Terrestrial Wildlife Diseases

The sagebrush biome is one of the largest ecosystems in North America. Encompassing nearly one-third of the continental U.S., it provides critical resources for millions of Americans and a home for hundreds of plants and animal species in the West. Natural resource management in sagebrush ecosystems can be complex, and science can support management decisions by providing knowledge and tools to...

Scientists of the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) in collaboration with partners have developed risk assessments for  Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans  ( Bsal ) in the United States and are sampling high-risk locations for the fungus.

USGS scientists have developed novel tools and techniques for national white-nose syndrome (WNS) detection and research efforts. Our scientists are monitoring bat populations (NABat) and bat behavior in addition to assessing the impact of WNS on bat populations. USGS is now focusing on disease management strategies to reverse bat declines from WNS.

This research effort is an interagency partnership between U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to model the social-ecological system that encompasses chronic wasting disease management in the United States. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal, neurologically degenerative disease that impacts many cervid species in North America (e.g., elk, moose, mule deer, and white...

Elevated ocean temperatures are linked to the development of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Toxins from these blooms may pose health threats to marine organisms, including seabirds. Since 2015, the USGS has worked with a variety of stakeholders to develop testing methods and research projects to better understand the geographic extent, timing and impacts of algal toxins in Alaska marine ecosystems...

The Strain and Genetic Online Tissue Repository (SAGOTR) is being developed by the USGS Fort Collins Science Center to document, track, discover, and request physical samples of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). SAGOTR connects natural resource managers, tissue repositories, and researchers in one online platform, making it easier to locate and share samples and support research and management of CWD...

Bats are essential contributing members of healthy, functioning ecosystems. They perform numerous ecosystem services like insect pest control and plant pollination, and provide enormous economic benefits through ecotourism, medical research, and novel biotechnologies. North American bats face unprecedented threats including habitat loss and fragmentation, white-nose syndrome, and wind energy...

Since 2006, the USGS Alaska Science Center has been part of the State and Federal interagency team for the detection and response to highly pathogenic (HPAI) viruses in North America. Avian influenza or "bird flu" is a viral disease that primarily infects domestic poultry and wild birds. Avian influenza viruses are naturally occurring in wild birds such as ducks, geese, swans, and gulls. These...

The U.S. Geological Survey Ecosystem Mission Area plays a major role in invasive snake science across the country and the globe, ranging from research on improving snake detection to projects that enhance eradication. Our extensive science ultimately scales up to benefiting public health, energy transmission, tourism, and other key aspects of American prosperity.

Management of state natural resources is a collaborative effort between state governments, federal agencies, tribal governments, and local stakeholders. USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC) supports state-led wildlife management with research that clarifies complex issues, enhances scientific quality and communication, broadens solution options, and enables cost-sharing and mutual...

Since its emergence in 2006, white-nose syndrome (WNS) continues to spread in North America and has substantially impacted hibernating bat populations, contributing to declines of over 90% in northern long-eared ( Myotis septentrionalis), little brown ( Myotis lucifugus), and tri-colored bat ( Perimyotis subflavus) populations. We are developing tools and management strategies to protect bat...

Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurologic disease of cervids, presents a monumental management challenge, in part because the etiologic agent, an infectious prion, can be transmitted directly or indirectly and is extremely difficult to inactivate. As CWD expands geographically and increases in prevalence, additional disposal options are desired to safely dispose of CWD-contaminated tissues...