Rocky Mountain National Park to be Laboratory for New Research
落基山国家公园将成新研究实验场
Date: December 28, 2007
日期：2007年12月28日
Contact: Kyle Patterson, 970-586-1363
联系人：Kyle Patterson，970-586-1363
Contact: Vaughn Baker, 970-586-1200
联系人：Vaughn Baker，970-586-1200
In January, research will begin in Rocky Mountain National Park to evaluate procedures for testing live elk for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and the effectiveness of a new experimental multi-year fertility control agent. These studies are being done at the park to take advantage of the implementation of the recently announced Rocky Mountain National Park Elk and Vegetation Management Plan.
明年一月起，落基山国家公园将同步开展两项研究：评估活体麋鹿慢性消耗病（CWD）检测方法，并测试新型实验性多年期免疫避孕剂GonaCon的效果。这些研究依托于公园近期启动的《麋鹿与植被管理计划》。
Over the next several years, in conjunction with the proposed lethal reduction of elk, researchers will conduct studies to evaluate procedures for testing live elk for CWD and the effectiveness of a new experimental multi-year fertility control agent. Currently, there is a live CWD test effective for deer, but CWD diagnosis in live elk has received limited evaluation to date. The disease can only be diagnosed after death in elk. This will be the first time free ranging elk will be tested for CWD. According to Vaughn Baker, Superintendent, "We are excited to have Rocky Mountain National Park serve as a laboratory for the testing of a live test for CWD in elk since testing has only taken place in captive facilities so far. This could also help us determine a better estimate of the CWD prevalence of elk in the park. "
未来几年，在计划实施的麋鹿种群数量调控（捕杀）过程中，研究人员将同步进行两项研究：评估活体麋鹿CWD检测方法，并测试新型多年期节育剂的效果。目前，活体CWD检测仅对鹿类有效，而针对麋鹿的活体检测此前评估有限，确诊仍需在死后进行。这将是首次对野生麋鹿进行活体CWD检测。公园主管沃恩·贝克表示：“我们很高兴落基山国家公园能成为麋鹿活体CWD检测的‘实验室’，因为此前检测仅在圈养设施中进行。这也有助于我们更准确评估公园内麋鹿的CWD感染率。”
In the first year, while capturing up to 120 female elk and testing them for CWD, researchers are planning to administer the fertility control agent (GonaCon) to 60 elk. Researchers are already handling the elk for the CWD test and can learn more about this multi-year agent at the same time. Any elk which tests positive for CWD would be lethally removed from the population, thereby contributing to annual population reduction targets. These targets will be developed each year based on annual population surveys and hunter success outside the park. Over the next three years elk population reduction would gradually remove study elk and the CWD status and pregnancy would be evaluated. Information gained from these studies could contribute to the advancement of a test for CWD in live elk and a fertility control agent that is more logistically feasible than those currently available.
首年，研究人员计划捕获最多120头雌性麋鹿进行CWD检测，并对其中60头注射节育剂（GonaCon）。由于检测本身需捕获麋鹿，此举可同时研究该多年期节育剂的效果。任何CWD检测呈阳性的麋鹿将被清除，这有助于实现年度种群数量调控目标（目标数量将依据年度种群调查及园外猎人收获量确定）。未来三年，通过逐步调控种群数量，研究涉及的麋鹿将被移除，届时将评估其CWD感染状况及妊娠情况。这些研究成果有望推动麋鹿活体CWD检测技术的进步，并提供一种比现有方法更具操作可行性的节育剂。
Initial elk captures will take place this winter with monitoring continuing over the next three years. Most of the darting will take place in the Moraine Park, Beaver Meadows and Horseshoe Park areas on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park.
首次麋鹿捕获将于今年冬季进行，监测将持续三年。大部分飞镖捕获行动将集中在公园东部的莫兰公园、海狸草甸和马蹄公园区域。
The researchers are advising hunters not to harvest collared elk outside the park so they will be available for study. Additionally, drugs used on the elk take time to be cleared from their body and the hunter may find a tag on the elk informing them the animal should not be consumed.
研究人员建议猎人不要在公园外猎杀佩戴项圈的麋鹿，以确保其能参与研究。此外，麋鹿体内使用的药物需要时间代谢，猎杀后可能发现动物佩戴标签，提示其不宜食用。
Participants in the studies include scientists from the Colorado State University Department of Biomedical Sciences, the National Park Service, USDA National Wildlife Research Center, Colorado State University Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology; USDA Agricultural Research Service. The Colorado Division of Wildlife is participating in the study on the live CWD test.
研究参与方包括：科罗拉多州立大学生物医学系、美国国家公园管理局、美国农业部国家野生动物研究中心、科罗拉多州立大学微生物免疫病理学系、美国农业部农业研究服务局。科罗拉多州野生动物局参与了活体CWD检测研究。
