CALLING FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION

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Cryptosporidium August 2009

What is Cryptosporidium?
Cryptosporidium is a one-celled parasite that can cause a gastrointestinal illness called cryptosporidiosis.
Where does it come from?
Cryptosporidium occurs in the feces of infected animals or humans. It is environmentally resistant and may survive outside the body for long periods of time. To become infected, a person must consume contaminated food or water, including from streams or rivers.
What are the symptoms of cryptosporidiosis?
Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headaches, nausea, vomiting and a low-grade fever. These symptoms can last for weeks and may result in weight loss and dehydration. Symptoms are more severe for people with weakened immune systems and can lead to death.
Who are people with weakened immune systems?
Those on chemotherapy, organ or bone marrow recipients, persons with HIV or AIDS, malnourished children, the very young and the very old.
When do symptoms appear?
From two to 12 days after ingestion. The average is seven days.
How is it spread?
A person can be infected by consuming contaminated water or food. Direct or hand-to-mouth transfer of the parasite from human or animal feces can also cause infection. Streams or lakes may be contaminated by animal feces and infect swimmers or hikers drinking untreated water.
What is the treatment for cryptosporidiosis?
If you think you may have cryptosporidiosis, see a health care provider, especially if you have a weakened immune system. For people with healthy immune systems, most recover without treatment; however, treatment is available that may reduce symptoms
Who is at risk?
Anyone exposed to feces is at risk. This include those drinking contaminated water while camping or traveling, child care workers, young children who attend child care centers, persons exposed to human feces by sexual contact, and caregivers who might come in contact with feces while caring for a person infected with cryptosporidiosis. Farm animals and farm products (unpasteurized apple cider) have caused exposures. Children are especially susceptible because they put so many things into their mouths.
How common is cryptosporidiosis in Washington?
Cryptosporidiosis became a reportable illness in Washington in 2001. Originally considered a parasite of animals, reptiles and birds, it first was detected as a source of illness for humans in 1976. Health officials now believe Cryptosporidium has been causing human illnesses for a long time, but it was overlooked due to difficulties in testing and diagnosis. A specific parasite test for Cryptosporidium can be done at the request of a health care provider.
How can I ensure my water is safe to drink?
Pay attention to health advisories and boil water notices. To ensure your drinking water is safe during boil water notices, always boil, filter or use bottled water:
Boiling water is the best way to ensure your water is free of Cryptosporidium and other microorganisms. Bring the water to a rolling boil for one minute. After it cools, put it in the refrigerator in clean bottles or pitchers with a lid. Use boiled water to brush your teeth, make ice, rinse food that will not be cooked and to make baby formula or coffee (coffee makers do not get hot enough to kill Cryptosporidium).
Water filters can collect Cryptosporidium and other microorganisms from the water, but may not be as effective as boiling. Read the water filter label. Only those with the following messages are effective for Cryptosporidium: "Tested and certified by NSF standard 53 for cyst removal," "Tested and certified by NSF standard 53 for cyst reduction," "Reverse osmosis," "Absolute micron size of one micron or smaller." To find out if a particular filter removes Cryptosporidium, contact NSF International (3475 Plymouth Road, PO Box 130140, Ann Arbor, MI, 48113-0140, 1-800-673-8010, fax: 1-313-769-0109), an independent testing group. Ask for a list of "Standard 53 Cyst Filters."
Bottled water may be a reasonable alternative to tap water, but the origin, quality and treatment of water before it is bottled varies considerably among companies and even among brands of water produced by the same company. Generally, water that is labeled as follows is free of Cryptosporidium: "Reverse osmosis treated," "Distilled," "Filtered through an absolute one micron or smaller filter." Carbonated water in cans or bottles is usually filtered or heated enough to remove Cryptosporidium. Fountain drinks made from tap water should be avoided during boil water notices.
What else can I do to avoid cryptosporidiosis?
The single, most effective way to avoid illness is to wash your hands often with soap and water. During boil water advisories, use water that has been boiled and cooled, filtered or safely bottled for washing dishes, fruits and vegetables.
Always wash your hands before handling food and dishes and after using the toilet, gardening, changing diapers or handling pets or farm animals, particularly young animals like calves.
Wash fruits and vegetables with safe water, especially if you plan to eat them raw. You can also peel fruit that you will not cook.
Never cook for other people if you have diarrhea.
Avoid unpasteurized milk or dairy products and unpasteurized juices. Cooking kills Cryptosporidium and other microorganisms.
Do not swim in public pools or lakes if you have diarrhea.
Don't swallow any water from lakes, rivers, pools or jacuzzis. Water swallowed accidentally while swimming may contain the organism.
Take care when traveling in developing countries. Foods and drinks, in particular raw fruits and vegetables, tap water or ice made from tap water, unpasteurized milk or dairy products, and items from street vendors may be contaminated with Cryptosporidium. Talk to your health care provider about other precautions you may want to take when traveling abroad.
Are these recommendations sufficient for people with weak immune systems?
For most people, yes. However, persons with AIDS should use disposable gloves or have someone else who is not HIV positive change the cartridges on their water filter. Because of other infections the same precautions should be taken with cat litter boxes, or for contact with wild birds, wild animals, or farm animals.
Where can I get more information?
For more information, call Communicable Disease Epidemiology (206) 418-5500 or toll-free 877-539-4344.
Documents posted in .pdf version on the Department of Health Web site will be made available in an alternative format on request to users who are unable to download or view .pdf files on the Web.

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The Madrill

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HABITS
Like others species of baboon, mandrills are sociable animals, living in groups which may number from fifteen to 200 members. Each group contains at least one adult male, five or more adult females, and their young. Some males live alone, which indicates the likelihood of rivalry between adult males for the leadership of the groups. Madrills spend most of the day foraging in the forest for food. While foraging, the animals keep in verbal contact with one another by making grunting and crowing sounds. They also alert one another to possible predators, such as leopards or snakes.
At intervals during the day, the group will rest. Adults groom each other while the young Play.

BREEDING

The dominant male has access to all the females in his harem, and he is most likely to father offspring. He mates randomly with the females when they are in estrus. During estrus, the female's sex organs become swollen, indicating that she is ready to mate.
A single young is born 7 months later. It suckles the mother's milk and travels everywhere with her, clinging tightly to her chest. Gradually, the young mandrill will begin to explore its surroundings.
Female mandrills usually remain in the group into which they were born, but as the young males reach maturity, they must often leave the group.
FOOD & FEEDING
Mandrills eat fruits, leaves, roots, seeds. insects, eggs and small animals. Led by the adult males, they begin foraging for food on the ground under stones and among vegetation.
Fruit trees are another source of food for the mandrill. Large groups of mandrills, together with other species of monkey, will converge on the trees and feed on the fruit. Within their home range, mandrills are alert to the seasonal sources of food. The mandrill is adept at foraging for food because its fingers work in a coordinated fashion. The mandrill can dig, sort, prepare food, and transfer it to its mouth.
FEATURES OF THE MANDRILL
The adult male displays vivid coloration on his face and rump in hues of blue, red, and purple. The coloration helps mandrills to identify one another when they are foraging. The male also has long, powerful canine teeth.Female and young mandrills are much less colorful than the adult male, their faces are grayish black and lack any bright shades of color. Females are half the size and weight of males.Young mandrills of both sexes have the same coloration as adult females. Males attain their full coloration when they are sexually mature.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Height Male, 28-30 in.
Tail length: 2-3 in.
Weight: Up to 120lb. Females are half the size and weight of males.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: At least 4 years. Breeding season: Females come into estrus every 33 days.
Gestation: 30 weeks.
No. of young:1.
LIFESTYLE
Call: 3 calls: for contact, alarm, and banding together.
Habit: Sociable, diurnal.
Diet: Plants, fruits, roots, seeds, insects, small mammals.
Lifespan: Up to 46 years.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 7 species of baboon.
Closely related to the mandrill is
the drill, Papio leucophaeus.
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INSECTS - PRAYING MANTIS

The Praying Mantis is truly a most remarkable creature with a striking appearance and curious habits! Over the past few years, populations appear to be increasing throughout Ohio. More and more inquiries are received at the Ohio State University Extension Entomology office regarding biology and life cycle of this beneficial insect. They do not bite humans, damage household furnishings, nor spread disease. However, when handled, their spiny-like forelegs can be readily felt as a sharp pinch. Praying Mantises, which are in the Mantids family, are most commonly seen in late September and early October either resting on a plant or fluttering through the air, sometimes mistaken for a hummingbird. Some appear to resemble leaves or flowers in shape and color.

Coyotes #1

The coyote, or "little wolf" as the Native Americans callit, is a member of the dog family. It is the topic of many Native American folklore tales. Its name comes from the Aztec word"coyotl." Its scientific name is "canis latrans" which means"barking dog." The coyote, usually associated with the open lands of the west, is now found throughout the United States. Not native to Ohio, its presence here shows the animal's ability to adapt to new environments. Coyotes' good sense of smell, hearing and vision, along with being sly, enable them to even live in some urban areas. For example, a pair was found in New York City in the Spring of 1995. Presently coyotes can be found in all of the 88 counties of Ohio. The coyote has the appearance of a medium-sized dog or a small German Shepherd. Coyotes are about one and a half to two feet tall and between forty-one and fifty-three inches long. Weight ranges from twenty to fifty pounds. They have a bushy tail that is tipped with black. Most are grey, but some showrust or brown coloration. Coyote tracks are more elongated than dog tracks. This nocturnal animal is most active at night, but if not threatened by man they will hunt during the day. The coyote is omnivorous. They will eat fruits, grasses, and vegetables along with small mammals. The coyote has a bad reputation for killing sheep and other livestock, but studies show that livestock accounts for only 14 percent of the coyotes' diet. Coyotes mate for life. Between January and March is the breeding period. Most do not breed until they are two years old. The female selects and maintains the den. They usually dig their own dens but sometimes they use an old badger hole or fix up a natural hole. Dens are usually hidden from view. Females carry their young for over two months. One to twelve pups are born in either April or May. Pups are born blind and helpless. Both parents hunt and feed the young. At three weeks old, the pups leave the den under close watch of their parents. Once the pups are eight to twelve weeks old they are taught to hunt. Families stay together through the summer but the young break apart to find their own territories by fall. They usually relocate within ten miles. Between 50 and 70 percent of theyoung coyotes die before adulthood. Of the young that die, 80 percent is the result of human trapping, shooting, poisons, or other control methods. The coyote is capable of producing fertile offspring with many other animals from the dog family. It occasionally breeds with the domestic dog, wild dogs, and wolves. This mixed offspring has created great confusion about whether a real coyote has been seen. The only way to tell the difference is by examination of the skull. The coyotes' skull is narrower and more elongated than the domestic dog. In Ohio 98 percent of theanimals sighted, captured, or killed are real coyotes. More often you will hear a coyote rather than see one. It's howl can be very deceiving. Due to the way the sound carries, it seems as though it is in one place, where the coyote is really some place else. Coyotes have two howling seasons. The first is in January and February. During this time they are trying to find a mate by howling. The second season is in September and October. During this period the female is calling to her offspring. The young then call back in unison. After the move westward by settlers, coyotes thrived on ranchers' cattle and sheep. In response, the ranchers aggressively tried to eliminate the coyote, and almost succeeded. However, due to its intelligence and ability to adapt to changes in its environment, it has not only survived, but flourished.

Snow Leopards #2

Geographic Range
Snow leopards inhabit the mountain ranges of Central Asia stretching from northwestern China to Tibet and the Himalayas.
Biogeographic Regions: palearctic (native ); oriental (native).
Habitat
Snow leopards live in mountain steppes and coniferous forest scrub at altitudes ranging from 2000 to 6000 meters. In the summer they frequent alpine meadows and rocky areas, and in the winter they may follow prey into forests below 1800 meters.
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; mountains .
Physical Description
Mass25 to 75 kg(55 to 165 lbs)
Base fur color ranges from light gray to smoke gray, shading to white on the belly. The head, neck, and lower limbs are covered with solid spots, while the rest of the body is covered with "rosettes," large rings that often enclose smaller spots. The fur is very thick, one inch long on the back, two inches long on the tail, and three inches long on the belly. Characteristically, the tails are extremely long in comparison to other cats, measuring almost as long as the body. They use the tail both for balance and covering their body, nose, and mouth during times of sub-zero temperatures. Also characteristic of snow leopards are the very large and furry paws, functioning both as snow shoes and padding against sharp rocks.
Head and body length is 1000 to 1300 mm, tail length is 800 to 1000 mm.
Some key physical features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry .
Reproduction
Number of offspring1 to 4; avg. 2.04
Gestation period98 to 103 days
Birth Mass475 g (average)(16.72 oz)
Time to weaning48 to 180 days
Age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)730 days (average) Age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)730 days (average)Mating occurs between December and March, and most births occur after 100 days of gestation. The young are born in a rocky shelter lined with the mother's fur for warmth. The litter can include from one to five young, with the average two or three. The infants are blind for about nine days. After three months they start to follow the mother for food and are dependent on her for at least the next year. Sexual maturity is reached at the age of two years.
Key reproductive features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual.
Behavior
Socially, snow leopards are thought to be much like the tiger, essentially solitary but not totally asocial. They pair only during the mating season, when couples may inhabit a range together. Unlike many other cats, snow leopards do not roar. However, they let out a slight moan when trying to attract a mate, and individuals greet each other with quiet "chuffing" sounds. Snow leopards are primarily nocturnal but are most active in the early morning and late afternoon. Snow leopards are well known for their muscularity and agility with the ability to leap up to fifty feet horizontally and twenty feet vertically.
Key behaviors: nocturnal ; motile ; solitary .
Food Habits
Their prey includes wild sheep, wild boar, hares, mice, deer, marmots, and other small mammals. They also feed on domestic livestock. Prey is either attacked or ambushed. Snow leopards attack usually from a distance up to fifteen meters and feed initially on the chest, lower abdomen, or thigh.
Primary Diet: carnivore (eats terrestrial vertebrates).
Animal Foods: mammals.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Snow leopards occasionally kill domestic animals.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Snow leopards are important members of healthy, Himalayan ecosystems. Their presence indicates healthy wild ecosystems that are valuable for ecotourism and many other ecosystem services.
Ways that people benefit from these animals: body parts are source of valuable material; ecotourism.

The main threat to snow leopards is hunting for their fur. Snow leopard pelts are considered a trophy, and poaching for the luxurious pelts continues to be a threat to the existence of this species. Black market pelts are found in central Asian bazaars and a full length coat, consisting of six to ten full body skins, can cost around $60,000. In 1981, the International Snow Leopard Trust was created in Seattle as a non-profit corporation working on conservation of the snow leopard and its mountain habitat.
There are approximately 500 leopards in 150 zoos world-wide. Many zoos are involved in a snow leopard species survival project, a coordinated breeding program among zoos. The goal of this project is to maintain a genetically sound population in hope that these animals may someday be released into the wild. Other methods of conservation include habitat protection, captive breeding, stiff penalties for those harming them, and public education.

Snow Leopards #1

Snow leopards are considered medium-sized cats, standing about 24 inches at the shoulder and weighing 60-120 lbs. Snow leopards have an exquisite smoky-gray pelage tinged with yellow and patterned with dark gray, open rosettes and black spots. Superbly adapted for life in steep, high and rocky terrain, they have a well-developed chest, short forelimbs with sizeable paws, long hind limbs, and a thick tail nearly a meter long for balancing. Adaptations for cold include an enlarged nasal cavity, long body hair with a dense, woolly underfur, and a thick tail that can be wrapped around the body.
Endangered – Total numbers crudely estimated at 4,500-7,500. Sparsely distributed across 12 countries in Central Asia: China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Mongolia. Preferred habitat: steep, broken mountains in the alpine and subalpine zone where vegetation is sparse. Home range varies from about 10 square miles in prey-rich habitat to over 800 square miles in parts of Mongolia where prey densities are much lower. The total potential range covers some 1.5 million square miles, but it is unknown how much of that is actually occupied by snow leopards.
The snow leopard’s geographical range is most closely related to two of its large prey species – the blue sheep (bharal) of the Himalaya and Tibet, and the ibex of the Karakorum, Tien Shan, Mongolian and Russian mountain ranges. Opportunistic predator capable of killing prey three times its weight. Small prey such as marmots, pika, hares and game birds probably reduce dependency upon livestock as a source of food. The annual prey consumption of a snow leopard in India’s Hemis National Park is reported to be 5 blue sheep, 9 Tibetan woolly hares, 25 marmots, 5 domestic goats, 1 domestic sheep and 15 birds.
Most active at dawn and dusk – In the wild usually mate between January and March, a time when both sexes mark intensively, leaving sign such as scrapes, feces, urine and scent-spray in prominent locations along their travel routes. Such sign is valuable in determining presence/absence of snow leopards and establishing their relative abundance.
The primary threats to the species are illegal hunting and the sale of pelts, bones and body parts for the fur-trade and traditional Chinese medicine; the depletion of the natural prey base; retribution by herders for depredation of livestock; lack of awareness of the importance of protecting snow leopards among villagers; and habitat degradation along with habitat fragmentation.
The snow leopard’s role in the food web – Snow leopards are one of the top predators in the high mountain food web of Central Asia. The other top predators are the Tibetan wolf, and (more rarely) the endangered dhole (wild dog).
Snow leopards help to keep the ecosystem in balance by preying on Himalayan marmot populations. Marmots are important to the alpine pastureland because their burrowing aerates the soil which, like plowing, helps the grasses grow. The grasses are important to the wild sheep and goats (which are also snow leopard prey) and also to the livestock that mountain people depend upon for their existence. However, marmots have periodic population explosions, and too many marmots, which eat vegetation, degrade the alpine meadows.
By preying on the wild sheep and goats, snow leopards also help to keep the meadows healthy, because like too many marmots, overgrazing by too many ungulates kills the grass and shrubs. If predators are removed, the grassland can disappear, causing the wild ungulates and marmots to disappear, and even the butterflies and other insects that not only pollinate the meadows, but also the barley and potatoes that are the people’s staple diet.
Snow leopards are not only a beautiful symbol of the high mountains of Central Asia, they are an “indicator species.” Where you have good, healthy populations of snow leopards, you can be fairly well assured that the rest of the mountain web of life is in good shape

Komodo Dragon

The Lizard King...Among the thousands of small islands of Indonesia is one called Komodo -- a mountainous stretch of volcanic rock covered with grass, palms, and small pockets of jungle. This little island, 22 miles (35 km) long, along with a few others nearby, is the sole habitat of the world's largest lizard. The people of Komodo call this animal "ora." Elsewhere it is known as the Komodo Island monitor or more popularly, the Komodo dragon.
Oras can reach 10 feet in length and weigh 300 pounds or more -- particularly after a meal. They are the top predators in their habitat, feeding on wild boar, deer, water buffalo, dogs, goats, rats, snakes, birds, other oras, and -- once in a great while -- humans. They hunt by ambush, hiding in the scrub brush along trails and in the tall grass of the savannas. Despite their lumbering appearance, oras can move with alarming speed when they want to, lunging from their hiding places and sprinting toward their startled victims. They can't sustain a long chase, but often all they need to subdue their prey is one bite. Oras carry poisonous bacteria in their mouths so even if they don't immediately catch their prey, the attack is often fatal. Using their long forked tongues (oras and other monitor lizards are closely related to snakes), they track the scent of their prey as the wounded animal slowly weakens from the infected bite -- a process that can take several days. When the victim can no longer flee, the ora moves in for the kill. Oras are voracious eaters. They devour every bit of their prey -- bones, fur, hooves -- ripping off huge chunks with their razor-sharp serrated teeth and swallowing the pieces whole. Like all predators, oras serve an important ecological function: they preserve ecological stability by ensuring that prey species (deer, for example) don't overpopulate and degrade their island habitat.
...A Crowded Kingdom Oras are reptiles. They don't need to eat as often as big mammalian predators, such as tigers. As a result, the small island of Komodo can support quite a few of these giant monitor lizards -- their total population on the island is estimated at about 4,000 to 5,000 animals. This same amount of territory could only support a few dozen tigers. Still, these numbers don't tell the whole story. The ora population includes only about 350 breeding females. And as human populations grow, the ora's limited habitat shrinks. On some islands, the coexistence between people and giant lizards is an increasingly uneasy one. Komodo Island is now a popular ecotourist attraction. The Indonesian government is attempting to regulate this traffic so that disruption of the oras is kept to a minimum.