Dying Eiders: Discovering the Wellfleet Bay Virus

Join Sarah Courchesne, DVM and Project Director of the Seabird Ecological Assessment, Network for an in-depth look at the newly discovered virus that may play a prominent role in the mortality of common eiders, which have often been found dead during late summer and early fall along the bayside beaches of Cape Cod. Learn more about the role of citizen scientists in quantifying the impact of the mortality and its geographic range, and learn how you can become involved in the research. For decades,… Show more Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima) have been found dead during late summer and early fall along the bayside beaches of Cape Cod. Only within the last few years has a partnership between the U.S. government, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations revealed a potential cause. A newly discovered virus, named for the Bay where it was detected, may play a prominent role in the die-offs. Wellfleet Bay Virus is now at the frontline of infectious disease research in the Northeast. Scientists have relied on reports of dead eiders from volunteer "citizen scientists" all over Cape Cod to quantify the impact of the mortality, and its geographic range. We need many more volunteers to fill in considerable gaps in our data. This presentation will outline the die-off investigation and also give interested individuals the information they need to join the ranks of SEANET's citizen scientists. Registration is required. Call (508) 349-2615 for details. See http://www.massaudubon.org/catalog/listing.php?program_code=1171-WF13WI1 for more information.

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