A new genetic study on leprosy bacteria reports that armadillos may be a source of infection in the Southern United States. The collaboration between scientists at the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) National Hansen’s Disease Program (NHDP) in Baton Rouge, La., the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne and Institute Pasteur in Europe, and the Instituto de Biomedicina in Venezuela sheds light on the potential risk of transmission of leprosy bacteria between armadillos and humans. The risk of transmission is extremely low.
The study, led by Richard W. Truman, Ph.D., Research Scientist at NHDP, and published in the April 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, was partially supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.
“Leprosy has been feared throughout human history, and there are still regions in several countries, including in the southern United States, where new cases of this disease continue to occur,” said Dr. Truman. “The results of this study will help us better understand where some of these infections originate.”
Caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, primarily affects the skin and peripheral nerves. It is a chronic infection that afflicts more than 2 million persons worldwide with nerve damage, deformity or disability. Today, leprosy is found mostly in tropical regions of the world; at least 250,000 new cases are reported globally every year, with 150-250 cases occurring in the United States. Leprosy is treatable with antibiotics but is easily misdiagnosed, and delays in therapy increase the likelihood of disability and deformity.
Leprosy was thought to be spread only between humans via respiratory droplets. Armadillos are the only other known natural hosts of leprosy bacteria. These data confirm a long-suspected link between armadillos and the 30 to 40 new cases of leprosy seen each year in U.S.-born Americans who have never traveled abroad to regions where the disease is prevalent.
The new study, scientists compared the gene sequences of M. leprae samples taken from humans and armadillos in the United States. They found that 64% of the human samples had a particular genotype that had never been seen before, and 85% of samples from armadillos shared that same genotype.
“These findings do not change the risk of acquiring leprosy from armadillos, which remains extremely low,” said Dr. James Krahenbuhl, director of NHDP. “Armadillos have been suspected as a source of human infection in the Gulf Coast area for 40 years.”
“Genetics and genomics have become important tools for studying how diseases behave in natural settings,” said Christine Sizemore, Ph.D., chief of the Tuberculosis and Other Mycobacterial Diseases Section at NIAID. “The data and methods used in this study can be applied in other areas of the world to monitor leprosy transmission and identify other possible environmental reservoirs.”
The NHDP is a center of excellence comprising an outpatient clinic and referral center for treatment and rehabilitation, training and research, all focused on leprosy. The NHDP outpatient clinic and 11 contract clinics in the U.S. manages 3000 cases. An additional 600 cases are managed by private sector physicians with services and consultation provided by NHDP physicians. The NHDP is the only provider of these services in the United States: Visit the National Hansen’s Disease Program or the NIAID Leprosy website for more information about leprosy.
Several skunks have been captured in Greenwood recently and two have been confirmed with rabies by the Arkansas Department of Health. If you see a skunk out during daylight hours and having trouble walking or otherwise acting strange, it could be a rabid skunk so keep people and pets away. Contact the Greenwood Police Department if you are within city limits.
Skunk activity is high at this time of year, as the breeding season is coming to an end. Male skunks are searching for mates and female skunks are looking for nesting areas. Many end up being hit by cars, easily seen by a drive down any of the local roads.
Fully rabid skunks are uncommon and the multiple outbreaks in Greenwood are a cause for alarm. Remind children to keep a safe distance away from any wildlife and make sure pets are vaccinated.
Skunks are more susceptible to rabies outbreaks because they tend to den together and spread the disease among themselves.
Mammoth Spring National Fish Hatchery, in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, will soon be home to one of the most energy efficient buildings ever built by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
A ground-breaking ceremony will take place at the future site of the Aquatic Conservation and Education Center on March 23, 2011. The event begins at 10:00 a.m. at the hatchery, located at 302 Fish Hatchery Lane. The public
is invited to attend.
The center will feature energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems, recycled and locally available building materials, educational exhibits and meeting space, storm water capture and re-use, and native plantings. It is expected to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.
“But we’re shooting for Gold certification,” said Richard Shelton, manager of the hatchery for the past 26 years. “This building will be the bricks-and-mortar embodiment of our conservation mission. We are really proud of the design.”
LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system. In addition to its sustainable design features, the center will include an environmental education classroom, retail sales space, additional office space, fish habitat displays and interpretive exhibits, and outdoor features such as a display pond and viewing areas.
“This new state-of-the-art center will be something that the community can be proud of, a place where people, and especially children, can connect with nature and learn about conservation and environmental issues,” said
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “In addition, it will provide a boost to the local economy, creating new jobs with stimulus funds.”
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding enabled the project, which first received funds in 2005 for design and initial construction, to move forward and make the center a reality.
Mammoth Spring National Fish Hatchery has produced fish for fishing and population restoration for over a century. The hatchery was built in 1903, set where it is for the nearby railroad and the reliable, high-quality,
gravity-flow water from one of the world’s largest springs. With its unique rearing system, the hatchery has the capability to produce a wide variety of aquatic species.
Mammoth Spring National Fish Hatchery is one of three National Fish Hatcheries in Arkansas together responsible for a total economic impact of $160.7 million and 1,765 jobs through their recreational fish production and stocking efforts. It is not part of the proposed FY 2012 budgetary proposals involving funding of mitigation hatcheries.
Visit http://www.fws.gov/mammothspring for more information about the hatchery.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Visit the Service’s websites at http://www.fws.gov and http://www.fws.gov/southeast .
OZARK – Despite a battery of tests conducted by the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, the exact cause of the Arkansas River fish kill that took place on Dec. 29, 2010, still eludes biologists at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
A resident of Roseville first reported the fish kill near the Roseville boat ramp of the Arkansas River. After further investigation, biologists determined the kill stretched from the Ozark-Jetta Taylor Lock and Dam to about 17 miles downstream. The incident killed approximately 83,000 freshwater drum and 1,000 other fish, including yellow bass, white bass, bluegill and sauger.
“Fish kills are not that uncommon,” said AGFC District Fisheries Supervisor Bob Limbird. “But kills of this magnitude in Arkansas are rare.”
Biologists collected several dying fish during the first few days of the kill and sent them to researchers at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
“We can say conclusively that the drum were not killed from a bacterial or viral infection, or from parasites,” said AGFC Fish Pathologist Kelly Winningham. “UAPB ran a full set of fish health tests and everything came back negative.”
The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality also collected fish and water samples from the area of the kill and conducted testing. Water samples were tested for metals, nutrients and minerals to assess water quality. Fish samples were tested for metals. A drum sample was tested for toxins such as pesticides and other organic chemicals. All samples were within normal values for the Arkansas River. The drum sample did not show any toxins.
Winningham said fish kills can occur for many reasons, both natural and unnatural. Stress, starvation, water quality issues, water pollution, disease, parasites, toxic algae, and severe or extreme weather can all cause mortality. Kills also may be caused by multiple factors working in combination.
“Unfortunately, we probably will never know exactly what killed these fish,” said AGFC Assistant Chief of Fisheries Chris Racey. “But the testing has eliminated the largest public concerns of disease, parasites and toxins. We have no reason to think fish caught in the Arkansas River are unsafe to eat.”
BEEBE – Last night, ringing in the New Year took on a whole different meaning for the citizens of Beebe. Beginning at around 11:30 p.m., enforcement officers with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission began getting reports of dead black birds falling from the sky in the city limits of Beebe.
Officers estimated that over 1,000 birds had fallen out of the sky over the city before midnight. Most of the birds were dead, but some were still alive when officers arrived. The blackbirds fell over a one-mile area in the city. AGFC wildlife officer Robby King responded to the reports and found hundreds of birds. “Shortly after I arrived there were still birds falling from the sky,” King said. King collected about 65 dead birds that will be sent to the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission lab and the National Wildlife Health Center lab in Madison, Wis.
The AGFC has flown over the area to gauge the scope of the event. There were no other birds found outside of the initial area.
AGFC ornithologist Karen Rowe said that strange events similar to this one have occurred a number of times across the globe. “Test results usually were inconclusive, but the birds showed physical trauma and that the flock could have been hit by lightning or high-altitude hail,” Rowe said.
Another scenario may have been that New Year’s Eve revelers shooting off fireworks in the area may have startled the birds from their roost. The birds may have died from stress.
Rowe said that it didn’t appear as though the birds died of any poisoning or other event. “Since it only involved a flock of blackbirds and only involved them falling out of the sky it is unlikely they were poisoned, but a necropsy is the only way to determine if the birds died from trauma or toxin,” she said. Testing will begin on Monday.
The City of Beebe has hired U.S. Environmental Services to begin the cleanup and dispose of the dead birds. The environmental firm will go door-to-door to pick up the birds that are still in yards and on roof tops.
LITTLE ROCK – Does your bathouse have bats?
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is looking for volunteers that have bathouses currently containing bats that would be willing to participate in a population monitoring project.
Volunteers will be asked to count the bats as they fly in the evening during summer, according to AGFC nongame mammal biologist Blake Sasse. “This project will help us obtain baseline population trend information for several species, such as the big brown bat, that are known to be vulnerable to White Nose Syndrome,” Sasse said. “WNS is a disease associated with a newly discovered fungus that has caused disastrous declines in bat populations in the northeast,” he explained.
This problem was first documented at four sites in eastern New York in the winter of 2006-07 and has rapidly spread west and in the winter of 2009-2010 was confirmed in Tennessee, Missouri and Oklahoma, but hasn’t yet been seen in Arkansas.
Constructing bathouses is a relatively simple woodworking project and plans and tips for building and installing your own are available in the attached documents.
If you’re interested in participating, contact the AGFC’s nongame mammal biologist, Blake Sasse at dbsasse@agfc.state.ar.us or call 877-470-3650.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed a report recommending closing human access to caves and mines where bats with white-nose syndrome are hibernating in an area more than 250 miles from other WNS-affected caves and mines. The report also recommends limiting human access to unaffected caves and mines. These recommendations presume that WNS spreads not only from bat-to-bat, but also is spread by human activity.
The recommendation is aimed at controlling the spread of WNS while scientists work to better understand the cause and find a way to stop the mysterious disease. WNS has devastated bat populations in the Northeast and appears poised to continue its rapid spread south and west in coming months.
An update of the Service’s March 2009 cave advisory will reflect recommendations in the report. Additional planning efforts are under way, with a national plan anticipated later this winter.
National White-Nose Syndrome Coordinator Jeremy Coleman, Ph.D.: “Our recommendations are based on a thorough analysis of the best available science and the need to provide guidance to natural resource managers. Until we learn more, the best recommendation we can make is to control human access to caves and mines and do all we can to prevent human-assisted transmission of the disease. The success of our efforts will depend on the support of our partners and the public.”
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced the launch of an extensive public service radio campaign urging Americans to connect with nature and visit a National Wildlife Refuge.
“Americans can take pride in the tremendous beauty and diversity of refuge lands dedicated to the protection of wildlife habitat,” Salazar said. “By visiting these places and encouraging their children to forge a connection with nature, they can help ensure vital wildlife conservation efforts will continue for generations to come.”
The public service radio campaign consists of eight professionally recorded 60-second spots extolling the sights and sounds of refuges and their efforts to preserve some of these species. Over 3,500 radio stations will receive the first four of these educational messages in November.
“This is another National Wildlife Refuge minute,” begins each segment, before moving to one of these four locales:
· “Every winter, thousands of sandhill cranes fly to Merced National Wildlife Refuge in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Thousands of acres of wetlands provide these cranes with a natural source for food and shelter. Maintaining these wetlands is crucial for their survival.”
· “Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge in Florida is home to a myriad of species, but there’s one in particular for which it’s known: the West Indian manatee. Manatees inhabit these sheltered waters year-round, and Crystal River Refuge was created specifically for their protection.”
· “Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge is one of the biggest and most remote stretches of wildlife in the country, but that doesn’t stop the Fish and Wildlife Service’s research vessel Tiglax from exploring the refuge’s cold waters to count and monitor sea otters.”
· “In Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge in northern New Jersey that hammering sound could be only one thing: the pileated woodpecker in search of a meal. And maintaining healthy forests in the wildlife refuge helps the beat go on.”
The National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the Service, represents the world’s premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife and plants.
Comprising hundreds of thousands of miles and landscapes ranging from southwest desert to Alaskan tundra and nearly every conceivable ecosystem in between, the Refuge System represents the last best hope for survival for many endangered and threatened species. These include the ocelot, manatee, spotted owl, California jewelflower and polar bear.
There are 550 refuges — one within an hour’s drive of most major cities — offering people a welcoming, safe and accessible place to nourish their spirits and reconnect with the land.
Wildlife refuges are home to more than 700 species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 reptile and amphibian species and more than 200 species of fish. Nearly 40 million people visit National Wildlife Refuges each year, generating almost $1.7 billion in sales for regional economies. In additional to wildlife observation, many refuges provide rich opportunities for hiking, canoeing, hunting and fishing.
To learn more about the National Wildlife Refuge System, visit http://www.fws.gov/refuges/. You can learn more about the endangered species that many refuges protect at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced the availability of coal mining guidelines developed to conserve and protect the endangered Indiana bat. The bat’s habitat stretches from the eastern United States through the Midwest, including 13 states with coal mining operations.”These guidelines provide coal mining companies a set of consistent and reasonable protective measures they can use when their proposed operations could impact the Indiana bat and its critical habitat,” Secretary Salazar said. “This technical guidance was developed through extensive state and federal collaboration and will assist companies in complying with the requirements of the Endangered Species Act.”
A team representing three U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regions and state coal mining regulatory programs, facilitated by the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, developed the guidelines to provide habitat protection and avoidance measures for the Indiana bat. State participation on the team and peer review of the guidelines were coordinated by the Interstate Mining Compact Commission, a multi-state organization representing the natural resource interests of its member states.
“These guidelines will standardize the review process, which in turn, will allow us to provide applicants with consistent, timely responses,” said Sam Hamilton, Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “They are based on the best available science for the species and will help everyone involved comply with requirements found in the Endangered Species Act.”
The team developed the Range-wide Indiana Bat Protection and Enhancement Plan (PEP) Guidelines to assist surface mining applicants and state coal mining regulatory agencies with the process and to ensure protection of this species during coal mining operations authorized under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977. The guidelines fulfill the Fish and Wildlife Service 1996 Biological Opinion, which stated that coal mining activities regulated by SMCRA, if augmented by species-specific protective measures in each permit, would not jeopardize the continued existence of any threatened or endangered species.
The PEP guidelines provide the species-specific protective measures with a set of options for coal mining applicants and regulatory agencies to use while developing mining permits within the range of the Indiana bat. A “cookbook” of enhancement and protection techniques, the guidelines will aid applicants and regulatory agencies in fulfilling Indiana bat protection measures early in the permit development process.
“These guidelines represent the culmination of important collaboration among the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Interstate Mining Compact Commission States, and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement,” said Glenda H. Owens, Acting Director, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. “They will provide protection for the Indiana bat and certainty for surface coal mine operators. The guidelines demonstrate what can be accomplished when different branches of government roll up their sleeves and work together,” she added.
Bat Conservation International (BCI) has worked with federal and state officials for years to protect the Indiana bat, and we are pleased the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, the Interstate Mining Compact Commission, and state coal mining regulatory programs have worked together to create these guidelines that will help ensure improved and consistent decision making across state lines,” said Dave Waldien, Acting Executive Director, BCI. “BCI stands ready to work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to adjust these guidelines and protocols as new information becomes available and as White-nose Syndrome continues to impact the Indiana bat,” he added, referring to the poorly understood malady associated with the deaths of hundreds of thousands of bats.
“The state coal mining regulatory authorities represented by the Interstate Mining Compact Commission are greatly encouraged by the development of the Indiana bat Protection and Enhancement Plan guideline document,” said Greg Conrad, Executive Director of IMCC. “The document reflects a compilation of best management practices and solid scientific approaches for species protection based on years of experience among both specialists and regulators. Given the challenges associated with the protection of this species, these guidelines will be particularly helpful during the permit review process as site-specific PEPs are developed and approved. The guidelines will also provide for a higher level of consistency in the field, which should benefit the regulated industry and other stakeholders.”
The Indiana bat is a medium-sized, insect-eating migratory bat. Females leave winter hibernation sites in the spring to form maternity colonies in wooded areas where they bear and raise their young. Surface mining operations could affect the Indiana bat when located near an Indiana bat hibernation site, maternity roost, or in forested areas that could serve as foraging areas, roosting areas, or travel corridors. Areas populated with bats are documented by capture records, survey information, or other sources. Development of a Protection and Enhancement Plan is required when Indiana bat habitat will be impacted by coal mining activity.
To view the plan, visit: http://www.osmre.gov/guidance/docs/INBatPEPGuidelines.pdf
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is launching a new online video game aimed to encourage kids to go outside and learn about the environment. Designed for children ages 8 to 11 years old, Neighborhood Explorers is accessed through the Service’s Let’s Go Outside! website at http://www.fws.gov/letsgooutside/.
The journey through the game begins when you meet three children – Mia, Lucy and Steve – who gather in a tree house as the school year begins and talk about all the fun outdoor environmental activities they did over the summer. They form a Neighborhood Explorers Club, called the NX Club, and share information about planting gardens with native plants, backyard bird watching and urban wildlife. By exploring the tree house with your cursor, you can learn about endangered species, conservation heroes and threats to our natural world. Then you can play a fun jeopardy-style trivia game that
tests your newly acquired environmental information in an entertaining and interactive venue.
Other activities include recording nature sightings in your own back yard, a race against time to find a missing praying mantis in the midst of an urban neighborhood, and identifying birds in a variety of habitats. When you finish a game, you can receive a gold, silver, or bronze patch, depending on how many points you score. Every game is a fun challenge as well as a valuable educational experience. You can also receive patches for documenting environmental projects and local wildlife, thus reinforcing the connection between the virtual and natural worlds.
When you’ve earned all five patches, you can receive a free tree from the Arbor Day Foundation! (A free membership to the NX Club is required so a ecord of your earned patches can be saved). After earning all five patches, you will be directed to the Arbor Day Foundation web site, where you can provide your name and address to get a free tree with directions or planting. There are only 450 trees available, so you should get started
winning your patches right away!
Neighborhood Explorers provides an excellent educational opportunity for children and parents. By participating in this game, kids learn about nature and are encouraged to spend more time outside. Steve’s summer activity, for example, is simply exploring and observing nature. Children can also learn about problems that the environment is facing, such as pollution and invasive species, and discover ways to help solve these problems.
Unstructured play and discovery outside is an important part of childhood, and Neighborhood Explorers reinforces this through a medium that kids are familiar with: a video game. This is a great opportunity to show kids how caring about conservation and the environment can make a real-life difference in the world.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.