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DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE
A potential anthrax outbreak in bison around Fort Providence is causing concern for some community members.

Fort Providence residents are being advised not to approach or touch bison carcasses and to report any they find to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Anthrax is the suspected cause of death of 151 bison in the Fort Providence area. - photo courtesy of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources

"They are all around us so it's pretty scary," said Chief Wayne Sabourin of the Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation.

On July 3, 128 bison carcasses were found within approximately five square kilometres during an anthrax surveillance flight in the Mackenzie Bison Range, approximately 30 km northwest of Fort Providence. Field tests were positive for anthrax, said Judy McLinton, the manager of public affairs and communications for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

As of July 9, 14 more dead bison were found near Caen Lake, 40 km north of the community, along with five at the Deh Cho Bridge construction site, two near Moose Prairie and two along Highway 3, north of the community. All of the carcasses are being treated as if they have anthrax, said McLinton.

The results from tests done on samples sent to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency lab in Lethbridge, Alta., are expected next week, she said. A reconnaissance flight of the area to look for more carcasses was scheduled to take place on July 11.

Sabourin said the department has been keeping the First Nation up to date since the outbreak started. Based on a suggestion by the department, a public radio announcement was made on the community's radio station on July 5. People had the chance to phone in and have their questions and concerns answered on air, said Sabourin.

"People are highly concerned," he said. "Anthrax is a highly contagious and dangerous disease."

In addition to being worried about the outbreak, some community members are hoping to get employment cutting the wood that will be used to burn the carcasses, Sabourin said.

When the original group of carcasses was discovered, the department activated its Anthrax Emergency Response Plan and stationed an incident command team in Fort Providence. The team includes a trained burn crew.

On the weekend, the crew began to treat each of the carcasses with a chemical sterilant, cover them with tarps to keep scavengers away and then burn them in place using coal and locally-sourced wood, said McLinton.

"They found this is the best way to do it," McLinton said.

Ten emergency forest firefighters have been hired to help bag coal, cut wood and load the materials onto nets to be slung by helicopter to Mills Lake. The process of treating and burning all of the carcasses could take up to six weeks, she said.

Fort Providence residents are advised not to approach or touch bison carcasses and to report any they find to the department. The location where the bulk of the carcasses were found is only accessible by boat at this time of the year. There are cabins in the area and the department has closed the area to the public until the carcasses are dealt with, said McLinton.

'History of outbreaks'

"It's for public health and safety reasons," she said.

Anthrax is a disease caused by the bacterial bacillus anthracis. Once introduced to an area, anthrax spores can remain viable in the soil for many years. Anthrax outbreaks have occurred in the Mackenzie Bison Range before. In 1993, 172 animals were killed. In 2010, nine were found dead. There are approximately 2,000 bison in the range.

Anthrax outbreaks have also taken place in the Slave River Lowlands and Wood Buffalo National Park.

The prevailing scientific explanation for anthrax outbreaks in bison is that during wet springs followed by hot, dry weather, anthrax spores become concentrated in low lying areas, said John Nishi, a wildlife and landscape biologist who's dealt with outbreaks in the Slave River Lowlands.

Bison come into the area to wallow and when they kick up the dust, they are exposed to the spores by inhaling them or eating them while grazing.

The anthrax activates inside the bison, replicates itself and then kills the animal through a combination of lethal and toxic factors. The increased number of spores then become dormant again.

The NWT's Anthrax Emergency Response Plan is designed to minimize contamination, said Nishi. By burning the carcasses, it destroys the spores in the animal and the nearby soil. If nothing is done, the concentration of anthrax in an outbreak area will increase.

Eliminating anthrax in the territory would be very difficult, Nishi said.

"The challenge is you are dealing with wild bison in a very large landscape," he said.

A diseased bison may appear indifferent to people, have frothy discharge from the nostrils and swelling in various parts of the body. Infected bison normally die within 72 hours.

Humans can contract anthrax from infected animals or carcasses, usually when spores get through cuts or other breaks in their skin. Anthrax infections can be fatal but can be controlled if promptly treated with antibiotics.

In the North, the people at greatest risk of becoming infected with anthrax would be those handling the infected carcasses, which is why proper techniques and safety equipment are used, said Nishi.

"For the average person in the NWT, the risk is remote," he said.

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