Fig.1. Saiga antelope, like these shown above, are in dire straights after a mass die-off in central Kazakhstan, likely due to an unknown disease (Credit: Richard Reading, USFWS via Flickr, 2011)
After mass die-offs due to unknown pathogens, two species on different continents are on the brink of extinction. Read about these events and other diseases which threaten animal and human populations around the world:
- A mass die-off of saiga antelopes in central Kazakhstan has brought together experts from around the world to address conservation concerns. Opportunistic pathogens and shifts in the environment have put this species in danger: “Catastrophic Collapse Of Saiga Antelopes In Central Asia,” Convention on Migratory Species (28 May 2015)
- That bamboo in your backyard might increase the spread of hantavirus, a deadly disease which can jump from mice to humans: “Ecologist Warns Of Bamboo, Deer Mice Spreading Hantavirus,” Washington State University News (07 May 2015)
- A lapse in effective control measures can catalyze a “superspreading event” for infectious diseases, such as that of MERS in South Korea. Genetics labs around the world will soon be working to sequence the virus: “‘Superspreading Event’ Triggers MERS Explosion In South Korea,” Science (02 June 2015)
- “Meat Banks” containing genetic material of rare animal breeds are safeguards against diseases and environmental problems which threaten food security: “How ‘Meat Banks’ Are Helping Farmers Preserve Precious Livestock,” Smithsonian Magazine (01 June 2015)
- Only 17 apparently healthy turtles have been recovered to save a species on the verge of extinction due to an unknown disease: “Mysterious Disease Threatens Australian Turtle With Immediate Extinction,” Scientific American (27 May 2015)
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