Guest guest Posted July 5, 2001 Report Share Posted July 5, 2001 http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20010704b7.htm Clinics to curb deadly viruses threatening rare cats FUKUOKA (Kyodo) Two temporary clinics will be set up later this month in an effort to curb the spread of deadly viruses hitting the Tsushima-yamaneko and the Iriomote-yamaneko, two endangered wildcat species. Environmentalists are becoming increasingly concerned that the two species -- indigenous to Tsushima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture and Iriomote Island in Okinawa Prefecture -- are being pushed further toward extinction by two fatal viruses. These are a feline immunodeficiency virus and a virus that causes feline leukemia. The clinics will be set up at the initiative of a group of veterinarians active in the eight prefectures of Kyushu. Groups of three volunteer vets will make trips to the makeshift clinics -- rooms to be borrowed from public facilities on the two islands -- once a month. The clinic on Iriomote Island will open July 21, and its counterpart on Tsushima will open July 25. The vets will not directly approach the wildcats, but will instead deal with house cats and strays, which have a high chance of coming into contact with their endangered wild cousins. House cats and strays will be checked to see whether they have become infected with potentially lethal viruses. The vets will also neuter them if necessary, according to the veterinarian group. A sampling of house cats and stray cats in Tsushima recently showed that 22 percent of them were infected with FIV, and two wildcats so far have also been found to have contracted the virus. The vets at the clinics will check for viruses and parasites and -- upon owner consent -- neuter pet cats and implant microchips containing such information as owners' names and the date the surgery was performed, for future identification. If any of the animals are found to have contracted FIV, the vets will call on owners to cooperate in isolating the pet in question, according to the vet group. The two clinics will operate for two years. Isao Kurauchi, head of the group, said each wildcat species is estimated to have a population of just 100. " Even if just 10 percent of the population becomes infected, the effects will be disastrous. We also want to increase awareness of the need to protect endangered species. " The Japan Times: July 4, 2001 © All rights reserved Get personalized email addresses from Mail http://personal.mail./ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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