SOUTHEASTERN COOPERATIVE WILDLIFE DISEASE STUDY ANNUAL REPORT July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013 College of Veterinary Medicine The University of Georgia Athens, Georgia SOUTHEASTERN COOPERATIVE WILDLIFE DISEASE STUDY ANNUAL REPORT July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013 College of Veterinary Medicine The University of Georgia Athens, Georgia The Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study is the first regional research and service organization established in the United States for the specific purpose of investigating diseases of wildlife and providing assistance to wildlife management agencies. The project is supported by the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and an appropriation from the Congress of the United States. Funds for the cooperative effort are administered and research is coordinated under the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (50 Stat. 917) and through a service grant with the Biological Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior. Funding also is provided through Cooperative Agreements with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Participating fish and wildlife agencies include those of: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. TABLE OF CONTENTS SCWDS Steering Committee .......................................................................................................1 SCWDS Objectives .......................................................................................................................1 SCWDS Priorities for FY 2013 ....................................................................................................2 Faculty and Staff ............................................................................................................................2 Significant Developments of the Year ..........................................................................................4 Wildlife Mortality Investigations ------------------------------------------------------------------4 Hemorrhagic Disease ------------------------------------------------------------------------------5 Hemorrhagic Disease Research -------------------------------------------------------------------5 Culicoides Surveillance ----------------------------------------------------------------------------6 Exotic Ectoparasite Surveillance ---------------------------------------------------------------- 10 Avian Influenza Surveillance -------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 Avian Influenza Research ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13 Wellfleet Bay Virus in Common Eiders --------------------------------------------------------- 15 Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance --------------------------------------------------------- 16 CWD Program Development -------------------------------------------------------------------- 17 Artificial Management Activities and Disease Risks ------------------------------------------ 17 West Nile Virus Surveillance -------------------------------------------------------------------- 17 West Nile Virus Genetic Diversity -------------------------------------------------------------- 18 Foreign Animal Disease Preparedness, Surveillance, and Response ---------------------- 18 Wildlife Seminar for Emergency Animal Disease Preparedness ---------------------------- 19 Natural History of Piroplasms and Other Tick-Borne Pathogens -------------------------- 19 Ehrlichiosis and Other Tick-Borne Bacterial Pathogens ------------------------------------ 20 Baylisascaris procyonis -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 Trypanosoma cruzi -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21 Mycoplasma and Parasites of Gopher Tortoises ------------------------------------------------- 21 White Nose Syndrome ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22 Salmonella in Wildlife --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23 White Ibis Health ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23 Feral Swine Studies ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 Endangered Key Deer Studies ------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 National Fish and Wildlife Health Initiative --------------------------------------------------- 25 One Health - APHIS Veterinary Services ------------------------------------------------------ 25 Informational Activities -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25 Academic Affairs ..........................................................................................................................26 SCWDS Teaching Program ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 26 Wildlife Health Elective -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26 Graduate Studies ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27 Funding Contributions by Non-State SCWDS Cooperators and Other Sources ..................28 Technical Publications Authored or Co-Authored by SCWDS Personnel.............................34 Extension and Other Public Service Activities ..........................................................................61 Travel Associated with SCWDS Activities ................................................................................62 Financial Statement for Fiscal Year 2012-2013 .......................................................................69 SCWDS STEERING COMMITTEE Jonathan Gassett, Chairman Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources David T. Cobb, Vice Chairman North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Michael Piccirilli, Secretary U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sheila Allen, Dean College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia Roger Applegate Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Robert Boyd Pennsylvania Game Commission Carolyn Caldwell Ohio Division of Wildlife John Clifford USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services Mark W. Cunningham Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Chad Dacus Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Robert W. Duncan Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries; AFWA John R. Fischer Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study Dan Forster Georgia Department of Natural Resources Lloyd Fox Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism David Goad Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Richard Hatcher Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Paul R. Johansen West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Gary Moody Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Kenny Ribbeck Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Derrell Shipes South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Jonathan Sleeman National Wildlife Health Center, USGS Bill Stansley New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife George Timko Maryland Department of Natural Resources Bob Ziehmer Missouri Department of Conservation SCWDS OBJECTIVES SCWDS OBJECTIVES • To detect causes of sickness and death in wildlife. • To define the impact of diseases and parasites on wildlife populations. • To delineate disease interrelationships between wildlife and domestic livestock and poultry. • To determine the role of wildlife in the epidemiology of human diseases. Our basic philosophy is to work for the benefit of wildlife resources and animal health. We believe that by adhering to this philosophy SCWDS will be serving the current and future needs of our sponsors and providing benefits to each cooperator far beyond what could be purchased with any member's individual contribution. SCWDS 2013 Annual Report 1 SCWDS PRIORITIES FOR FY 2013 The Steering Committee assists SCWDS in identifying which activities should have priority on an annual basis. This year's priorities were set as follows: • Respond to requests for immediate diagnostic, consultative, or field assistance in regard to wildlife health matters as problems arise. In addition to state and federal conservation agencies that support SCWDS, services will be provided to state and federal animal health authorities, public health officials, wildlife researchers, and other organizations when it is in the interests of wildlife conservation and when SCWDS resources are available. • Prepare informational materials on salient wildlife diseases to increase understanding of disease biology among wildlife managers and to help wildlife agencies communicate with the public and the news media. • Provide disease evaluation services on translocated wildlife in order to assess potentials for introduction and dissemination of diseases and parasites to existing populations of wildlife, domestic livestock, poultry, or humans. • Monitor major selected wildlife diseases to determine their impact on the populations and to search for epidemiologic features that could be used by wildlife managers to predict and avoid problems. • Provide deer herd health evaluation services to state and federal fish and wildlife management agencies within the southeastern region where health problems are suspected or data are needed to make controversial deer management decisions. Deer herd health evaluation services will be provided to other