Sarcoptic mange, present in one of 10 known packs in Yellowstone as of 2015

Published by

Rachel Tilseth

on

April 3, 2016

Source: Effects of Sarcoptic Mange on Gray Wolves in Yellowstone National Park. And Yellowstone Wolf: Project Citizen Science

Recent research

The dynamics and impacts of sarcoptic mange on Yellowstone’s wolves

Research contact: Emily Almberg
Project background
Sarcoptes scabiei, the mite that causes the skin infection known as sarcoptic mange, was introduced to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem as a biological control agent aimed at eliminating wolves during the predator control era in the early 1900s.
Although the mite is globally distributed and was at least present throughout parts of Canada in the early 1900s, to date, we have no evidence that it was locally present prior to its release by state veterinarians.

Following the eradication of wolves from the ecosystem in the 1930s, mange is thought to have persisted within the regional furbearer populations (coyotes, foxes, etc.) To read more from Yellowstone Wolf: Project Citizen Science click HERE. To read more from: Effects of Sarcoptic Mange on Gray Wolves in Yellowstone National Park click HERE

Wolves were reintroduced in 1995 and 1996 to Yellowstone National Park, and mange began appearing in wolves outside of Yellowstone in 2002. By the early winter of 2007, mange had invaded the park’s wolves (Fig 1 & 2).

Source and Study Shows Cold and Windy Nights Physically Drain Mangy Wolves Released: 3/29/2016 12:53:05 PM

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2 responses to “Sarcoptic mange, present in one of 10 known packs in Yellowstone as of 2015”

intelife

April 3, 2016

I will try to attach this photo I took here in AZ of one of the wildlife centers patients. This is what mange looks like.

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Stacy Gilson

April 3, 2016

I had a Husky who got this from killing rabbits which came into our yard . Our yard is fenced in. Anyway it is a horrible disease and it took our vets a couple of months to properally diagnose it. My poor girl scratched herself to the point she bled. She was miserable. Her hair was falling out and when first tested for this it was negative so I was told she was allergic to something and I began going through the tasks of trying to find out what it was. In the meantime she kept getting worse and I went to vet after vet to try and get her some relief. Finally after she had scabs going up and down her legs and down by her back the vet took another sample and diagnosed her with this mange. It took but a couple of shots of medicine and she immediately improved and healed fast. Although I was horrified that she got this I was relieved it was curable. I saw first hand how horrible this is . It slowly drives an animal crazy and it is completely miserable torture. To read this horrible thing humans inflicted on these animals is just awful. Any animal who has this should be treated and released . We owe this to them .

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