Cormorants in KAB

[AWarrior]

Does anyone know any more about this???

DNR Closes Parts Of 5 Lakes To Manage Bird Disease

ST. PAUL (AP) ―

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says five lakes in Minnesota will have "closed" signs on some of their islands and lake access points.

Closing off certain areas of Minnesota Lake, Pigeon Lake, Lake of the Woods, Marsh Lake and Lake Kabetogama is part of an effort to prevent the spread of the virulent Newcastle disease.

The disease is blamed for the deaths of more than 1,200 double-crested cormorants in Minnesota this summer.

Officials say the disease can be spread through clothing and equipment. Birds infected with the virus can spread it through direct contact or through their feces.

The DNR says its wildlife staff is working with several agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, to prevent Newcastle disease from spreading into domestic poultry.

With a lesser amount of cormorants maybe the walleye population in Kab will pickup--maybe not a bad thing???

[SledNeck]

weird

[prov1900]

This is discussed at length in the open water forum, but is certainly odd to say the least. Media hype anyone?

[SledNeck]

why would it just be kab and not namakan

[let it snow]

From:

Kathleen Przybylski

Management Assistant/Administrative Officer

Voyageurs National Park

Hello Everyone, (Kabetogama Lake Association Members)

I am sorry that the DNR news release has created so much turmoil for all of you. The park was not aware of the news release. We are as surprised as you are. The park has no plans to close any islands or lake access to Kabetogama. I have been spreading this word to the media outlets that I have been able to contact.

I talked to the Star Tribune reporter, Paul Walsh, who subsequently updated his online article and removed Lake Kabetogama from the list of areas closing.

I sent an email to Channel 5 with a new statement for them to run at the bottom of the screen. I will only know if it is used if someone happens to see it and lets me know.

I have left messages with folks at the DNR, but have not heard back yet.

I spoke with the Daily Journal reporter and explained to her that we are not closing any islands or access to Kabetogama.

The Daily Journal (I. Falls) reporter just called me and said that the Associated Press had just released an article with the incorrect information and gave me a contact phone number. I called the AP and the man I spoke to recorded my corrected information and was going to follow up with the DNR about the

incorrect closure information.

We try hard to work with the DNR so I don't want this to impact our relationship with them, but they really caught us off guard.

Mike Ward, Superintendent, is on travel but is aware of the situation. He supports all the actions I have taken so far.

Steve Windels, park biologist, plans to write a follow-up news release about Kab's cormorant population specifically, but hasn't been able to get to it. I expect him to have time next week to give me an update. He's out of the office this week.

Test results did find the disease in a small number of the park' cormorants on Kabetogama, but not to the degree as it was found on the other lakes. The park does not feel that it is an issue at this point. Once Steve, Mike and others return to the office we will re-group and come up with a plan for distributing more information.

Please feel free to call me if you have any questions or suggestions.

Kathleen

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*

Kathleen Przybylski

Management Assistant/Administrative Officer

Voyageurs National Park

3131 Highway 53

International Falls, MN 56649

[JBMasterAngler]

Does it only affect cormorants? And if so, should anyone really care? That is one bird I can honestly say that I would NOT miss if it were to go extinct!

[let it snow]

September 15, 2008

For Immediate Release

Steve Windels, 218-283-6692

UPDATE ON CASE OF NEWCASTLE DISEASE IN VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK

Voyageurs National Park initiated a study investigating aspects of double-crested cormorant ecology in Lake Kabetogama in June 2008. During the course of routine monitoring on July 21 & 22, 2008, NPS staff and collaborators encountered several cormorant chicks displaying behaviors similar to those of infected birds reported in other parts of the state earlier that week. At Voyageurs a single chick was euthanized and submitted to the U.S.G.S. National Wildlife Health lab on July 22, 2008 for testing. Voyageurs National Park received test results on August 12, 2008 from the Wildlife Health Lab confirming the presence of avian paramyxovirus-1 , the virus that can cause Newcastle Disease in birds. Tests for West Nile virus and avian influenza were negative.

Newcastle Disease is not a major concern for humans. The disease can be transmitted via contaminated clothing and equipment, and infected birds can spread the virus through direct contact as well as through their feces and excretions, potentially resulting in conjunctivitis or mild influenza (flu-like) symptoms in humans.

Voyageurs National Park staff, after consulting with wildlife health officials from various State and Federal agencies, have made the decision to not close access to the colony on Lake Kabetogama because of the limited risk to humans. The island supporting the cormorant colony is a small rock outcrop with no trees that receives almost no visitation by park visitors because of the often strong smell produced by the bird feces present on the island.

Approximately 140-150 nesting pairs of cormorants were recorded on the colony this summer, compared to a high of 330 recorded in 2005. NPS staff and collaborators estimate that <25% of the chicks hatched this summer succumbed to the disease. Few adult cormorants or other birds inhabiting the island, such as ring-billed gulls and American white pelicans, were observed either dead or showing clinical symptoms of the disease, suggesting that the outbreak in Voyageurs National Park was more limited than in other areas of Minnesota.

For more information contact Steve Windels, Terrestrial Ecologist, at 218-283-6692.

[BaitBiteNBerrr]

Very interesting information