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Source: http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20081103/BREAKINGNEWS/81103021/1006/news01
Biologists hunt for bird flu in Florida ducks
BY JIM WAYMER ? FLORIDA TODAY ? November 3, 2008
State and federal biologists plan to collect samples from ducks hunters shoot to test for avian influenza virus.
Biologists will sample during the migratory game bird hunting season at several duck-hunting hot spots throughout Florida.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services will conduct the tests.
The virus, H5N, has never been found in Florida.
Participation in the testing is voluntary. Hunters won?t have to surrender their ducks. Instead, biologists get samples by swabbing the ducks? respiratory and digestive tracts. Scientists then test the samples at a lab for avian influenza and other diseases.
Last year, more than 65,000 samples were collected nationwide, including more than 1,200 samples from Florida. None of the samples tested positive for the virus.
While extremely unlikely that hunters could contract avian influenza from wild birds in Florida, officials recommend taking common-sense precautions to reduce the risk of contracting any disease from wildlife.
For information, including how to report observations of dead birds, visit MyFWC.com/bird/AvianInfluenza.htm.
Biologists hunt for bird flu in Florida ducks
BY JIM WAYMER ? FLORIDA TODAY ? November 3, 2008
State and federal biologists plan to collect samples from ducks hunters shoot to test for avian influenza virus.
Biologists will sample during the migratory game bird hunting season at several duck-hunting hot spots throughout Florida.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services will conduct the tests.
The virus, H5N, has never been found in Florida.
Participation in the testing is voluntary. Hunters won?t have to surrender their ducks. Instead, biologists get samples by swabbing the ducks? respiratory and digestive tracts. Scientists then test the samples at a lab for avian influenza and other diseases.
Last year, more than 65,000 samples were collected nationwide, including more than 1,200 samples from Florida. None of the samples tested positive for the virus.
While extremely unlikely that hunters could contract avian influenza from wild birds in Florida, officials recommend taking common-sense precautions to reduce the risk of contracting any disease from wildlife.
For information, including how to report observations of dead birds, visit MyFWC.com/bird/AvianInfluenza.htm.