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BFS news from ProMED-mail
« on: Dec 21st, 2002, 12:06am » |
 Quote  Modify
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quoted from ProMED-mail, (the Program for Monitoring
Emerging Diseases, is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases):
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promed.isid.harvard.edu>
Date: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:32:51 AM Asia/Hong_Kong
To: promed-ahead-edr@promedmail.org
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Botulism, black-faced spoonbills - Taiwan: susp (02)
BOTULISM, BLACK-FACED SPOONBILLS - TAIWAN: SUSPECTED (02)
*************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 2002
From: A-Lan Banks <A-Lan.Banks@derwent.co.uk>
Source: Taipei Times, 16 Dec 2002 [edited]
<http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2002/12/16/187366>
Spoonbill deaths to be subject of scientific study
--------------------------------------------------
Long-term scientific research will be carried out to reveal the full
picture of the recent black-faced spoonbill deaths at an ecological reserve
in Chiku Lagoon, said Tainan County Commissioner Su Huan-chih yesterday as
hundreds of local residents joined him at Chihku township to pray for the
birds still fighting for survival.
The gathering was originally planned as part of the opening ceremony of the
county government-sponsored Black-faced Spoonbill Conservation Season,
which began yesterday and will end next April when the endangered birds
make the trip back north.
Commissioner Su, who joined in prayers for the still-ill birds, said that
autopsy reports suggested that the spoonbills died of botulism, contracted
from eating contaminated dead fish and shrimps. "However, we are curious
about this because the birds don't usually eat dead fish" .
At a workshop held yesterday afternoon in Chiku, experts revealed details
of research projects that aim to solve the mystery deaths. Participants
said that all scientific research projects and a budget proposal for these
projects would be forwarded to the Council of Agriculture (COA) based on a
meeting scheduled for Fri, 20 Dec 2002, in Tainan County Government.
As of yesterday, 53 black-faced spoonbills had died of botulism, local
officials said. According to Hsieh Yao-ching, director of the county
government's animal health inspection office, 10 survivors were in a stable
condition. Experts at Hsieh's office in Taiwan are taking care of 8 birds
and some spoonbills have been able to fly, officials said. Experts at the
Nantou-based Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute are looking after
the remaining 2 sick spoonbills, which are also in a stable condition.
Lee Tuey-chih, director of Tainan County Government's Information
Division, told the Taipei Times yesterday local authorities would integrate
efforts from experts at universities in a bid to offer international
conservation circles with valuable research on the unusual deaths. Lee said
that the sick spoonbills might be relocated to a fish farm near Chiku
Lagoon, which could be transformed into a huge birdcage. "Data pertaining
to long-term observation on their health would be quite essential to
conservation circles," Lee said.
There are less than 1000 black-faced spoonbills worldwide. So far, more
than 700 spoonbills have arrived in Taiwan this winter.
The recent deaths have caught world conservationists' attention. Chen
Jin-an, executive-general of Nanying national scenic area development
office, told the Taipei Times yesterday that local government's efforts on
behalf of ecological preservation would not be discouraged by the deaths.
"A project costing 8 million New Taiwan dollars [230 000 US dollars] will
be carried out next year," Chen said.
[Byline: Chiu Yu-Tzu]
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[From this text it might appear that the preliminary diagnosis, botulism,
has not yet been definitely established. Further confirmatory details,
including typing, will be helpful. - Mod.AS]
[see also:
Botulism, black-faced spoonbills - Taiwan: suspected 20021211.6040]
.........................arn/pg/dk
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