Dead Cormorant and New Castle Disease

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Pam Grassmick
Posts: 637
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:07 pm
Location: Beaver Island

Dead Cormorant and New Castle Disease

Post by Pam Grassmick »

A cormorant picked up along the Charlevoix County Shoreline on the mainland has tested positive for Newcastle disease. If any cormorants are found dead on the Beaver Island shoreline, the DNR would like to collect them for testing if possible. However, it is important to be careful when handling a cormorant that could potentially have Newcastle. Wearing rubber gloves is a must and eye protection is highly recommended along with double bagging. Because of the earlier die-off on Cormorant rookeries in Minnesota and Wisconsin, tissues from the cormorant was tested for Newcastle Disease Virus as well as West Nile Virus and both were positive. If you find a dead cormorant, please call Jackie (2220) or Pam (2314).
McGrass
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