Avian influenza discovered in New York bobcats
Avian influenza – which has devastated poultry flocks, wildlife populations and increasingly poses a public health risk – has now been confirmed in wild bobcats in New York state.
Unexpected discoveries in study of giraffe gut flora
The gut bacteria of giraffes are not primarily determined by what they eat, but by the species they belong to. This is shown in a new study from Uppsala University and Brown University in which researchers have analysed the link between diet and gut flora in three giraffe species in Kenya. The study also provides new knowledge that can help secure the food supply of endangered giraffe species.
Virus that causes COVID-19 is widespread in wildlife, Virginia Tech scientists find
Six out of 23 common wildlife species showed signs of SARS-CoV-2 infections in an examination of animals in Virginia, as revealed by tracking the virus’s genetic code
SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, is widespread among wildlife species, according to Virginia Tech research published Monday (July 29, 2024) in Nature Communications. The virus was detected in six common backyard species, and antibodies indicating prior exposure to the virus were found in five species, with rates of exposure ranging from 40 to 60 percent depending on the species.
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine receives $35M gift to advance science-based solutions for wildlife health
A $35 million gift will endow and name the Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Wildlife Health at the University’s College of Veterinary Medicine to address key challenges at the intersection of wildlife health, domestic animal health, human health and livelihoods, and the environment that supports all life on Earth.
Widespread population collapse of African Raptors
An international team of researchers has found that Africa’s birds of prey are facing an extinction crisis.
The report, co-led by researchers from the School of Biology at the University of St Andrews and The Peregrine Fund, and published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution (4 January 2024), warns of declines among nearly 90% of 42 species examined, and suggests that more than two-thirds may qualify as globally threatened.
New method could help estimate wildlife disease spread
A new method could be used to estimate the prevalence of disease in free-ranging wildlife and help determine how many samples are needed to detect a disease.
Wildlife agencies often lack the financial and labor resources to collect enough samples to accurately measure how widely a disease has spread. In order to prevent human and animal pandemics with wildlife origins, such as with COVID-19, key species must be effectively monitored for emerging diseases that can cross from animals to humans.