Residents of Canada’s northern territories who harvest migratory wild birds and their eggs this spring are urged to take precautions as highly pathogenic avian influenza makes its way northward. The Yukon government’s animal health unit on May 27 reported confirmed cases of high-path H5N1 avian flu in two wild waterfowl carcasses. “Spring migration is ongoing […] Read more
Northern egg harvesters cautioned over avian flu
High-path H5N1 found in wild birds in Yukon
The threat from above: Alberta’s chief vet issues bird flu warning
A virulent strain of avian influenza is spreading west and backyard flocks are vulnerable
Reading Time: 4 minutes The spring return of migratory birds could bring an unwanted and dangerous guest to poultry flocks here — highly pathogenic avian influenza, says Alberta’s chief provincial veterinarian. “The big thing is to be aware that there is some risk this year,” said Keith Lehman, who issued a warning to backyard poultry owners earlier this month. […] Read more
Click your way to grasslands and wildlife protection
New guide from Birds Canada assembles a host of resources and makes them easily accessible
Reading Time: 2 minutes A new guide from Birds Canada offers an online version of a one-stop shop for resources for protecting and enhancing grasslands, preventing biodiversity loss, and finding grants for such efforts. “Across North America, birds that depend on grasslands are in steeper decline than most other groups of birds,” the organization said in a release. “Nearly 60 […] Read more
Hunt is on for a vaccine to halt fast-spreading chronic wasting disease
About 15 per cent of mule deer are infected and it’s feared the disease could jump to livestock
Reading Time: 2 minutes Five Alberta researchers have been awarded $2 million “to tackle the growing threat” of chronic wasting disease in the province. Two of the projects focus on developing vaccines, including one to prevent the potential spread of CWD to caribou. Three other projects are on transmissibility: The threat of cervids (such as deer and elk) transmitting […] Read more
When a predator attacks, wildlife officers need to solve the whodunit
Compensation is available for livestock producers but first some detective work needs to be done
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s always stressful when a predator injures or kills livestock, and the process for getting compensation can be stressful, too. But attendees at a recent webinar by a provincial wildlife officer got a look at the process from the investigator’s point of view. One of the key points made by Alex Bolland is that the […] Read more
Chronic wasting disease discovered in Manitoba
The province says there’s no evidence the first case of chronic wasting disease discovered in Manitoba is in any way linked to nearby farmed elk operations. In a media release announcing the case, officials said it was found near Lake of the Prairies as part of the province’s wildlife health surveillance program. It was in […] Read more
New campaign will stand up for lowly ditches and hidden rights-of-way
These little-noticed strips of land provide wildlife habitat along with several environmental benefits
Reading Time: 2 minutes A ditch may not look like much — but for many game birds it’s a little strip of paradise in an otherwise hostile world. However, producers often decide to farm ditches and rights-of-way — a practice known as ‘trespass farming.’ But a conservation group called Pheasants Forever Calgary is hoping to change attitudes about this […] Read more
They can be troublemakers, but beavers do a lot of good, too
There are low-cost ways to prevent the busy dam builders from causing flooding and other damage
Reading Time: 3 minutes Beavers have been given a bad rap, but they can benefit the landscape — and there are ways of coexisting with them. “People are beginning to recognize the value of beaver and how they might be able to help us as a society navigate some of the challenges we are facing,” riparian specialist Kerri O’Shaughnessy […] Read more
Using a conservation assessment as a springboard
Program offers a check on wildlife and ranch health, and works with ranchers to make improvements
Reading Time: 4 minutes Sometimes, you don’t know what you’ve got until you have a wildlife habitat assessment done. That was the case for Melissa and Murray Downing, who were among the first to participate in a relatively new initiative by the Alberta Conservation Association. “We learned a lot about the different species that exist here,” said Melissa who […] Read more
Warning issued about coyote parasite
Reading Time: < 1 minute A disease expert is warning rural Albertans to take precautions in order to avoid a parasite commonly carried by coyotes, reports the e-newsletter from Alberta Beef Producers. The tapeworm doesn’t seem to affect coyotes but its feces contain the parasite’s eggs and when rodents ingest some of the droppings, they develop a growth on their […] Read more
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