Utah Wildlife Kill Records Obtained

Several dozen pages of records responsive to bird kills at the Great Salt Lake were obtained in March from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR). A request was submitted under the Government Records Access and Management Act after Expanding Frontiers Research Executive Director Erica Lukes alerted this writer to news reports indicating some 25,000 birds were killed by avian flu within the lake. The DWR response includes diagnostic reports, press releases and inner-agency emails, as well as email exchanges with media outlets and concerned residents seeking to better understand the circumstances.

Material distributed by the Utah DWR and included in a March response to an EFR records request

The records indicate an estimated 25,000 mostly eared grebes were killed between November and January. Deaths were attributed to avian flu. The severe avian flu season consisted of highly contagious viruses such as H5N1, particularly deadly to chickens and wild birds.

Diagnostic reports and emails obtained also indicate botulism Type C accounted for thousands more bird deaths in recent years past. The affected bird populations include a variety of types of waterfowls.

Avian botulism is caused by a toxin extremely potent to birds that is produced by a bacterium (Clostridium botulinum). Though not contagious, it can cause sudden die-offs when conditions are favorable for it to thrive. These conditions may include pervasive drought, impacted water levels and the resulting state of wetlands which attract birds.

EFR obtained additional records from DWR in September when Erica Lukes became aware of other wildlife death in Utah. Beavers were found dead in multiple locations. The cause of deaths included Tularemia, a fever resulting from a bacterium (Francisella tularensis). Records obtained include test results and locations of the dead animals, among other information.