Elk. Wikimedia Commons.
Idaho 05/18/11 reuters.com: by Laura Zuckerman – The state of Idaho has authorized sheriff’s deputies in a tiny mountain town to kill wolves blamed for preying on pets and elk, a spokesman for the state fish and game department said on Tuesday. The move marks the second of two wolf kills sanctioned by Idaho less than two weeks after federal protections were lifted from most wolves in the Northern Rockies and states, including Idaho and Montana, resumed management of the animals. For the first time since wolves were reintroduced to the region in the mid-1990s, the state is permitting sheriff’s deputies to kill a pack of about seven wolves near Elk City, a community of 200 residents in north central Idaho. Wildlife officials say the wolves are in close proximity to people and appear to have no fear of human communities. “We want wolves to be wild, not hanging around town,” said Mike Keckler, Idaho Fish and Game spokesman.
Although a newly passed law in Idaho declared wolves a “disaster emergency” akin to a flood or a wildfire, Fish and Game needed no additional authority to enlist the aid of local law enforcement. The agency has permitted outfitters to kill problem predators, just as it has licensed ranchers to shoot wolves or mountain lions attacking livestock. For the first time in the history of the Endangered Species Act, wolves in the Northern Rockies in April were removed from the endangered species list by Congressional action rather than scientific review. Federal safeguards were officially lifted from the estimated 1,200 wolves in Idaho and Montana on May 5, the same day Idaho began selling permits for wolf hunts. The two states are seeking to kill hundreds of wolves, mostly through licensed hunting. Montana last week set its quota at 220 out of 550 wolves and Idaho is considering the same quota for its 700 wolves.
The region’s ranchers and hunters have taken aim at wolves for preying on livestock and elk. Wildlife advocates said it would be open season on wolves when federal oversight ended. Idaho last week launched an aerial attack on wolves in a hunting zone where they are accused of reducing elk herds. Gunners killed five wolves before the helicopter was grounded because of costs and because of difficulty targeting radio-collared wolves under the cover of trees. The state has recruited outfitters to kill another 55 wolves in the area.
Texas 05/17/11 dallasnews.com: by Erin Mulvaney – Helicopter hog hunt 
measure goes to Perry The House gave final approval Tuesday to a measure that would allow ranchers to rent out seats on helicopters used to hunt feral hogs and coyotes on their property. The House accepted Senate changes to the bill on a 141-1 vote. The measure now heads to Gov. Rick Perry for his signature. The Senate added an amendment that gave more authority to Texas Parks and Wildlife to prevent those deemed unsuitable as gunners to shoot the animals, said the bill’s author, Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville. Miller has said the feral hog and coyote populations in Texas are large and destructive. An estimated 1.5 million feral hogs have caused about $400 million in damage to crops, property and fences per year.
California 05/18/11 ocregister.com: by Pat Brennan – West Nile virus 
season is here — again — with the first crow reported dead from the disease and mosquito-killing programs in full operation. The virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, can have fatal effects on birds, with crows among the most susceptible. The Orange County Vector Control District, which tracks animal diseases that can spread to humans, reports that the first crow of the season to test positive was found in Cypress last month. The presence of the virus in the bird’s body was confirmed May 4. Orange County had one, non-fatal human case of West Nile virus last year. Statewide, there were 111, with six deaths. There have been no reported human cases of West Nile in California so far this year. Report dead birds or neglected pools by calling 714-971-2421 or 949-654-2421.
North Carolina 05/18/11 digtriad.com: by Nick Needham – The North 
Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health in Raleigh has confirmed Alamance County’s fourth rabies case for the year in a fox. On Sunday, a resident of Coachlight Trail in Burlington was out walking his dog at about approximately 8:30 a.m., when a fox wandered down the street, came into the driveway, and attacked the family dog. The dog’s owner kicked the fox and was bitten on the leg. About a half hour before the incident on Coachlight Trail, less than a half mile away, a resident on Garden Road saw a fox attempting to attack her dogs. After yelling at the fox, it proceeded to chase her. Before she could escape into her residence, the fox bit her on the leg and ran away. Burlington Police and animal control officers responded to the area. After searching the area, the fox was located and killed. The health department and animal control were notified on Tuesday that the fox tested positive for rabies. Both victims were treated at Alamance Regional Medical Center and are undergoing post-exposure treatment. The dog that was attacked was current on its rabies vaccinations and has received a booster shot.
Texas 05/17/11 boernestar.com: The county’s third case of rabies this spring 
was confirmed May 9 when a Waring area homeowner’s dogs killed a skunk that came into the yard, according to the Kendall County Sheriff’s Department. Chief Deputy Matt King said a resident of Waring-Welfare Road reported his two dogs had killed a skunk that wandered into the yard. Animal Control officers took the remains to the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, which later confirmed the skunk tested positive for rabies. While the homeowner’s dogs had rabies vaccinations, they were quarantined in accordance with state law, King said. This is the third confirmed case of rabies in Kendall County this year, King said. The second case of the season, reported in late April, was also a skunk, also killed by dogs. The first case was reported in March when a feral cat attacked a homeowner and his dog. In all three cases, the dogs involved were up-to-date on their vaccinations, King said. According to Texas Department of State Health Services, there were 31 cases of rabies in Kendall County last year.
Travel Warnings:
Australia 05/18/11 watoday.com.au: by Lucy Rickard – A deadly 
mosquito-borne virus that has no cure and no vaccination has claimed the lives of two Australians. Both the Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) and the closely-related Kunjin viruses cause a serious inflammation of the brain, and have already hospitalised six West Australians. The Health Department is continuing to investigate reports that more people have been infected. Department entomologist Sue Harrington said while there was no suggestion the MVE virus would reach Perth, the fact it had already hit the Wheatbelt and mid-west regions was of a concern. “It seems to have activated independently this season,” she said. “There has been an extension of that area, so a large proportion of West Australia is now affected by MVE.”
The death of a man in the north-west of the state last month, and a South Australian man two weeks ago led the Department to issue another stern warning about the virus. “It causes inflammation of the brain,” she said. “People have suffered paralysis and brain damage of varying degrees. Every case is very significant because about one-quarter of all cases die, and of those that survive they’re left with severe nerve damage that can result in paralysis.” There is not yet a cure for the virus, nor a vaccine to prevent infection, said Ms Harrington “Often people in the north just accept that mosquitoes are a fact of life,” she said. “A lot of people might have been bitten and have developed the antibodies. Every year we have activity in the region. It’s still the same disease, with the same drastic symptoms.”
The rare and potentially fatal viruses have been detected in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne, Goldfields, Midwest and central Wheatbelt regions of WA, which indicated the virus was likely to be widespread. Ms Harrington warned as there is no cure doctors were only able to treat the symptoms of the virus, so people living and travelling outside the metropolitan area should take measures to avoid mosquito bites, including the application of mosquito repellants and choosing to wear long-sleeved clothing. In addition to MVE and Kunjin viruses, Ross River and Barmah Forest viruses are still causing dramas across the south of the state with more infections reported to the Department. The latter two viruses cause similar symptoms including painful joints, aching muscles, lethargy, fever, headaches and skin rashes, and can last from days to months. The symptoms of Kunjin and MVE are similar. While the latter is more severe, both cause fever, drowsiness, stiff neck, nausea and dizziness. Young children can experience drowsiness, floppiness, irritability, poor feeding or general distress. In severe cases, victims can experience delirium or lapse into a coma.
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