections