[MDOsprey] Re: [BIRDCHAT] mosquitoes
Charlie Muise (cmmbirds@yahoo.com)
Sun, 3 Oct 1999 13:28:23 -0700 (PDT)
Hi folks,
Lots of talk about the problem of Egyption Encephalitis in
New York lately. Here is my 2 cents worth.
Lets hold the train here. 4 people died in NY. That is
sad, tragic, etc for the families and friends, and I
wouldn't wish it on anyone. But think about how much of an
"outbreak" 4 deaths is in a state of many millions of
people (the vast majority of whom live crowded together in
an area with very few mosquitos, or anything else alive.)
How many people, during the same period, died of AIDS,
hepatitis, automobile wrecks and drownings? Heck, how many
were killed by domestic animals? I bet that each of those
numbers makes 4 look almost safe. I am thoroughly
unimpressed. Let's talk about something dangerous. Let's
talk about surpressed immune systems stemming from
widespread and unthinking use by people who are
reactionary, rather than wise.
(here comes the bird-related part!)
If it is true that House Sparrows are a major carrier (NOT
vector - I wish the media could, for once, get their terms
straight. Vertebrates are very rarely vectors) Then why
don't we eradicate those? Their very damaging effects on
the environment are well-documented, and they are also a
"public nuisance". Control of anials at the top of the
food chain is always easier - fewer of them, easier to find
them, relatively longer lives, smaller reproductive
numbers, better-known life history...)
While we're on the (under-spotlighted) exotic species
topic, several of the many species of mosquitos in the US
are not indigenous. Specifically, here in southern
Maryland, we have the Tiger Mosquito. A _diurnal_ (as
opposed to nocturnal) insect. In one otherwise well-run
county (which shall go unnamed, but which is named for the
Lord Baltimore's family) they spray for mosquitos - an
environmentally questionable act in itself. But what they
spray DOESN'T even kill this mosquito - which seems far
more aggressive to me, and is harder to avoid due to its
habits.
If we're so concerned with people in other countries
battling malaria, why don't we help fund some of the less
environmentally damaging, but more economically difficult
solutions? Like control of anthropogenically created
stagnant water, like positive management of NATIVE species
of mosquitovores, like finding medical solutions (vaccine?
post-exposure treatments?), or, as a very last resort, some
chemicals which are not so well documented as being bad for
darned near every animal in a 20 mile radius.
No disrespect to the many, many intelligent, thinking
people of New York State (where I once lived) but why do so
many ignorant, intollerant views rear their ugly heads from
that state?
The soapbox is now vacant.
Charlie Muise, Naturalist
--- "Donald Morse Jr." <morsedr@EMAIL.UC.EDU> wrote:
> I seen a story on an evening news cast (ABC I think) last
> week about the
> mosquito - encephalitis outbreak in New York caused by
> the rains from
> Hurricane Floyd + the previous drought. They discussed
> how mosquitoes
> pass the virus to birds - which passes it on to more
> mosquitoes (that
> feed on the bird) and eventually on to humans. (It
> mentioned House
> Sparrows as the #1 bird carrier of the virus in NY.) I
> have read in one
> of the articles I provide a link to below, that the virus
> may have made
> it to NY from a migrating bird from the south in years
> past ? .
>
> With the emphasis placed on birds as a carrier and
> indirect *spreader*
> of this virus in the program, I was wondering if this
> could lead to
> emergency control measures being imposed on birds in
> these areas?. (Not
> to mention the indirect/direct effects to birds from the
> poisons that
> are already being sprayed for the mosquitoes) I feel
> that this campaign
> to "rid the world of mosquitoes" is going to affect birds
> (and other
> wildlife as well as humans) in more {negative} ways than
> one.
>
> Birds are mentioned in the following links. At the bottom
> of the page
> enter "encephalitis" in the *search ABC news* for more
> stories on this
> topic.
>
>
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/science/DailyNews/mosquitoes990914.html
>
>
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/encephalitis990912.html
>
> I also found this article on the web about birds and
> encephalitis:
>
> http://www.wbu.com/chipperwoods/photos/encephalitis.htm
>
> I had read a book in High School by a biologist who
> studied mosquitoes
> around the world. The book's title is "The Forest and The
> Sea" by
> Marston Bates ©1960 and ©1980 by Random House Inc. ©1964
> by Time-Life
> Books Inc. (ISBN 0-8094-3561-6 ISBN 0-8094-3560-8).
> Maybe it is the
> naturalist in me or something, but this book made me look
> at mosquitoes
> differently than I used to.
>
> --
> Donald Morse Jr.
> student-Biology-University of Cincinnati/Clermont College
> volunteer educator - Cincinnati Nature Center
> New Richmond, OH. USA - Ohio Backyards Wildlife Site
> #626-Zone #6
> mailto:morsedr@email.uc.edu mailto:dmorsejr@hotmail.com
>
=====
******************************
Charlie Muise, Naturalist
Jug Bay Wetlands sanctuary
Next to the Beautiful Chesapeake Bay
Maryland, USA
cmmbirds@yahoo.com
******************************
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