Post by 4pointer on Jan 13, 2007 19:21:50 GMT -5
Salt Toxicity Likely Cause of Waterfowl Die-off
· Commission Considers Special Buck License
Salt Toxicity Likely Cause of Waterfowl Die-off
WATERTOWN, S.D.—A combination of thirsty birds and salty water likely resulted in the deaths of about 1,000 snow and blue geese at Lake Nicholson.
Personnel from the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department reported the bird deaths on the lake about 15 miles northwest of Watertown in late November of 2006. Biochemical analysis on the brain tissue of some of the dead birds, while not conclusive, did reveal a high enough sodium concentration to suspect that salt toxicity led to their deaths.
“It appears that the birds came into the Lake Nicholson from other lakes with less salinity, became ill and died within a matter of hours of drinking the salty water,” according to Will Morlock, GFP regional game manager. “The dead birds were all blues and snows. It doesn’t seem to affect Canada geese or ducks.”
Morlock said the effects of salt toxicity are noticed within a few hours. “Those birds that survive in the initial shock to their systems appear to get along fine,” Morlock said.
Waterfowl die-offs on lakes in that area are not uncommon. Morlock said as many as 2,000 snow geese and blue geese died on Medicine Lake in the mid 1980s. A similar die-off took place in the 1930s.
“All birds collected from the die-off were also tested for various strains of avian influenza and those tests eliminated bird flu as a cause of the die off. Although not confirmed, evidence strongly indicates that these birds succumbed too much salt in their systems,” Morlock said.
GFP, along with wildlife agencies across the nation, took part last year in a multi-state testing of live birds and hunter-harvested samples looking for highly pathogenic avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu. Of the more than 1,000 waterfowl and shorebird samples collected by GFP, none tested positive for highly pathogenic bird flu.
--GFP--
· Commission Considers Special Buck License
Salt Toxicity Likely Cause of Waterfowl Die-off
WATERTOWN, S.D.—A combination of thirsty birds and salty water likely resulted in the deaths of about 1,000 snow and blue geese at Lake Nicholson.
Personnel from the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department reported the bird deaths on the lake about 15 miles northwest of Watertown in late November of 2006. Biochemical analysis on the brain tissue of some of the dead birds, while not conclusive, did reveal a high enough sodium concentration to suspect that salt toxicity led to their deaths.
“It appears that the birds came into the Lake Nicholson from other lakes with less salinity, became ill and died within a matter of hours of drinking the salty water,” according to Will Morlock, GFP regional game manager. “The dead birds were all blues and snows. It doesn’t seem to affect Canada geese or ducks.”
Morlock said the effects of salt toxicity are noticed within a few hours. “Those birds that survive in the initial shock to their systems appear to get along fine,” Morlock said.
Waterfowl die-offs on lakes in that area are not uncommon. Morlock said as many as 2,000 snow geese and blue geese died on Medicine Lake in the mid 1980s. A similar die-off took place in the 1930s.
“All birds collected from the die-off were also tested for various strains of avian influenza and those tests eliminated bird flu as a cause of the die off. Although not confirmed, evidence strongly indicates that these birds succumbed too much salt in their systems,” Morlock said.
GFP, along with wildlife agencies across the nation, took part last year in a multi-state testing of live birds and hunter-harvested samples looking for highly pathogenic avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu. Of the more than 1,000 waterfowl and shorebird samples collected by GFP, none tested positive for highly pathogenic bird flu.
--GFP--
