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Wildlife Disease

Much of the interest in disease ecology and wildlife health has been prompted by the emergence, or resurgence, of parasites that move between livestock, wildlife, and/or humans. Almost 75% of all emerging human infectious diseases are zoonotic and many livestock disease issues are associated with repeated introductions from wildlife species. However, parasites are also passed in the other direction from domestic hosts to wildlife hosts and these parasites may affect the long-term conservation of wildlife species. Unprecedented human population abundance and distribution combined with anthropogenic environmental change has resulted in dramatic increases in human-animal contact, thus increasing the intimate linkages between animal and human health. NOROCK scientists collaborate with a number of partners to work on some of the most pressing wildlife health issues in the Rocky Mountains.
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Salt lick (right) and device to exclude wildlife from access to minerals (left)

Evaluating Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease in the Environment

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal disease of deer, elk, and moose and has been spreading in North America for the past two decades. The disease is spread by infected body fluids. Animals can become infected by coming into direct contact with a CWD-infected animal, or an infected animal can leave behind fluids (e.g., saliva, urine) that an uninfected animal will come into contact later...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
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Evaluating Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease in the Environment

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal disease of deer, elk, and moose and has been spreading in North America for the past two decades. The disease is spread by infected body fluids. Animals can become infected by coming into direct contact with a CWD-infected animal, or an infected animal can leave behind fluids (e.g., saliva, urine) that an uninfected animal will come into contact later...
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Elk on National Elk Refuge, Wyoming.

Developing Tools to Evaluate Chronic Wasting Disease Transmission Risk

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) infects and kills ungulates (deer, elk, moose), and has been spreading across North America for the past 20 years. Some ungulate populations have declined because of CWD and there are no viable vaccines or treatments for this disease. Therefore, tools that assist wildlife managers in preventing and mitigating CWD can be powerful assets in protecting our nation’s big...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
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Developing Tools to Evaluate Chronic Wasting Disease Transmission Risk

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) infects and kills ungulates (deer, elk, moose), and has been spreading across North America for the past 20 years. Some ungulate populations have declined because of CWD and there are no viable vaccines or treatments for this disease. Therefore, tools that assist wildlife managers in preventing and mitigating CWD can be powerful assets in protecting our nation’s big...
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Elk on a feedground in Wyoming.

USGS Chronic Wasting Disease Research at NOROCK

Over the past 20 years, chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Wyoming has been spreading slowly outward from the southeastern corner of the state toward the Greater Yellowstone Area and Wyoming's elk feed grounds, where more than 24,000 elk are supplementally fed each winter.
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
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USGS Chronic Wasting Disease Research at NOROCK

Over the past 20 years, chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Wyoming has been spreading slowly outward from the southeastern corner of the state toward the Greater Yellowstone Area and Wyoming's elk feed grounds, where more than 24,000 elk are supplementally fed each winter.
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Cattle Grazing at Sunset in Montana

Quantitative Disease Ecology

Researchers at the USGS are working on developing new quantitative methods to study disease dynamics in wildlife systems as well as systems at the wildlife-domestic-human interface. Much of our work focuses on how host population structure affects disease invasion, persistence and control in wildlife disease systems. We tackle these issues with a combination of simulation and statistical modeling...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Fish & Wildlife Disease (unpublished), Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
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Quantitative Disease Ecology

Researchers at the USGS are working on developing new quantitative methods to study disease dynamics in wildlife systems as well as systems at the wildlife-domestic-human interface. Much of our work focuses on how host population structure affects disease invasion, persistence and control in wildlife disease systems. We tackle these issues with a combination of simulation and statistical modeling...
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Small Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) colony

Developing online integrated data visualization tools for WNS and NABat

Bat Research Research collaboration: Brian Reichert (FORT), Anne Ballmann (NWHC), Jeremy Coleman (USFWS), Paul Cryan (FORT), Wayne Thogmartin (UMESC), and Katherine Irvine (NOROCK) White-nose syndrome is caused by the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), which has decimated hibernating bat populations across North America since it emerged 10 years ago in New York. While diagnostic...
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Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Fort Collins Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
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Developing online integrated data visualization tools for WNS and NABat

Bat Research Research collaboration: Brian Reichert (FORT), Anne Ballmann (NWHC), Jeremy Coleman (USFWS), Paul Cryan (FORT), Wayne Thogmartin (UMESC), and Katherine Irvine (NOROCK) White-nose syndrome is caused by the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), which has decimated hibernating bat populations across North America since it emerged 10 years ago in New York. While diagnostic...
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Sealing MBARI Environmental Sample Processor (robot) into its housing

Using Robots in the River: Biosurveillance at USGS streamgages

For more than a decade, researchers around the world have shown that sampling a water body and analyzing for DNA (a method known as eDNA) is an effective method to detect an organism in the water. The challenge is that finding organisms that are not very abundant requires a lot of samples to locate this needle in a haystack. Enter the "lab in a can", the water quality sampling and processing robot...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Invasive Species Program (unpublished), Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
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Using Robots in the River: Biosurveillance at USGS streamgages

For more than a decade, researchers around the world have shown that sampling a water body and analyzing for DNA (a method known as eDNA) is an effective method to detect an organism in the water. The challenge is that finding organisms that are not very abundant requires a lot of samples to locate this needle in a haystack. Enter the "lab in a can", the water quality sampling and processing robot...
Learn More
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Wolf close up of eyes

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.
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Fish & Wildlife Disease (unpublished), Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
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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.
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Bighorn sheep close up

Pneumonia in Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn sheep populations are often impacted by outbreaks of pneumonia that are suspected to come from domestic sheep and goats.
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Fish & Wildlife Disease (unpublished), Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
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Pneumonia in Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn sheep populations are often impacted by outbreaks of pneumonia that are suspected to come from domestic sheep and goats.
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Elk on a feedground in Wyoming.

Brucellosis

Brucellosis is a nationally and internationally regulated disease of livestock with significant consequences for animal health, public health, and international trade.
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Fish & Wildlife Disease (unpublished), Contaminant Biology, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
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Brucellosis

Brucellosis is a nationally and internationally regulated disease of livestock with significant consequences for animal health, public health, and international trade.
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Grizzly bear in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

NOROCK Large Carnivore Research Program

NOROCK has substantial expertise in large carnivore research, primarily involving species listed as Threatened or Endangered. NOROCK’s Large Carnivore Research Program includes scientists from NOROCK’s Headquarters, West Glacier Field Station, and the Southern Appalachian Field Station. Studies are conducted in a wide variety of landscapes throughout the U.S., as well as international research...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Wildlife Program (unpublished), Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
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NOROCK Large Carnivore Research Program

NOROCK has substantial expertise in large carnivore research, primarily involving species listed as Threatened or Endangered. NOROCK’s Large Carnivore Research Program includes scientists from NOROCK’s Headquarters, West Glacier Field Station, and the Southern Appalachian Field Station. Studies are conducted in a wide variety of landscapes throughout the U.S., as well as international research...
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A feral hog is in a trap in southeastern U.S. awaiting immobilization and GPS collar.

Seasonal Movement of Wild Hogs in Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The wild hog (Sus scrofa) is an exotic invasive species that significantly impacts native resources and their populations are expanding significantly throughout the United States. In addition, wild hogs are likely contributing to the spread of disease such as pseudorabies. National Park Service units in the Southeast that have populations of exotic wild hogs include Big South Fork National River...
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Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
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Seasonal Movement of Wild Hogs in Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The wild hog (Sus scrofa) is an exotic invasive species that significantly impacts native resources and their populations are expanding significantly throughout the United States. In addition, wild hogs are likely contributing to the spread of disease such as pseudorabies. National Park Service units in the Southeast that have populations of exotic wild hogs include Big South Fork National River...
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Boreal toad (Bufo boreas) mating ball, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming.

Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative: Rocky Mountain Region

The Rocky Mountain Region of Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) encompasses Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. Two USGS Science Centers initiate and develop ARMI projects in this region. Investigations at NOROCK are headed by Dr. Blake Hossack. Investigations at the Fort Collins Science Center (FORT), Colorado, are headed by Dr. Erin Muths. The ARMI program is based on a...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Wildlife Program (unpublished), Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
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Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative: Rocky Mountain Region

The Rocky Mountain Region of Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) encompasses Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. Two USGS Science Centers initiate and develop ARMI projects in this region. Investigations at NOROCK are headed by Dr. Blake Hossack. Investigations at the Fort Collins Science Center (FORT), Colorado, are headed by Dr. Erin Muths. The ARMI program is based on a...
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