niman Posted March 27, 2022 Report Share Posted March 27, 2022 Case confirmed in Tallahassee duck On Feb. 25, a woman on her morning commute to work noticed a duck in the middle of Georgia Street in Tallahassee. She stopped to check on it. Apparently injured, it did not fly away. She was able to capture it and take it to nearby Northwood Animal Hospital. St. Francis Wildlife picked it up from there; admitted the bird, a lesser scaup, to our wildlife hospital; and began treatment for its injured leg. When we were alerted that migratory birds may be carrying the very contagious virus as they flew back to their summer breeding territory — and we were on a flyway, our wildlife rehabilitator swabbed the duck and sent the sample to a Florida lab. https://www.tallahassee.com/story/life/home-garden/2022/03/22/highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-forces-st-francis-wildlife-stop-taking-birds-tallahassee-duck-case/9456416002/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2022 After avian flu confirmed in Tallahassee, St. Francis Wildlife stops accepting wild birds | Beck Sandy Beck Guest columnist Because of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), our local wildlife rehabilitation center, St. Francis Wildlife, temporarily will not accept injured, orphaned or sick wild birds. HPAI has just been confirmed in a duck that was brought to St. Francis Wildlife in Quincy, Florida. Confirmed and presumptive cases of HPAI have recently been documented along the East Coast of Florida from Palm Beach County to Duval County and on the West Coast in Charlotte County. Infected birds have been aquatic species (ducks, gulls, herons, terns and pelicans), raptors (great horned owls and bald eagles) and scavengers (vultures). Birds on their northern spring migration may have carried the virus into our area. Last year, the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza traveled from Europe into Canada. Then migratory waterfowl carried it down the Atlantic Flyway, infecting birds along the way. An unprecedented outbreak Two months ago, on Jan. 22, when a hunter showed up at a boat ramp in Palm Beach County with two blue-winged teal ducks, a USDA-Wildlife Services employee swabbed them. No one suspected the birds were sick; it was just routine surveillance. Their tests were positive for HPAI. In February, dozens of dead lesser scaup ducks and other aquatic species, as well as birds that scarfed up those free meals — black vultures, bald eagles and great horned owls — were identified along Florida’s east coast and in Charlotte County with this extremely infectious new bird flu. It was reported that wildlife officials suspect there are "hundreds more" unconfirmed cases. Some infected birds may be asymptomatic while others appear lethargic or show neurologic symptoms such as circling, tremors and seizures. Often birds are found dead with no signs of trauma or other causes. This current outbreak of HPAI in Florida’s wild birds is unprecedented. And also extremely unsettling for Florida’s wildlife rehabilitators who care for thousands of injured, orphaned and sick wild animals every year but never experienced anything like this. Case confirmed in Tallahassee duck On Feb. 25, a woman on her morning commute to work noticed a duck in the middle of Georgia Street in Tallahassee. She stopped to check on it. Apparently injured, it did not fly away. She was able to capture it and take it to nearby Northwood Animal Hospital. St. Francis Wildlife picked it up from there; admitted the bird, a lesser scaup, to our wildlife hospital; and began treatment for its injured leg. When we were alerted that migratory birds may be carrying the very contagious virus as they flew back to their summer breeding territory — and we were on a flyway, our wildlife rehabilitator swabbed the duck and sent the sample to a Florida lab. St. Francis is temporarily not accepting wild birds Because HPAI is highly contagious and untreatable, St. Francis Wildlife and our two Tallahassee veterinary partners, Northwood and Allied Veterinary Hospitals, are temporarily not accepting any wild birds. In 44 years, we’ve never turned away an injured, orphaned or sick wild animal, so we are deeply upset to be unable to help local birds in need at this time. But we must do all we can to help control this serious outbreak. HOME & GARDEN After avian flu confirmed in Tallahassee, St. Francis Wildlife stops accepting wild birds | Beck Sandy Beck Guest columnist View Comments Because of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), our local wildlife rehabilitation center, St. Francis Wildlife, temporarily will not accept injured, orphaned or sick wild birds. HPAI has just been confirmed in a duck that was brought to St. Francis Wildlife in Quincy, Florida. Confirmed and presumptive cases of HPAI have recently been documented along the East Coast of Florida from Palm Beach County to Duval County and on the West Coast in Charlotte County. Infected birds have been aquatic species (ducks, gulls, herons, terns and pelicans), raptors (great horned owls and bald eagles) and scavengers (vultures). Birds on their northern spring migration may have carried the virus into our area. Hunting:'Toxic lead': How a lawsuit could curb hunting, fishing in St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife:Wildlife expert answers questions about COVID-19 and white-tailed deer Last year, the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza traveled from Europe into Canada. Then migratory waterfowl carried it down the Atlantic Flyway, infecting birds along the way. An unprecedented outbreak Two months ago, on Jan. 22, when a hunter showed up at a boat ramp in Palm Beach County with two blue-winged teal ducks, a USDA-Wildlife Services employee swabbed them. No one suspected the birds were sick; it was just routine surveillance. Their tests were positive for HPAI. In February, dozens of dead lesser scaup ducks and other aquatic species, as well as birds that scarfed up those free meals — black vultures, bald eagles and great horned owls — were identified along Florida’s east coast and in Charlotte County with this extremely infectious new bird flu. It was reported that wildlife officials suspect there are "hundreds more" unconfirmed cases. Some infected birds may be asymptomatic while others appear lethargic or show neurologic symptoms such as circling, tremors and seizures. Often birds are found dead with no signs of trauma or other causes. This current outbreak of HPAI in Florida’s wild birds is unprecedented. And also extremely unsettling for Florida’s wildlife rehabilitators who care for thousands of injured, orphaned and sick wild animals every year but never experienced anything like this. Case confirmed in Tallahassee duck On Feb. 25, a woman on her morning commute to work noticed a duck in the middle of Georgia Street in Tallahassee. She stopped to check on it. Apparently injured, it did not fly away. She was able to capture it and take it to nearby Northwood Animal Hospital. St. Francis Wildlife picked it up from there; admitted the bird, a lesser scaup, to our wildlife hospital; and began treatment for its injured leg. When we were alerted that migratory birds may be carrying the very contagious virus as they flew back to their summer breeding territory — and we were on a flyway, our wildlife rehabilitator swabbed the duck and sent the sample to a Florida lab. St. Francis is temporarily not accepting wild birds Because HPAI is highly contagious and untreatable, St. Francis Wildlife and our two Tallahassee veterinary partners, Northwood and Allied Veterinary Hospitals, are temporarily not accepting any wild birds. In 44 years, we’ve never turned away an injured, orphaned or sick wild animal, so we are deeply upset to be unable to help local birds in need at this time. But we must do all we can to help control this serious outbreak. If you find a wild bird in need of assistance, call FWC Dispatch: 850-245-7716 or FWC 24-hour hotline: 888-404-3922. To prevent the spread of HPAI, do not handle a sick or dead bird, keep pets away and report it to FWC immediately so it can be tested for HPAI. Visit app.myfwc.com/FWRI/AvianMortality/. This virus can spread through direct contact with infected birds or a contaminated surface, on which it can remain active for a long time. All current avian patients at St. Francis Wildlife are being tested, every surface is being disinfected and protocols for dealing with this first-of-its-kind outbreak in Florida are being prepared with the assistance of state and national wildlife experts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
After avian flu confirmed in Tallahassee, St. Francis Wildlife stops accepting wild birds | Beck Sandy Beck Guest columnist View Comments Because of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), our local wildlife rehabilitation center, St. Francis Wildlife, temporarily will not accept injured, orphaned or sick wild birds. HPAI has just been confirmed in a duck that was brought to St. Francis Wildlife in Quincy, Florida. Confirmed and presumptive cases of HPAI have recently been documented along the East Coast of Florida from Palm Beach County to Duval County and on the West Coast in Charlotte County. Infected birds have been aquatic species (ducks, gulls, herons, terns and pelicans), raptors (great horned owls and bald eagles) and scavengers (vultures). Birds on their northern spring migration may have carried the virus into our area. Hunting:'Toxic lead': How a lawsuit could curb hunting, fishing in St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife:Wildlife expert answers questions about COVID-19 and white-tailed deer Last year, the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza traveled from Europe into Canada. Then migratory waterfowl carried it down the Atlantic Flyway, infecting birds along the way. An unprecedented outbreak Two months ago, on Jan. 22, when a hunter showed up at a boat ramp in Palm Beach County with two blue-winged teal ducks, a USDA-Wildlife Services employee swabbed them. No one suspected the birds were sick; it was just routine surveillance. Their tests were positive for HPAI. In February, dozens of dead lesser scaup ducks and other aquatic species, as well as birds that scarfed up those free meals — black vultures, bald eagles and great horned owls — were identified along Florida’s east coast and in Charlotte County with this extremely infectious new bird flu. It was reported that wildlife officials suspect there are "hundreds more" unconfirmed cases. Some infected birds may be asymptomatic while others appear lethargic or show neurologic symptoms such as circling, tremors and seizures. Often birds are found dead with no signs of trauma or other causes. This current outbreak of HPAI in Florida’s wild birds is unprecedented. And also extremely unsettling for Florida’s wildlife rehabilitators who care for thousands of injured, orphaned and sick wild animals every year but never experienced anything like this. Case confirmed in Tallahassee duck On Feb. 25, a woman on her morning commute to work noticed a duck in the middle of Georgia Street in Tallahassee. She stopped to check on it. Apparently injured, it did not fly away. She was able to capture it and take it to nearby Northwood Animal Hospital. St. Francis Wildlife picked it up from there; admitted the bird, a lesser scaup, to our wildlife hospital; and began treatment for its injured leg. When we were alerted that migratory birds may be carrying the very contagious virus as they flew back to their summer breeding territory — and we were on a flyway, our wildlife rehabilitator swabbed the duck and sent the sample to a Florida lab. St. Francis is temporarily not accepting wild birds Because HPAI is highly contagious and untreatable, St. Francis Wildlife and our two Tallahassee veterinary partners, Northwood and Allied Veterinary Hospitals, are temporarily not accepting any wild birds. In 44 years, we’ve never turned away an injured, orphaned or sick wild animal, so we are deeply upset to be unable to help local birds in need at this time. But we must do all we can to help control this serious outbreak. If you find a wild bird in need of assistance, call FWC Dispatch: 850-245-7716 or FWC 24-hour hotline: 888-404-3922. To prevent the spread of HPAI, do not handle a sick or dead bird, keep pets away and report it to FWC immediately so it can be tested for HPAI. Visit app.myfwc.com/FWRI/AvianMortality/. This virus can spread through direct contact with infected birds or a contaminated surface, on which it can remain active for a long time. All current avian patients at St. Francis Wildlife are being tested, every surface is being disinfected and protocols for dealing with this first-of-its-kind outbreak in Florida are being prepared with the assistance of state and national wildlife experts.
niman Posted March 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2022 map update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?mid=1E2wqF61M_F0pc9zOvoEs075hbeDW_Lot&ll=30.44633739920129%2C-84.33497654482422&z=12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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