Avian Cholera Detected At Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira in Kansas

By Justin Stakes

Pratt, KS -(AmmoLand.com)- Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) staff at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area in Barton County, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) staff at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge just 30 miles to the south are closely monitoring waterfowl populations at the wetlands after dead geese were observed.

Staff at both areas picked up dead birds last week and sent samples for testing. Lab results confirmed that avian cholera, a contagious disease resulting from infection by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida, was the cause of death. This strain of bacteria commonly affects geese, coots, gulls and crows. Most of the dead birds found have been snow geese.

“We picked up about 30 dead geese on Monday, December 14,” said Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area manager Karl Grover. “Those birds had died between last Friday and Monday, so we’re seeing about 10 dead birds a day. We estimate that the Bottoms is holding between 75,000 and 150,000 geese, half of which are snows, and about 10,000 ducks.”

USFWS staff at Quivira NWR gave similar estimates. Refuge manager Mike Oldham said some geese …Read the Rest

Source:: AmmoLand