The Wildlife Veterinary Investigation Centre Christmas Newsletter 2007

A DIFFICULT YEAR

The heavy workload of 2006 continued in to the early months of 2007 but submissions then declined, especially in the second half of the year. Post mortem examinations were carried out on 166 specimens, including:

Otters                             41
Finches and sparrows     25
Bats                                32
Red squirrels                   8
Barn owls                        6

Unusual specimens included a harvest mouse, a goosander, and a pregnant common lizard!

END OF AN ERA

Vic started examining otters in 1988 when their future was in doubt. Most of this research was funded under an Environment Agency (EA) contract and this provided the WVIC with its only significant source of income. However, in May 2007, following Government imposed cuts on DEFRA, the Agency proposed cutting our funding by around 65%. This made it impossible for us to employ an assistant veterinary pathologist – or anyone else - and, as a result, we had to give up the otter contract.

SO WHAT ABOUT OTTERS?

The data collected on nearly 700 otters over almost 20 years makes it possible to look for trends over time. One example is the increase in the proportion of otters with intraspecific bite wounds - from around 15% in the early 1990s to 70% in 2004. Vic believes this indicates increased competition for resources as the population has increased. He also thinks that otters engaged in conflict may be more likely to get run over. Not all the otters examined at WVIC came from England and Wales. A cub submitted from Skye had very unusual post mortem lesions and was shown to have died of Tyzzer’s disease. This had not been diagnosed previously in an otter and the results are being published.  

RED SQUIRRELS

Our red squirrel population is under serious threat, mostly due to pox virus carried by greys. In collaboration with biologist Helen Butler, Vic has been investigating disease in red squirrels on the Isle of Wight where greys do not exist. This year reds have also been examined from Scotland and one of these died from an unusual fungal disease. Investigations are proceeding.

 Baby red squirrel

GARDEN BIRD DEATHS

The WVIC is one of four laboratories nationally that examine birds under the Garden Bird Health initiative (GBHi). In 2005 we started to see mortality in finches due to trichomoniasis, normally a parasitic disease of pigeons. It reappeared with a vengeance in the summer of 2006 and again in 2007, killing many thousands of birds all over UK. Greenfinches have been worst hit but all finch species are susceptible. Worryingly, the disease is now affecting species such as dunnock and blackbird. Outbreaks seem to be closely linked to summer feeding. Affected birds cannot be distinguished from other diseases, e.g. salmonellosis, without a post mortem examination.  For further detail see also ufaw.org.uk/gbhi.php

BATS

Bats examined this year were pipistrelles (23), brown long eared (6) lesser horseshoe (2) and Natterer’s (1). Most came from Sue and Chris Harlow who have started a bat hospital at Threemilestone. The majority had been mauled by cats and there was little evidence of disease. All brains were screened by Veterinary Laboratories Agency for bat rabies and proved negative. Stillborn pipistrelles from Scilly were examined but no cause was established. At the request of Salford University, intestines from 30 bats were submitted for a study of parasites. As yet no results have been received.

PROMOTION

Vic was a co-author of a paper with scientists at CEH Monks Wood describing heavy metal levels in bats – the first in UK. The report on otters that Vic had been working on for EA since 2004 was finally printed. Phew! He gave papers on bite wounds in otters at two conferences, one at the UK Mammal Society and one at the Wildlife Disease Association in Colorado, USA. In November he spoke on kidney stones in otters at the BVZS conference in Nottingham.

STAFFING

In April we said a sad ‘goodbye’ to Fieke Molenaar, the Dutch veterinarian who came ‘for a few weeks’ in 2006 and ended up staying for a year! She had hoped to do a PhD on the bile fluke discovered by Vic in 2004 but her funding application was unsuccessful. Without the otter contract we have been unable to recruit a replacement, or to continue to give part time employment to Alex Howie of CWT. She and Imogen Ahern, who helped on a voluntary basis, did most of our data recording and typing. Nick Phillips of CWT, did clever things with our computer! We are most grateful for their hard work and enthusiasm.

- and ‘THANK YOU’ to everyone who helps the Wildlife VIC, whether it is sending us wildlife casualties, making a donation or providing a service.

• This newsletter and previous newsletters are available to download in Word or PDF format free from our downloads section.

Projects .... Bat Conservation Bodyline CRAG Dolphin Group Geology Mammal Group Otter Group PARC Seaquest Seasearch Seal Group Water for Wildlife VIC SEARCH . . . . . . . . .