Tuesday, November 26, 2013

For the birds



Thanksgiving dinner food for thought

Did you know there are several different types of turkey you can choose from? There is more to worry about now than just the size of the bird. Is it organic, is it fed GMO feed, is it raised on antibiotics and linked to the spread of microbial resistant superbugs? Are they free range, caged or have outdoor time?

Another thing to be aware of is that 99% of all turkeys raised in the United States are white meat heavy bred, which makes the turkeys top heavy. This hinders their natural ability to reproduce; so all of them are artificially inseminated. Not to mention they possibility of developing severe joint pain and swollen legs or feet because the birds are unnaturally heavy for their bone structure.

46 million turkeys will be consumed for this upcoming holiday.

Here are some links to learn about green classifications of turkey and other animal products  that can be found in some stores: Certified Humane, Animal Welfare Approved, Food Alliance Certified, and American Grassfed (Shanker, 2013).

Grist has a full blog post here related to turkey farming in the United States.

Here is a link about GMOs to research exactly what is going into some food produced in the United States.

The Center for Disease Control has a good information page about Microbial resistant superbugs here.

Don’t forget, there is always tofurky

[Please note that we are not endorsing any particular brand or saying not to consume turkey; we are sharing some science behind the food for learning purposes only].

Reference:
 

Friday, November 22, 2013

Can you hear me now?



Construction noise and marine mammals.


With new carbon reduction schemes being implemented, growth of offshore wind generation is expected to become a major component of these reduction strategies. With increased construction; the noise of pile driving into the ocean to install these turbines is increasing. Researchers are worried that this noise will have a negative impacts on marine mammal species.

Researchers from the United Kingdom and the United States have developed a noise assessment method for measuring the impact of wind farm construction. Previous attention mainly focused on the effects of the turbines on birds. The new focus in on the long term impact on marine mammals; especially endangered whale populations, dolphins and seals. The study is looking at “worst case assessment of the short term impacts of noise and how these may influence long term population change” (S.D., 2013). 

Loud construction can cause traumatic hearing injuries or close range deaths. This could move animals out of their normal ranges and impact food resources and survival rates. 

To read about the full study and methodologies, see the article reference below.

Reference:
 (S.D.) Science Daily, 2013. Assessing Noise Impact of Offshore Wind Farm Construction May Help Protect Marine Mammals. Online. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131104101242.htm
 
Paul M. Thompson, Gordon D. Hastie, Jeremy Nedwell, Richard Barham, Kate L. Brookes, Line S. Cordes, Helen Bailey, Nancy McLean. Framework for assessing impacts of pile-driving noise from offshore wind farm construction on a harbour seal population. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 2013; 43: 73

Friday, November 15, 2013

Marine mammal alert



Morbillivirus reaches Florida

Section one: taken directly from the NOAA fisheries page 2013: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/mmume/midatldolphins2013.html].

 Section one: Background information:
Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (as amended), an Unusual Mortality Event (UME) has been declared for bottlenose dolphins along the Atlantic coast from early July 2013 through the present. Elevated strandings of bottlenose dolphins have occurred in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

All age classes of bottlenose dolphins are involved and strandings range from a few live animals to mostly dead animals with many very decomposed. Many dolphins have presented with lesions on their skin, mouth, joints, or lungs.

Go to the link above to see stranding statistics

Morbillivirus

The tentative cause of the UME is being attributed to cetacean morbillivirus, based upon preliminary diagnostic testing and discussion with disease experts. Here are our results showing the total number of morbillivirus cases identified so far. The information will be updated as results become available.

The UME investigation is still ongoing and additional contributory factors to the UME are under investigation including other pathogens, biotoxins, range expansion, etc. Further evaluations will continue over the next several months as new animals are found or new evidence determines the direction of the investigation. These rigorous investigations may take several more months to complete. Additional studies are underway to better understand the characteristics of morbillivirus and the potential impacts of this virus on dolphin stocks. These studies are in collaboration with several NOAA laboratories and science centers, stranding network members, non-profit research organizations and academic partners.

 Brucella Bacteria

Brucella sp. bacteria have been found in joint, brain or reproductive organ lesions in dolphins in the UME area. Here are our results showing the total number of Brucella cases identified so far. The information will be updated as results become available. NOAA has been investigating Brucella in marine mammal populations across the United States since 2011 and is working closely with our stranding network partners, NOAA laboratories, the University of Illinois, the CDC and State Departments of Health, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Section two: The virus has migrated to Florida

According to Subbaraman (2013), for NBC news, three stranded humpback whales and two pygmy whales, tested positive for the dolphin morbillivirus in Florida. So far, this UME has claimed 753 animals.

According to NOAA, the last UME was in 1988. If this event turns out to be an outbreak similar to the last, it is only halfway through the time frame of the last disease pattern, so numbers of deaths could be very high. It is too soon to say if this is an outbreak.

Resident Florida bottlenose herds could become infected if they interact with migrating herds. Currently there is no vaccine available for dolphin or other cetacean species. This virus is unlikely to jump to humans, but NOAA states that the immune systems of the stranded animals make secondary infections common and those could infect humans.

Section three: What to do if you find a stranded animal

Taken from the Institute of Marine Mammal Studies website: [http://www.imms.org/whattodo.php

 Leave the animal exactly where it is until help arrives. If the dolphin is injured you could cause further damage by moving it. You may have to help hold it upright, keeping it's blowhole above water. DO NOT PUSH THE ANIMAL BACK INTO THE WATER. The dolphin stranded for a reason and needs help. Please be aware that when an animal strands, it may be sick. Therefore, please use every precaution to protect yourself from any infectious diseases.

 . To reduce stress to the animal, do not allow people to touch the dolphin until the stranding response team arrives. Keep pets and excess on-lookers away from the animal. Refrain from touching the animal unnecessarily. Remember, it is a wild animal and is not used to human "petting".

 . Dolphins can overheat fast so their skin needs to stay cool and wet. Water needs to be poured over the skin, but AVOID the blowhole. Make sure to avoid getting water or debris in the blowhole, keeping it free from obstruction so the animal can breathe.

 . T-shirts or towels soaked in cold/cool water can be put on the dolphin, but DO NOT COVER the dorsal fin, pectoral fins, tail flukes, and blowhole. Before applying a wet towel, cut a slit large enough for the dorsal fin to fit through and lay it on the animal. Make shade for the animal out of anything available, e.g. a tarp or beach umbrella.

 . Dolphins' bodies are not made to rest on land, so to make them more comfortable you need to dig a small hole under each pectoral fin. You can also dig a hole under the chest region and fill the hole with water. This will relieve pressure on the animal's fins and lungs yet still support the chest.

  . Stay away from the face and tail flukes. A dolphin's tail is the most powerful part of its body and can cause serious injury. Dolphins are very strong and muscular animals. Under NO circumstances should you attempt to hold the tail. Be aware that dolphins can move their heads from side to side and if they hit you with their rostrum/beak (jawbone) while shaking their head, you can be badly hurt. They also have needle-sharp teeth and they will bite if they feel threatened.


References:

Institute for marine mammal studies, 2013. http://www.imms.org/whattodo.php
 
 
 

Monday, November 4, 2013

“Holy disease, Batman”



 New discoveries linking BATS to SARS

Finding the natural reservoir for the SARS  (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)virus has eluded researchers so far. However, scientists in China have pointed to “the strongest evidence to date it originated in bats” (Salleh, 2013). They have found two new viruses that are 95% related to SARS. The SARS pandemic of 2002-2003 was one of the most “substantial public health events in recent history” (Salleh, 2013).

Researchers found evidence that cave-dwelling bats were sold as a food were carrying coronaviruses. They differed from SARS from the binding mechanisms of a host protein, ACE2; which facilitates infection. Initially researchers thought SARS may need an intermediate host to pass the virus.

They discovered that horseshoe bats, from Yunnan province, harbor these new viruses that contain the same proteins that SARS uses to bind to the ACE2;  giving the virus the ability  to pass directly to humans.

To find out more about SARS, you can visit the CDC website here.

References:
Salleh, A., 2013. Bat origin of SARS confirmed. Online. Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2013/10/31/3880358.htm