WYOMING — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is asking everyone, especially landowners, to report dead sage grouse so the birds can be tested for West Nile virus, the agency announced via a press release, Monday.
“While there are no signs of an outbreak, Game and Fish asks the public annually for reports to help in the management of the state’s sage-grouse populations,” the release stated. “Evidence of the disease has been reported in past years in northeast Wyoming and in surrounding states.”
West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes, and research shows sage-grouse have a low resistance to the virus, which can be and is usually fatal to the birds. Teton County Weed and Pest made a similar request in July, asking the public to report birds that appear to have died from seemingly natural causes, so West Nile Virus testing can be done.
Nyssa Whitford, Game and Fish’s sage-grouse/sagebrush biologist, said the continuous rainfall experienced this spring and summer has contributed to an increase in standing water and mosquito populations.
“We haven’t had an outbreak of West Nile in sage-grouse since 2003 in northeast Wyoming. But monitoring for the disease is still important,” Whitford said. “We are particularly interested in sage-grouse found in remote areas that have no obvious injuries that might have resulted in their death. These may occur near water holes or hay fields on private lands.”
Whitford said that obvious roadkills should not be reported. Dead sage-grouse that is discovered should be reported quickly, so testing can be done before the birds deteriorate.
According to Game and Fish, the chance of getting the virus from handling a dead bird is rare but the agency recommends that people who are willing to collect the carcasses should wear gloves and pick up the birds using an inverted plastic bag before dropping it off at a Game and Fish Office.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water and only take five to seven days to complete their life cycle, says Game and Fish. The public can help combat mosquitos and West Nile virus by eliminating standing water in places like flower pots, old tires, small swimming pools and wheelbarrows.
The Wyoming Department of Health issued a warning earlier this summer about West Nile Virus. Teton County has yet to report any positive cases this year, but WDH data suggests that upwards of 120 pools of mosquitos in Wyoming have tested positive for the virus in 2023.
