This video describes USGS research utilizing remote thermal imaging cameras to study the extent and impact of mange on wolves in Yellowstone National Park.
COMPLETED: Using thermal imagery to assess wolf hairloss from sarcoptic mange
Completed
By Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
March 15, 2016
Researchers at NOROCK and their partners used thermal cameras at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in Montana to assess the amount of heat lost under a range of environmental conditions with and without hair. These methods help scientists better understand how mange operates in wild wolves throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Researchers at NOROCK and their partners used thermal cameras at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in Montana to assess the amount of heat lost under a range of environmental conditions with and without hair. On the thermal image, "cooler" blue tones indicate less heat emission, while "warmer" red tones indicate a heat emitting source. The color bar on the right is temperature in degrees Celsius.
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
To simulate hairloss that occurs in the later stages of mange infection, patches are shaved on the wolves (red spot on hind leg) to allow the researchers to measure temperature loss from the hairless patches and compare this with temperature loss from natural fur. By helping out with this research the wolves in the enclosure are helping scientists better understand how mange operates in their wild counterparts throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
The risk, severity, and duration of infection with mange are highly variable within Yellowstone's wolf population. Thermal imagery is one tools to assist researchers in measuring temperature loss from the mange patches (red) and compare this with temperature loss from natural fur (blues and greens). In addition, field crews attempt to observe or photograph all radio-collared individuals and their pack mates within Yellowstone National Park for the purpose of scoring infection status. Researchers hope to see if there are attributes of individuals or packs that might predispose them towards higher risk, greater severity, or longer duration of infection. To learn more visit, the dynamics and impacts of sarcoptic mange on Yellowstone's wolves.
In the next phase of the project, researchers collaborated with scientists with the Yellowstone Wolf Project to place thermal remote camera near the carcasses of deer and elk in the park to capture wolves feeding on the carcasses and record the extend of mange in the park's wolf packs.
Another novel approach to observe the extent of mange in the wolves of Yellowstone National Park, as well as develop a dynamic photo library of individual wolves within the park, is by citizen science. Researchers with Penn State University, USGS, and the Yellowstone Wolf Project have developed Yellowstone Wolf: Project Citizen Science to assist the project in collecting park visitor photographs of wolves, and accompanying data on date, location, ID (if known), and pack to answer questions about pack composition, individual histories, and individuals' infection status with mange.
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Impacts of Disease on Wolves in Yellowstone National Park
In 1995 and 1996, wolves were reintroduced into the Northern Rockies where they have since established and spread. Within Yellowstone National Park, one of the core protected release sites, the unmanaged population steadily increased to high densities, producing a large wolf population susceptible to infections such as canine parvovirus (CPV), canine distemper virus (CDV) and sarcoptic mange.
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Mange in Wolves of Yellowstone National Park
This video describes USGS research utilizing remote thermal imaging cameras to study the extent and impact of mange on wolves in Yellowstone National Park.
A mangy wolf in Yellowstone National Park.
Researchers at NOROCK and their partners used thermal cameras at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in Montana to assess the amount of heat lost under a range of environmental conditions with and without hair. These methods help scientists better understand how mange operates in wild wolves throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Researchers at NOROCK and their partners used thermal cameras at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in Montana to assess the amount of heat lost under a range of environmental conditions with and without hair. On the thermal image, "cooler" blue tones indicate less heat emission, while "warmer" red tones indicate a heat emitting source. The color bar on the right is temperature in degrees Celsius.
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
To simulate hairloss that occurs in the later stages of mange infection, patches are shaved on the wolves (red spot on hind leg) to allow the researchers to measure temperature loss from the hairless patches and compare this with temperature loss from natural fur. By helping out with this research the wolves in the enclosure are helping scientists better understand how mange operates in their wild counterparts throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
The risk, severity, and duration of infection with mange are highly variable within Yellowstone's wolf population. Thermal imagery is one tools to assist researchers in measuring temperature loss from the mange patches (red) and compare this with temperature loss from natural fur (blues and greens). In addition, field crews attempt to observe or photograph all radio-collared individuals and their pack mates within Yellowstone National Park for the purpose of scoring infection status. Researchers hope to see if there are attributes of individuals or packs that might predispose them towards higher risk, greater severity, or longer duration of infection. To learn more visit, the dynamics and impacts of sarcoptic mange on Yellowstone's wolves.
In the next phase of the project, researchers collaborated with scientists with the Yellowstone Wolf Project to place thermal remote camera near the carcasses of deer and elk in the park to capture wolves feeding on the carcasses and record the extend of mange in the park's wolf packs.
Another novel approach to observe the extent of mange in the wolves of Yellowstone National Park, as well as develop a dynamic photo library of individual wolves within the park, is by citizen science. Researchers with Penn State University, USGS, and the Yellowstone Wolf Project have developed Yellowstone Wolf: Project Citizen Science to assist the project in collecting park visitor photographs of wolves, and accompanying data on date, location, ID (if known), and pack to answer questions about pack composition, individual histories, and individuals' infection status with mange.
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Impacts of Disease on Wolves in Yellowstone National Park
In 1995 and 1996, wolves were reintroduced into the Northern Rockies where they have since established and spread. Within Yellowstone National Park, one of the core protected release sites, the unmanaged population steadily increased to high densities, producing a large wolf population susceptible to infections such as canine parvovirus (CPV), canine distemper virus (CDV) and sarcoptic mange.
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Mange in Wolves of Yellowstone National Park
This video describes USGS research utilizing remote thermal imaging cameras to study the extent and impact of mange on wolves in Yellowstone National Park.
This video describes USGS research utilizing remote thermal imaging cameras to study the extent and impact of mange on wolves in Yellowstone National Park.
A mangy wolf in Yellowstone National Park.