FINAL REPORT W-113-R(SD Avian Cholera in Canada Geese on Southern Illinois Wintering Areas Submitted by: Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, SIUC Presented to: Illinois Department of Conservation August 31, 1994 Prepared by: Approved by Robert J. Gates, Assistant Professor Alan Woolf, Director R Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab. Cooperative Wildlife rch Lab. Southern Illinois University Southern Illinois Unive H Carbondale, 62901 Carbondale, IL 62901 Alan Woolf Director , Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab. Southern Illinois Univei/sity Carbondale, EL 62901 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from CARLI: Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois http://archive.org/details/aviancholeraincaOOgate FINAL REPORT W-113-R(SI) Avian Cholera in Canada Geese on Southern Illinois Wintering Areas Submitted by: Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, SIUC Presented to: Illinois Department of Conservation August 31, 1994 Prepared by: Approved by: W Ac-£-<'^ \JU1 C i<~ Robert J. Gates, Assistant Professor Alan Woolf, Director / Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab. Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab. Southern Illinois University Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 62901 Carbondale, IL 62901 Alan Woolf Director , / Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab. Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 62901 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Need 1 Objectives 2 Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Acknowledgements 5 Study Areas 6 Job 1. Characteristics of Avian Cholera Outbreaks 7 Objective 7 Introduction 7 Methods 8 Outbreak Histories 8 Outbreak Monitoring 9 Results and Discussion 13 Outbreak Histories 13 Mississippi Flyway 13 Southern Illinois 16 Outbreak Monitoring 19 Horseshoe Lake Conservation Area 19 Union County Conservation Area 21 Job 2. Environmental and Biological Factors 23 Objective 23 Introduction 23 Environmental Persistence 23 Culture and Isolation From the Environment 24 Methods 26 Water Quality Sampling 26 Culture and Isolation of P. multocida 28 Selective Media Testing 28 Environmental Sampling 31 Results and Discussion 32 Water Quality 32 Spring 1992 32 Fall 1992 38 Prediction of Ca and Mg From Conductivity 40 Comparison with Other Enzootic Sites 43 Culture and Isolation of P. multocida 44 Selective Media Testing 44 Environmental Sampling 45 Job 3. Physiological Condition and Environmental Stresses 49 Objective 49 Introduction 49 Methods 50 Results 51 Body Organ Masses 51 Effects of Post Mortem Interval on Steroid Assays 54 Tissue Hormone Concentration and Content 54 Adrenals 54 Gonads 54 Thyroid and Liver Hormones 54 Effects of Year on Corticosterone Levels 57 Discussion 57 Job 4: Analysis and Report 59 Objective 59 Introduction 59 Epizootiology of Avian Cholera in Southern Illinois 60 Implications for Research and Management 65 Literature Cited 69