Re: Bird Botulism?

["Dean tuomari" <Dtuomari@co.wayne.mi.us>]

I found that if you type in "avian botulism" into the search engine www.goolge.com , will get a lot of info.  there are some indications that large mats of decaying cladophora may be a problem. Another thing to consider is blue-green algae toxicity

Dean Tuomari
Wayne County Department of Environment
Watershed Management Division
3600 Commerce Court
Wayne, MI. 48184
Phone:734.326.4483
Fax:734.326.4421
dtuomari@co.wayne.mi.us

>>> "Richard L Whitman" <richard_whitman@usgs.gov> 01/22/03 01:42PM >>>
I have a question?

A few summers ago we started noticing gulls dying in particularlly high
number in August at a beach we were studying.  These birds at first seemed
'drunk' at first, then began losing coordination and equilibrium.  They
would then lose the ability to walk and would soon died thereafter. That
was the same time old masses of anaerobic Cladophora was accumulating on
the beach.  Lately, I've been wondering if these bird might have picked up
some botulism from the algal mats.  As anybody else noticed this
phenomenon? Can you remember if it was coincidental with these anaerobic
mats or during this season?   Would you be on the look out this summer for
it, especially if you have big mats of Cladophora?  Let me know what you
think.


Richard Whitman



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