Wildlife Diseases
The diversity of wildlife forms in Alberta surpasses that in many other Canadian jurisdictions. Resident wild species can
range from ants and antelope to walleye and whiskeyjacks, and includes naturally occurring diseases and parasites.
Disease agents and parasites can raise some obvious concerns about whether Alberta’s wild species are a risk to people,
to livestock or to other wildlife. In fact, such risk is rarely the case.
By far, the majority of individual fishes and wildlife in Alberta are healthy; it’s a rare event to see sick or dying animals.
That said, diseases and parasites are a natural part of any ecosystem and the balance among all free-ranging native species.
Common Wildlife Diseases & Parasites
See below for information about some of the noteworthy diseases and parasites in Alberta and the programs that have been
implemented to understand and, if necessary, manage them.
Fact Sheet Index & General Information
A booklet on the BC Environment website providing text and pictures to help inform and protect readers from potential infection
with disease agents that sometimes occur in western Canada's wildlife.
An introduction to the fact sheets of common parasites and diseases of fishes and wildlife in Alberta.
An index to the fact sheets of common parasites and diseases of fishes and wildlife in Alberta.
Abscesses
Primary Habitat: Big Game
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #6
Anthrax*
Primary Habitat: Big Game
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #5
Avian Botulism
Primary Habitat: Waterfowl
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #4
Avian Cholera
Primary Habitat: Waterfowl
Avian cholera was confirmed in waterfowl near Calgary in February 2007. This is not uncommon in the Bow River watershed
among overwintering waterfowl.
Avian cholera is caused by a bacteria that affects the birds due to poor conditioning caused by
- difficulties finding food
- exposure to harsh winter weather
- stresses due to crowded flocks
Related Information
Avian Conjunctivitis
Primary Habitat: Song Birds
Avian Influenza
Primary Habitat: Waterfowl
Avian Influenza in Wild Birds: FAQ- Jun 8, 2006 (4 pages)
Surveillance for High Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Dead Wild Birds in Alberta– 2006
(4 pages)
To access these documents, see:
Avian Pox
Primary Habitat: Raptors and Song Birds
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #31
Avian Salmonellosis*
Primary Habitat: Song Birds
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #3
Besnoitea
Primary Habitat: Big Game
Bovine Tuberculosis (TB)*
Primary Habitat: Big Game
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #2
Related Information
Brucellosis*
Primary Habitat: Big Game
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #1
Related Information
Canine Distemper
Primary Habitat: Carnivores
Chlamydiosis*
Primary Habitat: Waterfowl
Chronic Wasting Disease
Primary Habitat: Big Game
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #10
Related Information
-
AlbertaRELM
Alberta hunters can check this website for results on deer heads they have submitted for CWD testing.
-
Chronic Wasting Disease
Learn about what Chronic Wasting Disease is, the history of CWD in Alberta and provincial CWD surveillance and response.
-
Chronic Wasting Disease – Information for Hunters
A CWD resource for Alberta hunters that includes:
- CWD Freezer Locations map
- guidelines for filling out ID labels, and deer carcass transportation and handling
- information about Alberta’s fall CWD surveillance programs
- instructions on how to submit harvested deer heads for testing
Echinococcus multilocularis*
Primary Habitat: Carnivores
Filarial Worms
Primary Habitat: Carnivores, Ungulates
Fly Larvae: Bots & Warbles
Primary Habitat: Big Game
Frog Diseases
Primary Habitat: Amphibians
Giant Liver Fluke
Primary Habitat: Big Game
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #20
A survey being conducted by Elk Island National Park to find giant liver fluke in the liver (and occasionally lungs) of
deer, elk and moose.
Hunters in the area are asked to submit the entire liver or entire liver and lung of harvested deer, elk and moose, in exchange
for a complementary Elk Island National Park single day pass.
Giardiasis*
Primary Habitat: Furbearers
Hantavirus*
Primary Habitat: Small Mammals
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #7
Hydatid Tapeworm*
Primary Habitat: Big Game, Carnivores
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #17
Legworm
Primary Habitat: Big Game
Lice
Primary Habitat: Big Game, Waterfowl
Lancet (Little) Liver Fluke
Primary Habitat: Big Game
A survey being conducted by the Sustainable Resource Development (SRD) Fish and Wildlife Division to find lancet (little)
liver fluke in the livers of mule deer and white-tailed deer harvested around Cypress Hills in southeastern Alberta.
Liver Blisters
Primary Habitat: Big Game, Carnivores
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #14
Lungworms
Primary Habitat: Big Game
Lyme Disease*
Primary Habitat: Small Mammals
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #12
Meningeal Worm
Primary Habitat: Big Game
Moose Flies
Primary Habitat: Big Game
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #30
Moose Measles
Primary Habitat: Big Game, Carnivores
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #16
Newcastle Disease Virus*
Primary Habitat: Waterfowl
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #25
Parvovirus
Primary Habitat: Carnivores
Rabbit Blisters
Primary Habitat: Hares, Rabbits, Carnivores
What's Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #25
Rabies*
Primary Habitat: Carnivores, Other Mammals
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #13
Wildlife Info Bulletin #5
Related Information
Ringworm *
Primary Habitat: Big Game
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #19
Saprolegniosis
Primary Habitat: Fish
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #29
Sarcocystis
Primary Habitat: Big Game, Waterfowl
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #11
Sarcoptic Mange *
Primary Habitat: Carnivores
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #9
Scaly-leg Mites
Primary Habitat: Song Birds
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #8
Skin Tumors of Fish
Primary Habitat: Fish
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #26
Skin Tumors of Mammals
Primary Habitat: Various Mammals
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #24
Soremouth *
Primary Habitat: Big Game
Swim Bladder Worm (Cystidicola)
Swimmer’s Itch *
Primary Habitat: Waterfowl
Ticks
Primary Habitat: Big Game, Small Mammals
An overview of a investigation into a moose dieoff that occurred in northern and western regions of Alberta in early 1999.
One factor cited in the moose deaths was winter tick (Dermacentor albipictus) infestation.
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #23
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #21
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #22
Triaenophorous Tapeworm
Primary Habitat: Fish
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #27
Trichinellosis*
Primary Habitat: Carnivores
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #18
Tularaemia *
Primary Habitat: Furbearers
West Nile Virus
Primary Habitat: Birds
Alberta West Nile Virus Bird Surveillance Reports
These reports provide results of Alberta’s West Nile Virus surveillance programs from 2003 to 2009. To access these documents,
see:
Wildlife Info Bulletin #1: Sage-Grouse and West Nile Virus in Alberta- Spring 2004
(1 page)
Wildlife Info Bulletin #3: West Nile virus in Alberta – What Happened in 2004?– Oct
13, 2004 (2 pages)
To access these documents, see:
White-nose Syndrome
Primary Habitat: Small Mammals
What’s Bugging Wild Critters? Fact Sheet #28
Related Information
*Zoonosis – Can infect people
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Updated: Mar 21, 2012