news // no. 4

Salmonella outbreak spreads across birds of BC

» And other reasons why the songbird population is declining

Jessica Berget Assistant Editor

hile us humans deal with our own infectious virus, BC birds are dealing with a pandemic of their own.

On January u, CTV News BC reports across the Pacific Northwest (from BC to Oregon) have seen a sharp uptick in the amount of sick and dying birds found, as also reported by the BC Wildlife Rescue Association (BCWRA) and the Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (ARC). All these deaths can be linked to a salmonella outbreak which is spread by birdbaths and feeders, which is why the BCWRA is asking people to thoroughly clean or remove them from their gardens.

The birds most vulnerable to this disease outbreak are Pine Siskins—which are identified by their pointed bills and yellow points on wings and tails. Because they are a social creatures, they travel in large groups and the disease is easily spread; when one bird gets sick, they all get sick.

In 2020, the BCWRA reported 127 Pine Siskin admissions for salmonella poisoning; just in December there were 75 birds admitted and suspected to be infected with salmonella. By the new year, 36 birds have been admitted with more coming every day. According to Wallis Moore Reid of the Wild ARC ina Times Colonist article, none of the bird admissions have survived so far because of the severity of the disease and

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low survival rate.

Salmonella is the most common reported cause of food-related illnesses in humans. Like humans, the disease attacks the birds’ digestive system—making it difficult for them to eat or digest. It can be spread through fecal contamination of their water and food or from other birds, and this is why wildlife rescue centres say cleaning or removing bird baths and feeders is vital. They also stress for

Photo by Arnaldo Fragozo

people to wash their hands after handling their bird feeders as salmonella can be transmitted to humans and other animals. Signs to look for in salmonella infection: birds will appear lethargic, weak, and fluffed up. If you see a bird you think has been infected with salmonella, you can contact Wildlife Rescue’s Support Centre at

604-526-7275.

theotherpress.ca

Another threat to the bird population are our furry friends: cats! A study by Environment Canada scientist Peter Blancher estimates that cats kill between 100 million and 350 million birds in Canada each year (38 percent by pet cats and the rest by feral cats). To compare, their second leading cause of deaths is window collisions which kill up to 25 million birds each year.

Because of the number of birds and other wildlife killed by outdoor cats, BC has considered regulating outdoor cat ownership. In fact, a ferry ride away in Victoria BC has already seen an outdoor cat regulation. All cats must be leashed when in public areas or else owners are subject to a $150 fine. On January 18, the City of Richmond also toyed with idea of cat regulating with a committee endorsing to work with the SPCA and the Regional Animal Protection Society to work on an educational campaign for cat owners. The City of Nanaimo is also considering this regulation as earlier this month they voted to go ahead with bylaws banning cats from being free to roam outdoors, despite public feedback against this idea.

In 2015, the BC SPCA found that out of 162 of the province's municipalities, 24 required the licensing, regulation, and identification of cats while 13 restricted unsterilized cats. At this time, BC has no plans to control or change the habits or routines of cats.

What's going down at Dougie?

» Events at the college (online) for the next couple weeks

Jessica Berget Assistant Editor

ile people begin worrying about the new COVID-19 strain, Douglas students can worry about new events happening this week—all online of course.

English Language Use Workshops * January 26 and February 2 at 3:30 pm

The college is hosting a number of English language use workshops to better aid students who may struggle with its use. The workshops will be providing practical information and tips to improve speaking, writing, and listening. The first workshop on Jan 26 will focus on editing your own writing in articles and the second workshop (on the second) next month focuses on the many verbs, forms, and functions of those verbs.

2021 Douglas Students’ Union Annual General

Meeting

* Wednesday January 27 at 2:30 pm on Zoom Every year the DSU hosts an AGM to provide

updates from the board of directors, vote on any

proposed bylaws, and to receive the annual report and financial statements. Students are encouraged to join and will be entered to win prizes. A Zoom link for the meeting will be sent to all students’ Douglas College email.

Bell Let’s Talk * January 27 at 4pm on Zoom

In honor of Bell Let’s Talk day on January 28, this hour-long virtual workshop (open and free of cost for students) will focus on mindfulness techniques, self-care, and how to reduce the negative stereotypes that accompany mental illness.

Workshop Wednesday * January 27 and February 3 at 3:30 pm

Every Wednesday, the college is hosting workshops focusing on academic strategies students need to be successful in their classes. Workshops will be led by Learning Centre instructors as well as peer tutors as well as a panel of tutors offering different strategies. The first workshop on Jan 27 focuses on making Blackboard work for you. The second workshop held on February 3 focuses on effective communication online.

Anxiety Workshops * January 28 at 7:30 pm and January 29 at 1:30 am Asa continuation of last months events, the “virtual calm” workshop on January 28 will be hosted by a Douglas College counselor so students can practice activities which increase their sense of calm and quell their anxieties. On January 29, a workshop on test anxiety will also be held. The text workshop will assist students who struggle with test taking and assignments by showing them tools and strategies to reduce their fears.

Career Workshops * February 2 at 10:30 am on Zoom

Just because we're not on campus right now doesn’t mean we can't still enjoy the perks of college life. As such, the college will be holding a career exploration Zoom meeting on February 2. The workshop will allow students to do assessments, engage in discussions about careers that interest them, and participate in other activities that will help students learn more about their interests and other important factors to consider in choosing a career path.