100 plus Elk Herd Die over night.

[Above Timber]

That makes me sad.

 

[unm1136]

News this morning said that they have ruled out everything, including natually occurring anthrax. State game biologists have been sending all kinds of stuff to my local Sate Veteranary lab and the have no idea what has killed them.

pat

 

[Teeton]

????

 

[trkyslr]

Im betting lightning

 

[mtbshark]

X2 on the lightning!

 

[justin davis]

Yea I said lightning right off the bat and people laughed at me. Years ago a whole herd in Colorado was killed by lighting.

 

[HellsCanyon]

Hadn't thought of lightning that'd make sense...

Mike

 

[Sunspot]

Chupacabra

 

[jjenness]

I talked to one of our local game wardens yesterday about this. He stated that it is highly unlikely to be EHD as it usually doesn't kill elk, and none of the elk were in, or near, water. He thought it would probably come down to poisoned food source or a methane leak from the earth. Not sure on the methane part, but he seems to have more of an educated guess than me.

 

[In God We Trust]

That is crazy

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

I think it would likely take multiple strikes in that general area to create a step potential in an area that large but totally possible.

I'm leaving for Northern NM on Friday, been watching the weather for a while. Been like this for weeks.

 

[Sunspot]

Prolly some PETA wacko poisoning in the name of protection from hunting.

 

[fulldraw1972]

What a waste. Sad to see all those elk laying dead.

I can't believe the lady in the video saying EHD strikes fast. She don't have a clue. It takes weeks for the animal to die at times. We got hit very hard in Ne last year from EHD. Of all the animals I found they were by water.

As far as affecting elk I have no idea but it doesn't seem to bother mule deer.

I am curious what did cause this.

 

[unm1136]

State lab says tissue analysis could take about a month...

pat

 

[Jdog]

Chupacabra

what he said...X 2!

 

[Colbyqueso]

Cant seem to find anymore info on this. Will keep looking.

 

[MIKEYB]

This is what they came up with. Couldn't find the link so i copied and pasted from e-mail.

I wonder if this is a danger to humans even with filtration methods?

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Media contact: Rachel Shockley, (505) 476-8071
Public contact: (888) 248-6866
[email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, OCT. 22, 2013:
TOXIC ALGAE CAUSE OF 100 ELK DEATHS IN NORTHEASTERN NM
SANTA FE – The Department of Game and Fish has concluded that a toxic algae bloom caused the deaths of more than 100 elk discovered Aug. 27 in northeastern New Mexico.
Department biologists collected tissue samples from the dead elk and water samples from privately-owned land north of Las Vegas, N.M. The Department sent the samples to laboratories across the country. A lab found Anabaena, a form of naturally occurring blue-green algae that produces the deadly neurotoxin, anatoxin-a, in a water sample. This potent neurotoxin can cause illness and death within four to 12 hours if ingested.
“Based on circumstantial evidence,” said Kerry Mower, the Department’s wildlife disease specialist, “the most logical explanation for the elk deaths is that on their way back to the forest after feeding in the grassland, the elk drank water from a trough containing toxins created by blue-green algae or cyanobacteria.”
Department biologists found the dead elk in a one-half mile by three-fourths mile area, and suspect that they died within the same 24-hour period. The elk showed signs of having struggled on the ground, symptoms consistent with poisoning from a neurotoxin.
Although some types of microscopic blue-green algae produce toxins, they seldom cause serious problems. During warm weather the algae can reproduce quickly in standing water, creating a bloom that releases deadly neurotoxins into the water. The conditions resulting in the elk mortality existed only a short period of time. Algae blooms occasionally kill livestock and pets, and can sometimes be harmful to humans.
The Department investigated a wide variety of possible causes for the elk deaths in addition to the blue-green algae, including: anthrax, epizootic hemorrhagic disease, botulism, lighting strike, poaching, poisonous plants, malicious poisoning, toxic levels of sulfate and nitrate, and the possibility of an industrial or agricultural accident. The Department ruled out these causes of death.
No one has reported dead livestock or wildlife in the area since August. Hunters should not harvest animals that exhibit unusual behavior or appear sick, and should report anything unusual to the Department’s toll-free information line, (888) 248-6866.
###

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

We had something similar in Wyoming a few years back.

 

[bikerdavet]

“Based on circumstantial evidence,” said Kerry Mower, the Department’s wildlife disease specialist, “the most logical explanation for the elk deaths is that on their way back to the forest after feeding in the grassland, the elk drank water from a trough containing toxins created by blue-green algae or cyanobacteria.”

So basically they are not sure what caused 100 head of elk to die.

 

[MIKEYB]

Algae you have been found "not guilty" by reasonable doubt. You are free to leave the court room.