Raptor Disease Linked to

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Emerging Waterfowl, Raptor Disease Linked to Toxic

Algae

COLUMBIA, South Carolina, January 14, 2008 (ENS) -

Wildlife biologists and park rangers are monitoring

area reservoirs and lakes for signs of a new fatal

bird disease that primarily affects waterfowl and

raptors.

Biologists are concerned with the emergence of avian

vacuolar myelinopathy, AVM, in South Carolina. The

disease has been implicated in the death of over 100

eagles and suspected in the death of thousands of

American coots in Southeastern reservoirs since it was

first documented in Arkansas in 1994.

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, DNR,

Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Southeastern

ative Wildlife Disease Study and U.S. Army Corps

of Engineers have been collaborating to monitor

reservoirs that may support potentially toxic blue

green algae, the suspected agent of AVM.

AVM affects the central nervous system of waterfowl

and raptors that consume the suspect toxic algae

growing on submerged aquatic vegetation in some

Southeastern reservoirs.

Research supports the working hypothesis that

waterfowl such as American coots feeding on freshwater

aquatic plants are susceptible to toxins found in

algae growing on the leaves and stems.

Once ingested, toxins damage the birds' central

nervous systems and affected birds become

uncoordinated and lose their ability to fly. This

makes them vulnerable to raptors, such as eagles, that

easily target affected birds. Eagles may then contract

the disease from consuming infected prey.

Still, biologists note an 8.5 percent increase in

eagle nesting per year since surveys were begun 30

years ago.

In South Carolina, the disease was first observed in

1998 on Lake Thurmond, a 70,000 acre reservoir on

Savannah, Broad and Little Rivers bordered by South

Carolina and Georgia and managed by the U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers.

According to Shirley Willard, a ranger with the Corps

of Engineers, 46 eagles have been found dead at Lake

Thurmond, and AVM is suspected as the cause of their

deaths. The losses translate to the disappearance of

six eagle nesting territories, she said.

According to DNR wildlife biologist Tom , a

coordinator of South Carolina’s Midwinter Eagle

Survey, " Eagle nesting below Highway 378 in our state

has basically been extinguished, and we suspect this

is a direct effect of this emerging wildlife disease. "

Only after fresh bird carcasses are submitted for

necropsy and microscopic examination to the

Southeastern ative Wildlife Disease Study at the

University of Georgia, or to other qualified wildlife

health laboratories, is AVM implicated in a bird’s

death.

Because eagles nest in obscure areas, biologists and

rangers alone cannot ensure that all affected birds

will be found. Willard says, " The more eyes we have

out there helping us to monitor and track this

disease, the better. "

The public can help with the research and

documentation of the disease if they encounter

waterfowl or raptors exhibiting strange behaviors

affecting movements or happen upon carcasses while in

these areas where characteristics exist that may

result in AVM-affected birds - submerged aquatic

vegetation, presence of American coots and signs of

eagle nests or eagle sightings.

The public is asked to call one of the following to

report these types of observations among waterfowl or

raptors: J.Strom Thurmond U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Project Office: 1-800-533-3478 Savannah District U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers Project Office: 1-800-944-7207

South Carolina DNR: 843-953-9300

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008. All

rights reserved.

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