2012 summer.pub - Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue

C D W R * El Paso / Las Cruces
Newsletter
El Paso / Las Cruces
Vol. 23, Summer THE EAGLE 2012
Tornillo Elementary School
Third Grade Class Raises Funds
for CDWR

Page 2 C D W R * El Paso / Las Cruces

Predators, Prey and Lyme Disease
Deer ticks are aptly named, in a sense; a Northeastern deer can carry over 1,000 of these ticks on its body. But as far as
humans are concerned, the ticks might be more relevantly called mouse ticks. That’s because white-footed mice and other small
mammals, not deer, are now known by scientists to be major carriers of Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is spreading in the Northeast and the Midwest, and according to the national Centers for Disease Control,
the number of annual cases over the past decade has been increasing. However, no one is quite sure why. In a new
study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences, researchers tried to figure out what is
driving the proliferation of Lyme disease in human populations
by studying populations patterns in animals that
interact with ticks. Their study suggests that large predators
like coyotes and foxes that aren’t typically associated
with Lyme disease transmission may have a big impact
on the spread of the disease.
The life cycle of deer ticks depends on interactions
in the entire ecosystem in which the ticks dwell,
said Taal Levi, the study’s lead author, who did the research
while a doctoral student at the University of California
Santa Cruz and is now an ecologist at the Cary
Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York.
Ticks rely on “bloodmeals” from other animals to
move through their threelife stages: larva, nymph, and
adult, Dr. Levi said. When the ticks hatch into larvae, the
bacteria that causes Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi,
is not present.
For a tick larva to grow into a nymph, its next
life stage, it needs blood. If the larva gets its blood meal
from a mouse already carrying B. burgdorferi, the larva picks up the bacteria and becomes a carrier itself. It grows into a nymph
and waits for its next host so it can get the blood meal necessary to grow into an adult tick. “Sometimes one of those nymphs
doesn’t bite a small mammal but bites a person, and that’s where we get the disease,” Dr. Levi said.
While people used to blame deer for the spread of Lyme disease, Dr. Levi said that scientific evidence has indicated that deer
probably aren’t significant transmitters of B. burgdorferi bacteria because their systems tend to quickly flush it out. But “some
hosts, like white-footed mice, don’t clear it at all,” he said, which means the bacteria hang around long enough to be transmitted
to ticks.
Dr. Levi hypothesized that because these small animals are prey, their abundance – and the spread of the Lyme disease
bacteria within them – depends on the abundance of their predators. In the study, he and his colleagues did a computer analysis
of known cases of Lyme disease and population data for red foxes — a key predator of rodents — in four states with a high
prevalence of the disease: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Virginia. For good measure, they also compared deer populations
with the tally of Lyme disease cases in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York.
The models showed higher numbers of Lyme disease cases in places where there are fewer foxes. They detected no significant
relationship between numbers of deer and numbers of Lyme disease cases.
The researchers also ran computer programs comparing Lyme disease cases with coyote populations in the states where
they modeled red fox populations. As coyotes have spread through the Midwest and Northeast, they have tended to displace
foxes, Dr. Levi said.
But coyotes don’t generally pack themselves as tightly into an area as foxes, meaning that there tend to be fewer coyotes
in an area than there were foxes. “If you replace fox habitat with coyote-occupied habitat, you lose a large number of predators,
and those predators you’ve lost consumed a high number of mammals,” Dr. Levi said. So the models showed a significant relationship
between high numbers of coyotes and high numbers of Lyme disease cases.
So: more coyotes equals fewer foxes, which means fewer predators, which means more small animals are running
around that could be carrying the bacteria for Lyme disease. More bacteria is therefore transmitted to more ticks, which then
transmit the bacteria to humans. It’s complicated.
In fact, it’s so complicated that Maria Diuk-Wasser, an epidemiologist at the Yale School for Public Health who was not
involved in the study, said she was skeptical about the connections drawn between top predators and Lyme disease cases in the
study.
continued on page 5
C D W R * El Paso / Las Cruces Page 3

* WILDLIFE VOLUNTEERS/RESPONDERS *
Wildlife rehabilitation is the care of injured or orphaned wildlife for return, where possible, to the wild.
Successful rehabilitation takes a lot of time and a lot of effort.
It is challenging work, done by special people, some of whom are listed below.
EL PASO AREA
WILDLIFE ANIMAL CARE SPECIALISTS
Central/East
Bill Howe (turtles/lizards/small exotics) ............................ 772-0695
Northeast -
Charles/Carrol Bella (raptors/reptiles/mammals) ............... 751-4711
West -
Carol Miller (birds, water birds) ...................................... 584-7088
Sarah Forrestal (small mammals/birds) .............................. 588-6467
Geoff Wiseman (reptiles/snakes) ............................... 915-525-0261
TROUBLESHOOTERS
Northeast -
Joe/Inga Groff .................................................................... 755-2957
Nancy Bain ......................................................................... 822-9228
West -
Susie Jensen ....................................................................... 877-4036
Jane Poss .............................................. (h) 587-8831, (c) 390-8052
East -
Linn Anderson.................................................................... 859-5413
Debbie Lofton .................................................................... 772-6011
COOPERATING VETERINARIANS
Central -
El Paso Veterinary Hospital, 4101 Montana ...................... 566-7387
Montana Animal Clinic, 1015 Chelsea .............................. 778-9588
El Paso Animal Emergency Center, 1220 Airway ............. 545-1148
East -
Johnsen Animal Hospital, 1851 N. Lee Trevino ................ 592-6200
Americas Animal Clinic, 630 Americas Ave. .................... 858-1971
Animal Clinic, 7184 Alameda ............................................ 778-5355
Northeast -
Northeast Veterinary Clinic, 9405 Dyer............................. 755-2231
Harwood Veterinary Clinic, 4404-A Edgar Park ............... 755-5653
West -
Crossroads Animal Hospital, 4910 Crossroads .................. 584-3459
Country Club Animal Clinic, 5470 Doniphan .................... 833-0645
Anthony Animal Clinic, 901 Franklin, Anthony TX ......... 886-4558
NUISANCE ANIMALS
City: El Paso Animals Services Dispatch………………..842-1000
County: El Paso Sheriff’s Dept. Dispatch….....................546-2280
Page 4 C D W R * El Paso / Las Cruces
LAS CRUCES AREA
For all wildlife emergencies in the Dona Ana County area
please call New Mexico Department of Game & Fish at 575-
532-2100 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5p.m., 2715
Northrise Drive, Las Cruces, NM.
WILDLIFE ANIMAL CARE SPECIALISTS
Tracie Buffington (tortoises)………………………...575-644-9297
Sharon Culver (rabbits)……………………………..575-373-9802
TROUBLESHOOTERS
Abe Mendoza ........................................................ 575-382-1732
Jack Diven Family ................................................ 575-642-3603
SILVER CITY
Margaret Cejka (birds, excluding raptors) ............. 575-537-6624
Dear Wildlife Supporters,
On Monday, July 16 th 2012, at the Northwest Campus
of the El Paso Community College at a Members
Meeting with a quorum of members present and voting,
the Amended and Restated Bylaws and Restated
Certification of Formation of CDWR were each
adopted by unanimous vote. These actions update
CDWR into compliance with state and federal laws
and provides for a Board driven organization.
The Board feels that we can now properly move to
fulfill the goals and objectives of CDWR without the
encumbrance’s that we experienced in the past.
Thanks to the voting members who attended this important
meeting to adopt these two items. Thanks to
the Board Members who participated in the process.
A special thanks to Eric Pearson & Gary Williams
with the El Paso Community Foundation for their information,
assistance and guidance. And a very special
thank you to our legal counsel Marylee Warwick
Jurecky for her expertise, knowledge, guidance, and
patience in making our organization whole.
- Debbie Lofton, President

Predators, Prey and Lyme Disease (continued from page 3)
Modeling patterns can show relationships between data, but not necessarily the causes of the relationships,
she pointed out. For example, to say that there’s a correlation between the
number of coyotes in an area and the number of cases of Lyme disease reported there is
different than saying that a high number of coyotes in an area causes more cases of Lyme
disease in humans.
“What they say is plausible,” Dr. Diuk-Wasser said. But she
said she wanted to see more experimental studies performed out in the
field to support the models. The models in the study use historical
population data recorded by hunters and state wildlife management services
rather than data collected specifically for the study.
Given the health implications, “understanding the ecological
mechanisms that drive Lyme disease in nature is very important,” she
said.
Bruce Museum Collection
- By Kelly Slivka, http://green.blogs.nytimes.com
The white-footed mouse.
@]knowl_^g_m_nts
Abraham Abraham Abraham Abraham & & & & Bella Bella Bella Bella Acuna Acuna Acuna Acuna
Juan Juan Juan Juan Aguirre Aguirre Aguirre Aguirre
Patricia Patricia Patricia Patricia Alcala Alcala Alcala Alcala
David David David David & & & & Mary Mary Mary Mary Allen Allen Allen Allen
Line Line Line Line & & & & Bob Bob Bob Bob Anderson Anderson Anderson Anderson
Lauire Lauire Lauire Lauire & & & & Richard Richard Richard Richard Baish Baish Baish Baish
Jose Jose Jose Jose & & & & Gerlinde Gerlinde Gerlinde Gerlinde Barria Barria Barria Barria
Carole Carole Carole Carole & & & & James James James James Bauer Bauer Bauer Bauer
Anthony Anthony Anthony Anthony & & & & Eva Eva Eva Eva Burdett Burdett Burdett Burdett
Grant Grant Grant Grant & & & & Mary Mary Mary Mary Caldwell Caldwell Caldwell Caldwell
Shirley Shirley Shirley Shirley Clere Clere Clere Clere
Barbara Barbara Barbara Barbara Crews Crews Crews Crews
Victor Victor Victor Victor & & & & Patricia Patricia Patricia Patricia Cubilette Cubilette Cubilette Cubilette
Barbara Barbara Barbara Barbara Drissel Drissel Drissel Drissel
Robert Robert Robert Robert Earp Earp Earp Earp
El El El El Paso Paso Paso Paso Community Community Community Community Foundation
Foundation Foundation
Foundation
First First First First New New New New Mexico Mexico Mexico Mexico Bank Bank Bank Bank
Marva Marva Marva Marva Fonseca Fonseca Fonseca Fonseca
Marcia Marcia Marcia Marcia Fulton Fulton Fulton Fulton & & & & Sheila Sheila Sheila Sheila Perini Perini Perini Perini
Betty Betty Betty Betty Gallegos Gallegos Gallegos Gallegos
Ron Ron Ron Ron Gordon Gordon Gordon Gordon & & & & Family Family Family Family
Herman Herman Herman Herman & & & & Harvette Harvette Harvette Harvette Green Green Green Green
Mary Mary Mary Mary Harris Harris Harris Harris
Michaelyn Michaelyn Michaelyn Michaelyn Harris Harris Harris Harris
Rodney Rodney Rodney Rodney & & & & Herminia Herminia Herminia Herminia Hemmitt Hemmitt Hemmitt Hemmitt
Richard Richard Richard Richard & & & & Bonnie Bonnie Bonnie Bonnie Henson Henson Henson Henson
Patricia Patricia Patricia Patricia Hernandez Hernandez Hernandez Hernandez
Enrique Enrique Enrique Enrique & & & & Renate Renate Renate Renate Ibarra Ibarra Ibarra Ibarra
Kappa Kappa Kappa Kappa Kappa Kappa Kappa Kappa Gamma Gamma Gamma Gamma Alumnae Alumnae Alumnae Alumnae
Ericka Ericka Ericka Ericka Kline Kline Kline Kline
Patricia Patricia Patricia Patricia Kowalski Kowalski Kowalski Kowalski
Ulrike Ulrike Ulrike Ulrike Krueger Krueger Krueger Krueger
David David David David & & & & Ann Ann Ann Ann Kruzich Kruzich Kruzich Kruzich
Barbara Barbara Barbara Barbara Ann Ann Ann Ann Ledesma Ledesma Ledesma Ledesma
Sherry Sherry Sherry Sherry Lightfoot Lightfoot Lightfoot Lightfoot
Gracetta Gracetta Gracetta Gracetta Lofton Lofton Lofton Lofton
Carol, Carol, Carol, Carol, Ben Ben Ben Ben & & & & Chelsea Chelsea Chelsea Chelsea Lucas Lucas Lucas Lucas
Jo Jo Jo Jo Ann Ann Ann Ann Macias Macias Macias Macias
Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Martinez Martinez Martinez Martinez
Thomas Thomas Thomas Thomas & & & & Joyce Joyce Joyce Joyce McCabe, McCabe, McCabe, McCabe, DVM DVM DVM DVM
Glenna Glenna Glenna Glenna Merrill Merrill Merrill Merrill
Sam Sam Sam Sam & & & & Dorothy Dorothy Dorothy Dorothy Montes Montes Montes Montes
John John John John & & & & Edith Edith Edith Edith Oblinger Oblinger Oblinger Oblinger
Mireille Mireille Mireille Mireille O'Niel O'Niel O'Niel O'Niel
A vampire bat covered in
blood returns to the cave.
The other bats hound him
until he agrees to show
them where he got it. After
leading the pack for a
mile, the first bat suddenly
slows down and
says, “See that oak tree
over there?” “Yes, yes!”
scream the bats. “That’s
good,” says the lead one,
“because I sure as hell
didn’t.”
- Arnold Hemswork, Altus, OK
We would like to express our gratitude to everyone
who helps support our efforts. We appreciate every
gift. With your contribution we will continue to
address the needs of wildlife in the desert southwest.
Judith Judith Judith Judith Persinger Persinger Persinger Persinger
Kathleen Kathleen Kathleen Kathleen Pollard Pollard Pollard Pollard
Victor Victor Victor Victor & & & & Kathi Kathi Kathi Kathi Poulos Poulos Poulos Poulos
Joanna Joanna Joanna Joanna Rex Rex Rex Rex
Osvaldo Osvaldo Osvaldo Osvaldo Sanchez Sanchez Sanchez Sanchez
Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy & & & & Laure Laure Laure Laure Searls Searls Searls Searls
Marjey Marjey Marjey Marjey Sell Sell Sell Sell
Delilia Delilia Delilia Delilia Sigmund Sigmund Sigmund Sigmund
Richard Richard Richard Richard & & & & Rebecca Rebecca Rebecca Rebecca Suarez Suarez Suarez Suarez
Janet Janet Janet Janet Schick Schick Schick Schick Talbert Talbert Talbert Talbert
Janice Janice Janice Janice Thompson Thompson Thompson Thompson
Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Thornberry
Thornberry
Thornberry
Thornberry
Mary Mary Mary Mary Jane Jane Jane Jane & & & & Larry Larry Larry Larry Traylor Traylor Traylor Traylor
Gary Gary Gary Gary & & & & Ursula Ursula Ursula Ursula Walford Walford Walford Walford
David Byrd
It is with great sadness we say goodbye
to one of CDWR’s biggest advocates,
David Byrd, who died April 14th in Las
Cruces. David and his wife Sherrie of
32 years have been involved with
CDWR almost since it’s inception as
troubleshooters, transporters, educators.
David was a passionate photographer
and also a committed community volunteer
with human search and rescue, Las
Cruces High School athletics and any
activities his sons were involved in at
the time. He was anxiously awaiting the arrival of his first grandchild. David is also survived
by two sons, Jason Byrd and his wife Angelica, of Springfield, Virginia; Nicholas
Byrd, US Navy, currently serving aboard the USS Bunker Hill. You will be sorely missed
our friend, soar free on peaceful breezes.
C D W R * El Paso / Las Cruces Page 5

My donation will support CDWR’s
commitment to our local wildlife.
Name:_______________________________
Address: _____________________________
City:_____________ State:______ Zip:________
Phone:___________________________________
Email:____________________________________
$25.00_______ $50.00________
$75.00_______ Amt:__________
With your support you will receive a yearly subscription
(3 issues) of the newsletter
Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue, Inc.,
P.O. Box 12583, El Paso, Texas 79913
Board of Officers
President: Debbie Lofton
915-774-4221, dlofton@elp.rr.com
Vice Pres.: Vacant
Secretary: Inga Groff
Treasurer: Susie Jensen
Vacant
Board of Directors
CDWR Contact Number
915-772-6011
Educational Programs
Lorraine Snelling - 915-592-9642
Newsletter Editor
Susie Jensen
P.O. Box 12583
El Paso, TEXAS 79913
www.cdwr.org
* CDWR *
El Paso / Las Cruces
The Purposes of CDWR
Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife
Rescue, Inc. is a non-profit 501
(c)(3) organization and all
contributions are tax deductible.
NON PROFIT ORG
US POSTAGE
PAID
CANUTILLO, TX
PERMIT NO. 001
TO SUPPORT, and conduct efforts to rescue and rehabilitate native
wildlife.
TO PROVIDE, education and instruction in wildlife rehabilitation.
TO STIMULATE, awareness of wildlife conservation problems and
to explore means of solving those problems.
TO ENCOURAGE, and support scientific investigation relating to
rehabilitation and conservation of native wildlife and its habitats.
TO WORK, for the reduction of pressures on native wildlife from
domestic animals and humans.