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Duck Migration Study Reveals Importance of Conserving Wetlands, MU Researchers Find

COLUMBIA, Mo. – During the 2011 and 2012 migration seasons, University of Missouri researchers monitored mallard ducks with new remote satellite tracking technology, marking the first time ducks have been tracked closely during the entirety of their migration from Canada to the American Midwest and back. The research revealed that mallards use public and private wetland conservation areas extensively as they travel hundreds of miles across the continent. Dylan Kesler, an assistant professor of fisheries and wildlife in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at MU, says these findings illustrate the importance of maintaining protected wetland areas. (more…)

Thermal Imagery Sheds Light on Wolf Disease

By Guest PostDecember 12, 20102 commentsEnvironment, Naturecolored wolves, contagious canine skin disease, coyote, dehydration, disease ecologist, doug smith, elk, grizzly, hypothermia, infections, malnutrition, mange, mites, northern rockies, northern rocky mountain, paul cross, remote cameras, reproduction, sarcoptic mange, social behavior, survival, thermal imagery cameras, thermal imaging, wildlife species, wolf, wolf discovery center, wolves, yellowstone national park

Psychedelically colored wolves depicted by thermal imaging will shed light on how mange affects the survival, reproduction and social behavior of wolves in Yellowstone National Park.

About a quarter of the wolf packs in the park are afflicted with sarcoptic mange, a highly contagious canine skin disease caused by mites that burrow into the skin causing infections, hair loss, severe irritation and an insatiable desire to scratch.

The resulting hair loss and depressed vigor of the wolves leaves them vulnerable to hypothermia, malnutrition and dehydration, which can eventually lead to death, said Paul Cross, a U.S. Geological Survey disease ecologist, who leads the project along with Doug Smith of Yellowstone National Park. (more…)

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Duck Migration Study Reveals Importance of Conserving Wetlands, MU Researchers Find

Thermal Imagery Sheds Light on Wolf Disease