August 2019 – Bird Ally X

Four wild ducks are being treated for avian botulism infection at the hospital Bird Ally X built on the Tulelake Wildlife Refuge last year.

Two BAX co-directors, January Bill, who lives in the region, and Marie Travers, will be leading the effort. A botulism outbreak on the Klamath Refuge in 2018 resulted in over 400 wild birds, predominantly waterfowl, to be treated for the bacterial infection, and thousands of other birds deaths. (read more about last year’s response.)

Marie Travers (left) and January Bill examine a patient during the 2018 botulism response on the Tulelake Refuge.

January and Marie also led last year’s response, which resulted in hundreds of birds saved from the paralyzing disease, as well as the development of protocols for care which were shared around the western states, where avian botulism is becoming a chronic problem, as well as the entire wildlife rehabilitation community.

Avian botulism is caused by bacteria that is commonly found in fish. During dry hot spells, as water levels drop and water temperatures rise, infected fish who are killed by the environmental conditions are then eaten by piscivorous (fish-eating) waterfowl. Avian botulism is neuro-toxic, causing paralysis and death. Infected dead birds contribute to the virulence of the outbreak, as their carcasses are also eaten by other wildlife. Because water is at the heart of the problem, managing the conditions is fraught with all of the political obstacles that water wars in the West have historically presented.

Effective protocols can give botulism patients a good prognosis, but the first few days of treatment require intensive hands-on care. Here, January Bill administers IV fluids to a suffering duck.

As the world spins into its unsettling future, with fires raging across the equator and arctic, we know that wildlife tragedies like this will increase, everywhere. We also know that our wild neighbors, innocent of this disaster, will suffer as much or more than the human communities that are also being deeply harmed – including our own, wherever we are.

With your support, BAX will always be here, committed to helping the wild victims of human catastrophe, providing care for those who survive. Your support is what makes our response to botulism in Tulelake, and all our work, possible. We need you now. Thank you!

Click here to help save waterfowl impacted by Avian Botulism

It’s been a crazy Summer. Our caseload is the heaviest in our 40 year history. Right now, in a lull that allows me to stop a minute to get out a quick appeal for help, we have nearly 60 patients in care.

Two orphaned raccoons in our care are close to being weaned. After weaning they still have 10 weeks of growing and learning to do before we can release them back to their wild freedom.

At a time when our need is greatest, our donations are at their lowest. We need your help.

13 raccoons, 4 opossums, a Green heron, two cormorants, 6 swallows, 2 Song sparrows, 2 swifts, 3 deer fawns, and more need your support. As do all the animals that we will admit in the remaining months of baby season, and beyond. If our caseload trend continues, we will admit another 300 to 400 animals before this year ends.

Staff removes multiple hooks and line from an entangled Common Murre. Derelict fishing gear results in thousands of Marine wildlife deaths annually in California alone!

Ten baby opossums admitted after their mother was hit by a car. A kind and compassionate person brought them to our clinic from Southern Humboldt July 3rd. It will be another few weeks before any of this litter will be released.

We simply can’t meet the challenge of caring for wild animals injured by human activity and the derangement of their habitat caused by our ongoing ecological crisis without your help.

Also, I can’t express deeply enough our gratitude for those who’ve chosen to sustain us monthly. Regular donations, rolling in each month are what keep us going … While we don’t have the money we need to cover all of our expenses at this time, if it weren’t for those generous monthly contributions, we wouldn’t have the day to day funds to keep stocked on basic food and medicine. Thank you. If you’d like to become a monthly sustainer, follow this link.

Our water bill, our rent, our electric bill, our small staff – each of these are mission critical expenses that can’t be paid without your financial support. Please help. Donate today! Thank you for keeping our doors open!

Month: August 2019

Avian Botulism Outbreak at the Lower Klamath Basin: BAX Responds

A very busy Summer means critical need for your Support!