The bodies of two rabbits found in the Callada de San Vicente ecological reserve in Ramona have been found to contain a highly contagious, deadly virus targeting wild rabbits.
Wildlife officials said two rabbits in the desert last month tested positive for Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2.
The virus does not affect humans or pets other than rabbits.
The virus appeared in Mexico և New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona և Texas before it was found in May 2020 in a Jackrabbit carcass on a private property near Palm Springs.
The California Department of Wildlife says the virus has since been found in San Diego, Orange and San Bernardino.
“Infected rabbits may not have any symptoms that could lead to sudden death, or they may suffer from fever, swelling, internal bleeding, or liver necrosis,” Fish and Wildlife said in a statement. “At present, the range of species in North America is unknown, but all species of rabbit, jackal, and rabbit are likely to be subject.”
The first confirmed case of rabbit death from the virus in the San Diego area occurred in the city of Poitiers in June 2020. Since then, Fish and Wildlife has received 103 reports of one or more dead rabbits via phone or online rabbit mortality, said Dina Clifford, senior wildlife veterinarian.
Clifford said that since May 2020, the Fish ել wildlife has been collected from various locations in the San Diego area և tested 19 rabbits. The virus was found in seven rabbits. Five desert huts, two from the Rancho ul Amul Ecological Reserve on March 18, two from Ramona, the first case from Poa, and two black-tailed deer in Santi on February 8, Borrego Springs on March 18, he said.
“The public reporting system was invaluable in allowing us to track the spread of this new disease in California rabbits,” said Clifford. “Reports of dead rabbits in the San Diego area decreased in late summer 2020, but recently they have increased again.”
This is in line with other reports, which suggest that virus transmission appears to be declining during the hottest months of the year.
Bonnie Galegos, who lives on eight acres in Ramona, said she started noticing dead rabbits on her property about three weeks ago.
He first called the San Diego Human Society, but was told he needed to talk to Pisces և wildlife officials.
“I was told the virus was very contagious,” said Gallegos, who found up to 30 dead rabbits on his property and wanted to report the virus. “If people are aware, they will protect their domestic rabbits.”
Residents who find dead rabbits on their property are advised to wear gloves or shovels to put the remains in a plastic bag, Fish and Wildlife officials said. The plastic bag should then be sealed and placed in another plastic bag to be sprayed with disinfectant.
Animals, garbage collectors և other animals can spread the virus on their feet or fur, so officials have published the following guidelines:
- Domestic rabbits should stay indoors to minimize possible contact. if they are outside, they should be kept away from the ground.
- Unusual unusual illness or sudden death of a rabbit should be reported to your veterinarian immediately.
- The virus is highly contagious and can be spread through direct contact with infected animals, their urine or feces, as well as through contaminated objects or even insects. Wash your hands thoroughly before treating rabbits, then leave your shoes outside.
- Find out the sources of your grass / fodder և whether they are close to areas affected by the epidemic.
- Keep dogs on a leash when they are outside so they do not interact with wild rabbits. Wash their paws before they come in. Keep dogs ապ rabbits in separate areas of your home.
Clifford said his department monitored rabbits in several places to find out how the virus affected populations of predators, such as golden eagles, rabbits and bobbins.
“Once the virus has been established in the wild rabbit population, ‘it is impossible to eradicate it because the virus can remain in the environment for months; it has many ways of being transmitted through rabbits,'” he said.
The vaccine available in Europe may protect rabbits against the disease, but it is not approved for widespread use in the United States. But the California Department of Food and Agriculture allows California-licensed veterinarians to import the vaccine from Europe, Clifford said.
To report sightings of sick or dead rabbits, rabbits, or pike, contact the Fish և Wildlife Research Laboratory at (916) 358-2790 or report an online mortality by visiting https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Laboratories/Wildlife-Health/Monitoring/Mortality-Report
City News Service contributed to this report.