The impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on Cape Breton Island’s bald eagle (Haliaeetus ieucocephalus) population

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dc.contributor.advisor Cameron-MacMillan, Maureen L.
dc.contributor.advisor Walsh, Elizabeth
dc.coverage.spatial Cape Breton Island (N.S.)
dc.creator Sullivan, Grace
dc.date.accessioned 2024-06-05T13:33:19Z
dc.date.available 2024-06-05T13:33:19Z
dc.date.issued 2024-04-30
dc.identifier.uri http://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/31948
dc.description 1 online resource (44 pages) : colour maps, colour graphs
dc.description Includes abstract and appendix.
dc.description Includes bibliographical references (pages 34-40).
dc.description.abstract In 2022 Nova Scotia was subjected to a widespread outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus. The eastern region of the province experienced extreme numbers of infected Northern Gannets washing up along the coastlines of Cape Breton Island. The outbreak occurred during the Bald Eagle breeding season, late May into early June, in Cape Breton. HPAI is spread through ingestion or contact with bodily tissues and fluids, posing a risk for species that scavenge on carcasses. Bald Eagles are carrion feeders and favour easily accessible and ample food sources. Bald Eagles foraged on diseased carcasses of Northern Gannets during the spring and summer of 2022, raising concern for the impact HPAI would have on the Island’s eagle population. This study aimed to (1) determine if nesting activity was lower across the Bald Eagle population of Cape Breton Island in the breeding season following a significant HPAI outbreak and (2) determine if Bald Eagle nests with a foraging range that overlapped with marine coastline had lower rates of active nests when compared to nests where foraging ranges did not overlap. Overall there was a lower number of active Bald Eagle nests across Cape Breton Island in 2023 when compared to 2022. There was no significant correlation between foraging range overlapping with Northern Gannet carcass availability and nest status. This research has the potential to inform management decisions surrounding Bald Eagles in Nova Scotia and provides a baseline evaluation of the regional Bald Eagle population response following a major disease outbreak. en_CA
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dc.description.provenance Made available in DSpace on 2024-06-05T13:33:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sullivan_Grace_Honours_2024.pdf: 618669 bytes, checksum: d76c982b2b681aa42dcd28d54b98f258 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2024-04-30 en
dc.language.iso en en_CA
dc.publisher Halifax, N.S. : Saint Mary's University
dc.title The impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on Cape Breton Island’s bald eagle (Haliaeetus ieucocephalus) population en_CA
dc.type Text en_CA
thesis.degree.name Bachelor of Science (Honours Environmental Science)
thesis.degree.level Undergraduate
thesis.degree.discipline Environmental Science
thesis.degree.grantor Saint Mary's University (Halifax, N.S.)
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