Camps for Children at the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center 6-1-2010
            This summer look animals in the eye at Animal Camp at the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.  Hike, create animal art, meet our animal ambassadors on Tuesdays June 22 through August 24, from 9:30 am until 2:30 pm.  Different animals will be featured each week.
Also join us for Nature at Night camp on Thursday evenings. 
Contact  Kathy Budnie, our camp leader, at brwc.programs@comcast.net,
for more information.
          

Trail Ride to Benefit Blue Ridge Wildlife Center 5-10-09
            A horseback trail ride to benefit the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center was held on Sunday, May 10th on the Burwell-van Lennep Island Farms.  After a weeks postponement due to rain, we had a gorgeous spring day  to enjoy our ride in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.  Two large groups of horses enjoyed a 2 hour scenic ride along miles of Shenandoah River, past a waterfall on Spout Run, through fields with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and through woodland filled with flowering trees.
          Afterward we enjoyed a delicious champagne brunch and made plans to hold a fall trail ride this October.  Stay tuned for updates!

          
White Nose Syndrome found in bats from WV  & VA caves 3-9-09
            The deadly white nose fungus has been found on bats from caves in West Virginia and Virginia.  Prior to this year, this fungus had only been found on hibernating bats in caves in the Northeast.  In some of these caves over 90% of the hibernating bats have died which is anticipated to result in large increases in insect populations this summer.  Bats are very important for natural insect control.  A single little brown bat can consume 3,000 insects a night.
          This fungus was first discovered on dying bats in New York in 2006 and since then has been spreading rapidly.  In an effort to slow the spread many areas are banning caving because cavers could unknowingly be spreading the fungus from the cave to cave on their equipment.

           The USDA Forest Service has issued an informative Press Release.

           View a map of all the infected areas at this US Fish and Wildlife website.

          Read more about this threat to our native bat populations at Bats from WV Caves being tested for White Nose Syndrome.

Ophthalmic exams on injured owls in local paper 1-26-09
            Every year our wildlife center admits 15-20 Eastern screech owls that have been hit by cars while they were hunting near our roads. The majority of these owls have serious eye trauma that needs to be treated before they can be released again. The owls need their eyes to be evaluated to be sure they will have enough vision to be released back into the wild.

          See our picture at Unorthodox Eye Exam.

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Featured in Northern Virginia Daily 1-26-09
            The Northern Virginia Daily featured the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center wildlife program held at Blandy Farm on Saturday.

          Read the article at Critters of Virginia.

Reports of mange in squirrels 1- 14 - 09
       We have had numerous reports of gray squirrels with patches of hair loss on their bodies.  This is most commonly caused by mange mites, but also can be caused by ringworm (which is not a worm but a fungal infection). 
     Both of these conditions are contagious from squirrel to squirrel through contact, or the sharing of nests.   The hair loss caused by these infections can be life threatening during the winter months because  squirrels must have a heavy fur coat to stay warm.
     Skin scrapings and cultures are needed to tell which disease each group of squirrels may have.  Since it is most likely these squirrels have mange, and treatment for mange would not hurt the squirrels, we are recommending they be treated with ivermectin given orally every two weeks until the hair grows back.  Determining how to do this in free ranging squirrels can be a challenge. 
     Ringworm is usually a self limiting disease in a healthy squirrel.

Canine Distemper seen in local wild raccoons 1 - 5 - 09
    Over the past two weeks we have admitted three raccoons with symptoms of canine distemper.  They were all found in Upperville, VA. 
      Canine Distemper is a viral disease that infects dogs, raccoons, foxes, wolves, coyotes and skunks.  Animals usually become infected through contact with other infected animals.  Most dogs are vaccinated for this deadly disease, but distemper is still commonly found in wildlife populations.  This disease is not the same as feline distemper and cannot infect cats. (Cat distemper is a parvo virus which can cause parvo symptoms in raccoons and coyotes but cannot infect the other wildlife in our area).
     Symptoms of canine distemper include fever, lethargy, eye discharge, pneumonia, and inflammation of the brain and spinal cord causing uncoordinated movement, tremors, paralysis, or seizures.  Most infected  animals will die from the damage caused to their neurological system.


Numerous cases of severe lead poisoning in Birds 12 - 29 - 08
       We admitted four birds with severe lead poisoning during the Christmas season; 2 turkey vultures, a bald eagle, and a great blue heron.     This poisoning was most likely caused by eating carrion that contained fragments of lead ammunitions. 
     At the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center we are able to diagnose lead poisoning within minutes of a an animal's arrival at our center because we have a machine that measures blood lead levels in our lab.
     Contamination of the environment by lead ammunitions is a terrible problem that needs to be addressed.

Read more about this at:     
        Research Links Deer Hunting to Lead Poisoning in Eagles

     This lead contamination is threatening more than just wildlife.  It's been found that animals killed with lead shot are not safe for humans to eat either.

Read more about this at::  Getting the Lead Out

More Cases of Chronic Wasting Disease Found in W.V. 12 - 22 - 08
&       Five more CWD positive deer were killed in Hampshire County, WV during the fall firearms season.

 Read more about this at :   Chronic Wasting Disease Update

     We are still waiting for the results of the testing done in Virginia in 2008.

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Featured in Northern Virginia Daily> 6-14-08
            The Northern Virginia Daily featured the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in their Valley Scene section on Saturday.

          Read the article Care for Critters.
Shenandoah University Students Help Build Mammal Cages> 3 - 15 - 08
            A group of local college students spent a Saturday at the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center building three mammals cages.

           They worked all day putting up the 8 foot tall wall panels to create three desperately needed mammal cages with a double door system that will prevent the animals from being able to escape out the doors when we enter.

&           The cages should be complete in the next few weeks, which is good news because our first orphan mammals began arriving this week. Our new arrivals include a red fox kit and some infant squirrels. Thank you so much Marie Dahl and friends!!!

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Cage Project in Local News 3 - 14 - 08
              Our local newspaper, The Clarke Courier, ran a front page story on the building of the continuous flight cage at the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

            This cage is designed for conditioning birds of prey that have recovered from injuries and are preparing for release back into the wild. It is unlike traditional flight cages in that it allows the birds to fly in a continuous circle rather than just from end to end of the typical long narrow flight cage. It is the first of its kind to be built in this area.

          Read more about the cage and our wildlife center in the article Healing Nature..

Hemorrhagic Disease Outbreak in Local Deer 11 - 12 - 07
            This summer and fall we received numerous reports of dead white-tailed deer in our area. There were concerns that this might have been due to chronic wasting disease, but that was not the case.

            These deaths were caused by a disease called epizootic hemorrhagic disease (HD). This deadly viral disease is actually the most common disease of deer in the Eastern United States. But this year HD caused a much higher death toll in our Virginia deer than we have seen in years and it struck in areas that had not previously had large outbreaks of this disease.

            Hemorrhagic disease is spread by insects called Culicoides midges (also known as biting gnats), and is more common during hot dry weather conditions when deer concentrate around watering areas.

            Infected deer develop a high fever, appear lethargic and lame, and often are unresponsive to humans. They usually die within 8-36 hours after the onset of symptoms. This disease cannot affect humans, and does not cause illness in domestic animals or other native wildlife in our area.

            Outbreaks of disease, called epizootics, are usually seen in late summer and early fall. These outbreaks stop as soon as cold weather kills off the insects that spread the disease.

            The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries reported that Frederick County was the most severely affected area of Virginia this year.

            These die-offs are more severe in areas where there is a high density of deer that have not previously been exposed to this disease and especially during drought conditions when deer gather at watering areas. These factors combined this year in Frederick County to create the “perfect storm” that caused this very high mortality.

&            Now that we have had a couple of frosts that have killed the insects that spread the disease, the rest of our deer should remain healthy.

Injured Raptors get a Second Chance 11 - 12 - 07
             Have you ever seen a hawk sitting by the side of the road and wondered why it chose to perch there? Do you worry it will be hit by a car?

            Hawks like to hunt alongside the road because that is where they can often find their favorite food – rodents. Unfortunately, these hungry birds are often hit by vehicles. When that happens the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center comes to the rescue. Last year the center rescued 75 hawks and owls, most of which had been injured by motor vehicles.

            Hawks hunt for rodents along the side of the road because the rodents are attracted to the garbage motorists throw out of their car windows. In addition to hunting for rodents, sometimes young hawks who haven’t perfected their hunting skills will feed on road kill by the side of the road. They are also often hit by passing cars.

            The injured birds that are brought to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center receive the same high quality medical care offered to our pets today. They are seen by wildlife center veterinarian Dr. Belinda Burwell and are usually put under gas anesthesia for their exams and treatment because this reduces the stress they feel by being injured and handled by humans. It also is safer for their handlers because the talons on their feet can be very dangerous weapons.

            If they have broken bones they usually need to have these bones surgically repaired. Their bones need to heal in perfect alignment so these skilled hunters have fully functioning wings and legs to capture the prey they need to survive.

            After their treatment these birds don’t remain in the vet hospital for long because the noise from the pets and people there would stress them. They are taken to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center which is specially set up to care for these wild animals. It’s quiet, and the cages are often covered so the animals feel less exposed and more secure. These wild patients receive the same pain medications and antibiotics given to our pets. The only difference is their pills are often hidden in the dead mice that they love to eat.

            Once these birds have recovered from their injuries they are moved to outdoor cages where they can practice flying and catching prey. The Blue Ridge Wildlife Center has many outdoor cages where these birds can stretch their wings and fly short distances. But they would like to build a large flight cage where these birds can get exercise and practice catching prey before they are released. Because raptors are predators, they cannot survive unless they are fit enough to catch the food they need to survive. Flight cages need to be very large, about the size a barn. The center is planning to build a donut shaped circular flight cage where the birds can fly long distances. They are currently raising the funds they need to build this cage.


Avian Flu Detected in Shenandoah County 07 - 16 - 07
            Avian influenza is in the news again after it was detected in a turkey flock in Shenandoah County. This is causing a great deal of confusion because the strain that was detected was identified as low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) subtype H5N1. Although the name is similar, this is not the same deadly virus as the high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N1 that has been found in Asia and Europe.

            LPAI H5N1 has been found in the U.S in recent years and causes only mild illness or no symptoms at all in the birds that it infects. It does not infect humans.

            HPAI H5N1 has never been found in North America, but has caused deaths in birds and people in Asia and Europe.

            These are not the same viruses and they differ in their pathogenicity, or their ability to cause disease.

            To prevent the spread of LPAI H5N1 virus, the state has banned the sale and exhibition of all poultry until July 30th. The good news is that after extensive testing, the virus has not been detected in any other flocks in the area.

Update on Chronic Wasting Disease in Deer 07 - 16 - 07
            Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a slowly progressive and fatal brain disease of white tailed deer similar to bovine spongioform encephalopathy (mad cow disease), and Cruetzfeld-Jacob disease (CJD) of people. CWD is spread by a prion which is not a bacterium or a virus, but an unusual protein that cannot be destroyed, even by incineration. This prion is spread from deer to deer through contact with saliva and urine, and possibly through the soil. There is no evidence that it is contagious to people.

            CWD has been slowly spreading in deer and elk populations in the western U.S. since 1967, but it had not been found on the east coast until 2005 when CWD infected deer were discovered in West Virginia and New York.

            In New York the disease was found in two captive herds and also in two free ranging white tailed deer. Immediate action was taken to contain the disease and prevent its spread, and no new cases have been found in New York since 2005.

            The situation is much more serious in West Virginia, where thirteen healthy looking free ranging deer have been found to be infected with the disease. Five infected deer were found in 2005, five in 2006, and three more were found this Spring.

            These infected deer are from an area just across the Frederick County line in Hampshire County W.V. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in West Virginia is monitoring for the presence of the disease and trying to prevent its spread by thinning the herds in that area. It is important to note that all of the deer found to be infected with this disease have looked perfectly healthy.

            Virginia is monitoring for the disease by testing road killed deer and deer voluntarily submitted by hunters. This same method was being used by West Virginia prior to 2005, but unfortunately, by the time the disease was detected through this method, it was already well established in the deer herds in that area. Virginia could be doing more to monitor for this disease and we have written to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and asked them to test more deer along the VA state line with Hampshire County W.V.. That way, if the disease does spread across the state line, it could be quickly detected and contained before it spreads further.

Owls to Attend Harry Potter Book Release 07 - 16 - 07
             Two of our education owls will be attending a celebration at our local Books-a-million store on the eve of the much anticipated release of the seventh Harry Potter book by J.K. Rowling. Please join us on Friday night, July 20th,between 9 and 11 pm at the Books-a-million located in Winchester at 2198 S. Pleasant Valley Road next to Kohls. If you stay until after midnight, you can buy your own copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Horseback Trail Ride to Benefit the Wildlife Center 04 - 29 - 07
            On a beautiful Sunday in April, the Blue Ridge Hunt hosted a horseback trail ride to benefit the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center. The two hour ride was held on the scenic 980 acre Burwell-van Lennep Island Farms where the wildlife center is located. Wildlife Center veterinarian Belinda Burwell guided the riders through woods filled with dogwood and redbud bloom, and through fields of bluebells, while they traveled along more than a mile of sparkling Shenandoah River.

            At the end of the ride they enjoyed refreshments and met two of the wildlife center’s education animals; Lucy and Baron. Lucy is an imprinted red shouldered hawk who was ‘kidnapped’ as a nestling and raised incorrectly. She was turned over to the wildlife center when she became sick due to an improper diet. She is now healthy but cannot be released because she is imprinted on people and doesn’t know how to behave like a hawk. Baron is a red phase Eastern screech owl who arrived as a nestling with an old fracture of his wing that could not be repaired. He cannot be released because he is unable to fly.

            Adding to the enjoyment of the beauty and wildness of the land they had explored, was the knowledge that all this land has been preserved in a conservation easement and will never be developed.

Conjunctivitis in Finches 02 - 07 - 07
             Birdfeeders are a popular way for nature lovers to attract wildlife to their backyards. If you watch wild birds at a backyard feeder, then you may at one time have noticed a finch with swollen eyes. This is caused by an infectious organism called Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) which has been infecting wild finches in our area since 1994.

            Mycoplasma gallisepticum, or MG, causes severe conjunctivitis and swelling around the eyes that can impair vision. Infected birds are often found on the ground under feeders with fluffed feathers and eyes swollen closed. This disease most commonly infects house finches, but can also affect American goldfinches, purples finches, and evening grosbeaks. This highly contagious disease can be spread through the discharge from an infected bird’s eyes, so tube style bird feeders where birds can rub their eyes reaching in to get seed are a common source of transmission.

            Eastern house finches have been severely affected by this disease, causing large declines in their population. The eastern house finch may be more susceptible to this disease than our native songbirds because they are a highly inbred introduced species. Our entire house finch population has descended from a few caged western house finches from California (“Hollywood finches”) that were sold as pets on Long Island, NY, in the 1940s. When laws were passed that prohibited keeping American songbirds as pets, these finches were released into the wild and rapidly populated the east coast.

            This infection is treatable, so if you notice a bird at your feeder with swollen eyes, please call the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center at 540-837-9000. Also, try to replace any feeders where the birds could rub their eyes when reaching for seed with a platform type feeder. Cleaning and disinfecting your feeders weekly with a solution of one part bleach to 9 parts water is a good way to prevent the spread of this and other diseases. Make sure the feeders are completely dry before filling them again with seed.

Update on Avian Influenza 02 - 07 - 07
             Even though bird flu is not in the news as much recently, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is still a concern. Sporadic outbreaks of the H5N1 strain in birds have been reported in Asia and Europe, with human infections resulting from close contact with infected poultry, not infected people.

            There has been only one incidence where human infection was acquired from wild birds, and that was in Azerbijan in 2006 when a family became infected after collecting feathers from mute swans that had died in an H5N1 avian influenza outbreak.

            Because waterfowl and shorebirds are the most common natural reservoirs of avian influenza, these species are being monitored around the world for infection with the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain. In Europe and Asia, this virus has been found only in dead and dying wild birds, and not in any of the tens of thousands of healthy wild birds that have been tested. The worrisome H5N1 strain has not yet been found in North America.

            For 10 years now, this virulent strain of avian influenza has been infecting people via close contact with birds, and some scientist’s question why this virus has not developed the ability to spread from person to person. Researchers have determined that the H gene controls how easily influenza viruses can get into our cells and cause infection, and so far, only viruses with the H1, H2, or H3 gene have been able to cause human pandemics. It would take two specific mutations on the H5 gene to change it into the H1 gene contained in the deadly Spanish Flu (H1N1), and some researchers believe that since these mutations haven’t happened yet, they are unlikely to ever happen. But influenza viruses are constantly changing, which brings to mind the saying that if an infinite number of chimps bang on typewriters for an infinite amount of time, one of them will write Hamlet. Continued research is needed to prepare us for whatever new forms of this virus threaten us in the future.

Predation by Pets 09 - 01 - 06
            Our wildlife center treats many animals that have been injured or made orphans by people’s pets. In addition to treating birds and bunnies that were attacked by cats, this year we saw turtles that were chewed up by dogs and fox kits that were carried off by retrievers. We needed to raise a river otter that became orphaned when a Jack Russell Terrier chased off the otter’s mother and killed its brother.

            Researchers have found that each year a single free-roaming rural cat kills at least 23 birds and an even greater number of small mammals. Determining the number of free-roaming cats in this country is about as difficult as herding them, but estimates suggest there are over 50 million. This means we may be losing more that a billion birds each year to free-roaming cats. These cats also kill chipmunks, voles, shrews, and mice that are needed for food by wild predators such as hawks, owls, and foxes. Even though calculating the damage done to wildlife by dogs and cats is difficult because most of it is unobserved, experts agree the damage is quite significant.

            In addition to the harm they cause wildlife, pets that run loose outside are more likely to become injured or sick, and they make up the majority of cases seen at veterinary emergency hospitals. Until their pet is hit by a motor vehicle or attacked by another cat or dog, most pet owners assume their pet stays in their yard. Studies have determined that a cat can roam over an area as large as 12 acres. Pets are much safer and healthier, and therefore happier, if they are leashed, confined in a yard, or kept in the house. In those cases where a cat cannot be kept in the house, Invisible Fence now makes a fence system that can be used to keep a cat in the backyard.

            With so much wildlife habitat being lost to development, we should not only work to preserve the habitat we still have, but also try to prevent wildlife predation by unnatural predators such as cats and dogs. Keeping our pets confined is a good for our pets and beneficial to the environment

Mammalpalooza 2006 09 - 01 - 06
            A group of ambitious teenagers and their bands got together and held a day long Mammalpalooza to benefit the animals at the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center. In addition to offering a variety of music, they held raffles and games, and more than a hundred participants enjoyed the fun. Not only did they raise awareness of wildlife issues and wildlife rehabilitation, they also raised $630 to feed the hungry patients at the wildlife center. Thank you !!!