Suspected Ranavirus
We have recently had a report of suspected ranavirus on the main stem of the Tweed at Peebles. This is a disease that primarily affects amphibians, and is generally more common in garden ponds. Warmer weather this past week, along with the large numbers of amphibians gathering to breed, likely led to this suspected outbreak.
Amphibians which have the virus may display one or more of the following symptoms:
• Drowsiness (lethargy)
• Abnormal wasting (emaciation)
• Redness of the skin (erythema)
• Skin ulcers or sores
• Bleeding (systemic haemorrhaging), especially from mouth/anus
• Breakdown of limbs (limb necrosis)
• Eye problems
It is highly unlikely that this will impact fish stocks within the catchment, as research has shown little to no impact on Atlantic salmon. Although the virus can cause high mortality in amphibian populations, they generally recover after a few years.
Any cases should be reported to the Garden Wildlife Health Project at: https://www.gardenwildlifehealth.org/gwh-database/
Alternatively, please contact Cody (Tweed Foundation Biologist) by email at cmcfarlane@tweedfoundation.org.uk, with details of where the sighting was (such as what3words) and photos, who will then submit a report on your behalf.
If possible, please store freshly dead carcasses as these can be sent off for postmortem. Alternatively, bodies should be buried or burned. For further details regarding this, please contact Cody, as above.
For more information on ranavirus, please visit: https://www.froglife.org/what-we-do/disease-ranavirus-2/
The picture used within this post is of a healthy toad.
