Mating elk. Courtesy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Wyoming 02/19/13 wgfd.wyo.gov: News Release – The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has begun a multi-year study at its Thorne-Williams Wildlife Research Unit (formerly Sybille) near Wheatland to evaluate the efficacy of a vaccine against chronic wasting disease. The vaccine was developed in Canada by three leading infectious disease centers. In January, researchers trapped 50 elk calves at Game and Fish’s South Park feedground (south of 
Jackson) and transported them to the research unit. There, calves were split into two groups. One group was vaccinated and one was an unvaccinated control group. “Previous research has demonstrated that elk will naturally contract chronic wasting disease by being housed at the unit,” said Game and Fish Chief Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Terry Kreeger. “We predict that the vaccinated group will live longer than the control group. It’s important to understand that even if the vaccine does not provide lifelong protection from chronic wasting disease, every extra year of survival the vaccine provides will mean increased production in an affected population.” A parallel vaccine study is being conducted on deer in Colorado. – For complete release see http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/news-1000368.aspx
Wolves:
Montana 02/27/13 ravallirepublic.com: by Perry Backus – In the 20 years that Tom Henderson has been hunting mountain lions with hounds, he’s never had a run-in with wolves. That changed Saturday. It was about 10 a.m. when the hounds he was hunting with treed a lion near Gird Creek, just north of Skalkaho Creek and east of Hamilton, following a two-hour chase. He and his companions were about 100 yards away from the treed lion and the three dogs when they saw a pack of six wolves appear. About five seconds later, Henderson said, a wolf grabbed one of Dan Morris’ hounds by the neck and killed it. “He grabbed it and broke its neck,” Henderson said. “It happened really fast. We started shooting our pistols.”
Henderson said the wolves were initially focused on the dogs and hung around for a few moments before loping off. “That was kind of surprising,” Henderson said. “I think they were pretty focused on the dogs. We were able to get quite a bit closer even after shooting.” With the state’s wolf season still open, Henderson said they could have legally shot them. “All we had were pistols,” he said. “That’s just not very realistic.”This is the second time this winter that wolves have killed mountain lion hunting hounds owned by people in the Bitterroot Valley. Earlier this year, three hounds owned by a Stevensville man were killed in the Ninemile drainage north of Missoula. Henderson said that it’s become a fact of life for lion hunters.
“This is the new normal,” he said. “It’s a risk we take. I’m not a wolf fan, but I’ve come to the conclusion that even with more liberal seasons, wolves are here forever.” “We’re going to have to live with them,” Henderson said. In an effort to cut down on the risk, Henderson said he has been putting bells on his dog’s collars in hopes of keeping wolves at bay from the unnatural noise that the bells produce. – For complete article see http://www.ravallirepublic.com/news/local/article_08c8d58e-8089-11e2-b533-001a4bcf887a.html
Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1):
Florida 02/24/13 freshfromflorida.com: News Release – A horse participating in the Horse Shows in the Sun (HITS), horse show in Ocala was referred to the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine after showing clinical neurological signs on February 20th. The horse subsequently tested positive for the Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1), wild-type strain. Currently, the horse is in stable condition and continues to be treated at the University of Florida. There are no additional suspected or confirmed cases at this time. The Division of Animal Industry is continuing the disease investigation, which includes the HITS show grounds in Ocala, the local index farm and multiple premises that have horses that may have been exposed to the positive horse. No new 
quarantines have been issued today and the seven quarantines issued since last Thursday remain in place. These quarantines include the index farm, Tent 7 at HITS and five additional premises in Florida; two farms in the Ocala area, one in Pinellas Park, one in St. Augustine and one in Wellington. At this point in the investigation there are no known exposed horses in other states. – For complete release see http://www.freshfromflorida.com/ai/pdf/EHVWebsiteUpdate.pdf
Rabies:
Colorado 02/27/13 Adams County: Health officials have confirmed that a skunk found on private property in Brighton has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_22681954/skunk-brighton-tests-positive-rabies
Florida 02/27/13 Brevard County: A man who 
attempted to pick up a raccoon that was hit by a car and was bitten is now receiving rabies post-exposure treatment. The raccoon, which was hit on State Road 3 about a mile south of the Kennedy Space Center, has tested positive for the virus. – See http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20130227/NEWS01/130227017/Brevard-health-officials-announce-rabies-warning-area-near-KSC?nclick_check=1
New Jersey 02/27/13 Morris County: Denville Township officials have issued a Rabies Alert after a raccoon that attacked a dog in the vicinity of South Wynde Drive, behind the A&P, tested positive for the virus. – See http://newjerseyhills.com/the_citizen/news/denville-issues-rabies-alert/article_c50e06b4-811b-11e2-9b63-0019bb2963f4.html
North Carolina 02/28/13 Davidson County: A skunk found inside a dog lot in Churchland with a dog that had an expired vaccination has tested positive for rabies. The skunk was shot and killed by the dog’s owner. The dog 
was euthanized. – See http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20130228/News/302289972
Texas 02/27/13 Somervell County: The Glen Rose animal control officer has issued a Rabies Alert after a skunk that was chasing people attending a birthday party tested positive for the virus. – See http://www.yourglenrosetx.com/news/community/article_f927db0a-8120-11e2-a475-0019bb2963f4.html
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