Canada: Suspected anthrax outbreak strikes Wood Buffalo National Park

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/wood-buffalo-anthrax-1.6531901

Suspected anthrax outbreak strikes Wood Buffalo National Park
The outbreak is currently contained in a remote area of Wood Buffalo
Carla Ulrich · CBC News · Posted: Jul 26, 2022 11:40 AM CT | Last Updated: July 26

A potential anthrax outbreak is being investigated in a remote area of Wood Buffalo National Park. For now, Parks Canada has closed the Sweetgrass and Trident Creek/Trident Meadows areas, and an area west of Peace Point, as well as the old Garden River road.

Park officials were alerted to the outbreak after receiving mortality signals from several bison collars, which showed no activity for up to 48 hours.

Resource conservation staff conducted a surveillance flight and found seven dead animals. That number has since risen to 47.

Two field tests were done for anthrax and both showed positive results. A lab is currently confirming the samples in Saskatoon. Parks Canada is still waiting for those results.

Although anthrax has not yet been confirmed, park officials say all the signs are there...

 

[sharon sanders]

bump this

 

[Mary Wilson]

Parks Canada monitoring anthrax outbreak in Wood Buffalo National Park

Jul 29, 2022

Canadian Press

FORT SMITH, N.W.T. — Parks Canada says it is monitoring an anthrax outbreak in remote areas of Wood Buffalo National Park.

... The agency says staff have observed at least 59 bison carcasses in the park and the deaths are suspected to be caused by anthrax, which mainly affects hoofed animals.

The bacteria that causes anthrax occurs naturally in the soil, which bison can contract from wallowing in dust baths.

A lab has confirmed the presence of anthrax in three of the dead bison.

... Parks Canada says resource conservation staff are conducting daily flights to monitor the extent of the outbreak.

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/na...park/wcm/7e7007c3-2803-428d-aba9-0cd34e03dc54