Mineral licks: motivational factors for visitation and accompanying disease risk at communal use sites of elk and deer
Environmental Geochemistry and Health
April 2014
Mineral licks: motivational factors for visitation and accompanying disease
risk at communal use sites of elk and deer
Michael J. Lavelle, Gregory E. Phillips, Justin W. Fischer, Patrick W.
Burke, Nathan W. Seward, Randal S. Stahl, Tracy A. Nichols, Bruce A. Wunder,
Kurt C. VerCauteren … show all 9 hide
Abstract
Free-ranging cervids acquire most of their essential minerals through
forage consumption, though occasionally seek other sources to account for
seasonal mineral deficiencies. Mineral sources occur as natural geological
deposits (i.e., licks) or as anthropogenic mineral supplements. In both
scenarios, these sources commonly serve as focal sites for visitation. We
monitored 11 licks in Rocky Mountain National Park, north-central Colorado,
using trail cameras to quantify daily visitation indices (DVI) and soil
consumption indices (SCI) for Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus) and mule deer
(Odocoileus hemionus) during summer 2006 and documented elk, mule deer, and
moose (Alces alces) visiting licks. Additionally, soil samples were collected,
and mineral concentrations were compared to discern levels that explain rates of
visitation. Relationships between response variables; DVI and SCI, and
explanatory variables; elevation class, moisture class, period of study, and
concentrations of minerals were examined. We found that DVI and SCI were
greatest at two wet, low-elevation licks exhibiting relatively high
concentrations of manganese and sodium. Because cervids are known to seek Na
from soils, we suggest our observed association of Mn with DVI and SCI was a
likely consequence of deer and elk seeking supplemental dietary Na.
Additionally, highly utilized licks such as these provide an area of
concentrated cervid occupation and interaction, thus increasing risk for
environmental transmission of infectious pathogens such as chronic wasting
disease, which has been shown to be shed in the saliva, urine, and feces of
infected cervids.
Elk and Deer Use of Mineral Licks: Implications for Disease Transmission
Kurt C. VerCauteren1*, Michael J. Lavelle1, Gregory E. Phillips1, Justin W.
Fischer1, and Randal S. Stahl1 1United States Department of Agriculture, Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife
Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521-2154, USA
*Cooresponding author e-mail: kurt.c.vercauteren@aphis.usda.gov
North American cervids require and actively seek out minerals to satisfy
physiological requirements. Minerals required by free-ranging cervids exist
within natural and artificial mineral licks that commonly serve as focal sites
for cervids. Ingestion of soils contaminated with the agent that causes chronic
wasting disease (CWD) may result in risk of contracting CWD. Our objective was
to evaluate the extent and nature of use of mineral licks by CWD-susceptible
cervid species. We used animal-activated cameras to monitor use of 18 mineral
licks between 1 June and 16 October 2006 in Rocky Mountain National Park,
north-central Colorado. We also assessed mineral concentrations at mineral licks
to evaluate correlations between visitation rates and site-specific
characteristics. We collected > 400,000 images of which 991 included elk, 293
included deer, and 6 included moose. We documented elk and deer participating in
a variety of potentially risky behaviors (e.g., ingesting soil, ingesting water,
defecating, urinating) while at mineral licks. Results from the mineral analyses
combined with camera data revealed that visitation was highest at sodium-rich
mineral licks. Mineral licks may play a role in disease transmission by acting
as sites of increased interaction as well as reservoirs for deposition,
accumulation, and ingestion of disease agents.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Impacts of wildlife baiting and supplemental feeding on infectious disease
transmission risk: A synthesis of knowledge
Friday, October 26, 2012
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CWD PENNSYLVANIA GAME FARMS, URINE ATTRACTANT
PRODUCTS, BAITING, AND MINERAL LICKS
Sunday, September 01, 2013
hunting over gut piles and CWD TSE prion disease
New studies on the heat resistance of hamster-adapted scrapie agent:
Threshold survival after ashing at 600°C suggests an inorganic template of
replication
Prion Infected Meat-and-Bone Meal Is Still Infectious after Biodiesel
Production
Detection of protease-resistant cervid prion protein in water from a
CWD-endemic area
A Quantitative Assessment of the Amount of Prion Diverted to Category 1
Materials and Wastewater During Processing
Rapid assessment of bovine spongiform encephalopathy prion inactivation by
heat treatment in yellow grease produced in the industrial manufacturing process
of meat and bone meals
PPo4-4:
Survival and Limited Spread of TSE Infectivity after Burial
TSS
posted by Terry S. Singeltary Sr. at
9:19 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home