We found RHDV2 in gulls! While the virus is likely to be dietary in origin, this suggests that birds may act as mechanical vectors for virus spread. Work by Steph Waller, @dwinter.bsky.social @eddieholmes.bsky.social @mongoosekiwi.bsky.social et al. journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

"This study adds to a growing literature showing that when we manipulate animal populations, we also manipulate the conditions under which pathogens circulate."

WOS member Silas Fischer is the lead author of the research featured here, which shows a bias in #ornithology research toward studying more aesthetically appealing birds.

Sharing our recent paper for those interested: "Modelling transmission and control of Toxoplasma gondii in New Zealand farmland" royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10....

A behind-the-scenes visit to the Hawaiʻi Bishop Museum's insect collection. Found some endemic New Zealand mosquitoes (Culex pervigilans) collected from 1960!

HPAI confirmed in Hawaiʻi. health.hawaii.gov/news/newsroo...

Avian influenza virus surveillance across New Zealand and its subantarctic islands detects H1N9 in migratory shorebirds, but not 2.3.4.4b HPAI H5N1, by @jemmageoghegan.bsky.social and others www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

New avian malaria infection records in NZ seabirds, including the first documented case in the at risk Westland petrel/tāiko. link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Rats! www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/rod...

“This confirms that while the [avian influenza] virus may have adapted to marine mammals, it still has the ability to infect birds...it is a multi-species outbreak.” www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news...

The 2023 One Health Aotearoa Symposium in Wellington was a success. We had some very good speakers, including Rachelle Binny, discussing her modelling efforts in toxoplasmosis!

Excellent talks at the 2023 Australasian Network for Ecology and Transportation (ANET) Conference here in Christchurch, NZ. Including this one by Jon Sullivan of Lincoln University, who we are currently collaborating with to investigate impacts of road-kill on native NZ avifauna.

Avian malaria! “The populations have basically taken a nosedive over the last 15 to 20 years as the climate has changed and mosquitoes are going higher and higher in elevation” edition.cnn.com/2023/11/02/w...

Here’s the #penguinpicoftheday, #PPOTD, of a gnarly tick being taken off a little blue penguin yesterday. This bird had ticks all over, including in its mouth. (With permits) we collected the ticks and will try to figure out if they are a real problem in this population, or not. 🌎🧪

- Did you know that cats are among the most damaging invasive predators in the world? - Did you also know that New Zealand has the highest rate of cat ownership in the world? (Check out our latest review to learn more!) newzealandecology.org/nzje/3550

Toxoplasmosis wipes out $12k of lambs, bringing cat control issues to the fore www.stuff.co.nz/business/far...