t^\ \A.J^,'MtULM''< 



Biologist dipping for mosquito larvae in a Center waterfowl impoundment. This water 

 area has an abundance of top minnows which effectively control mosquito production. 



>j\^ Diseases and parasites of wildlife 



Wild birds and maminals are subject to infection 

 with many diseases and parasites, some of whicli 

 are transmissible to man and his domestic animals. 

 When a disease is epidemic, dead birds and animals 

 may be noticed by the C;ene.ral public and reported 

 to conservation agencies. Tularemia in rabbits, 

 hemorrhagic septicemia in deer, rabies in foxes, 

 and botulism in waterfowl are examples of diseases 

 that produce high mortality when they occur in 

 epidemic proportions. But most wildlife diseases 

 have an etl'ect that is less noticeable. For the most 

 part, losses from them go by unobserved, although 



Pathologists inoculating Canada goose. 



they may finally reduce populations to such low 

 levels that the loss is apparent to tiie public. Iden- 

 tifying the bacterium, virus, or parasite causing 



