Just wanted to share an anecdote from last summer related to tularemia, which occurs in Colorado in animals (eg rabbits), but only rarely in humans (last cases approximately 10 years ago). I live in Telluride off and on (I am also an itinerant physician) and last summer our large beaver pond lost its 4 beavers to tularemia. Not everyone in town was fond of these beavers (they are destructive to aspen and other landscaping) but the corpses were tested and it was tularemia, not "beavericide." Nobody in town seemed too concerned (it was just prior to Bluegrass Festival, and perhaps there were shades of Ibsen's Enemy of the People at work.) I encouraged some signage around the pond, to notify people (and their dogs) to avoid jumping in. As far as I know, there were no further reports of tularemia. It can however be spread by birds, not just ticks and flies etc, as case reports have indicated in the literature. The state dept of health was not interested as this did not involve humans.
I was curious as to whether anyone has heard of tularemia in Canada Geese--since there was a mama goose nesting on top of the beaver lodge prior to and after the beavers died. The geese are definitely back (can't say if it is the same ones...) N. Kerr, MD -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
