DENVER — Late summer is the time of year when we see the majority of algae blooms in Colorado. Algae is naturally occurring, we do have blooms across the state and there are public health guidelines to be followed. Be Algae Aware, arm yourself with knowledge and know the options on how you can help be apart of the solution.
What should a person watch for?
People and their pets should avoid ingesting or swimming in water with heavy accumulations of algae.
Are some lakes more susceptible to algae than others?
Most algae is harmless and an important part of the aquatic food chain. Lakes with high nutrients are more susceptible to blue-green algae, which is the specific type of algae that is capable of producing toxins.
What conditions cause high algae levels?
High nutrient levels (nitrogen and phosphorus in particular) are the biggest factor. Warm temperatures, and calm conditions also contribute.
What can you do?
Don’t feed the algae: Nitrogen and phosphorus in excess grow scummy algae in a lake. The public can help with water quality of our lakes, reservoirs and streams by using phosphorus free fertilizers and picking up after their dog.
How do they test for it?
Colorado Parks and Wildlife goes through several steps when an algae bloom occurs. We identify the species to determine if is a blue-green algae, and if that species is capable of producing toxins. If it is potentially toxic, we use strip tests that can tell if toxins are present. The strips take about one hour to run. If the strip is positive, we work with WQCD and CDPHE for further lab testing.
Is there a safe level for algae?
Most algae is safe and cannot produce toxins. It is an integral part of the aquatic food chain.
Who is in charge of the inspections?
Each lake owner is responsible for their own lake. CPW monitors blooms in our State Parks and State Wildlife Areas, and in partnership with the Water Quality Control Division in CDPHE. WQCD monitors lakes statewide, not just CPW lakes.
What prompts an inspection, is it routine?
CPW does routine visual monitoring for blooms. If we see a suspicious bloom, we identify the algae. If the algae is capable of producing toxins we do further testing in partnership with WQCD and CDPHE.
Does it take a death to prompt an inspection?
No, the presence of an algae bloom at a CPW lake prompts further investigation.
MONTE VISTA, Colo. — A New Mexico man who allowed his dog to kill a fawn in southern Colorado has been charged with several wildlife crimes and could lose his privileges to hunt and fish, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has announced
Michael Garcia, 36, of Las Cruces, N.M., has been charged with illegal possession of wildlife, allowing his dog to harass wildlife and unlawful manner of take of wildlife. He was issued a citation by a CPW wildlife officer on July 23. The fines for the offenses are $1,372.50 and an assessment of 20 license-suspension points.
Garcia may elect to pay the fines or appear in court, explained Rick Basagoitia, area wildlife manager for CPW in the San Luis Valley. If he does not pay the fine, he will be required to appear in court on Sept. 16
“This is a disturbing case; we’ve heard from many members of the public wanting CPW to investigate,” Basagoitia said. “Information that they’ve provided has been greatly helpful to CPW efforts.
According to the officer’s report, the man was in an area near the Conejos River when his dog chased the fawn and killed it. Garcia posted photos of the dog and the dead fawn on social media. Someone saw the post, reported it to Operation Game Thief and CPW began to investigate
Garcia was working as a fishing guide on the Conejos River. District Wildlife Officer Rod Ruybalid located him, conducted an interview and issued the citation.
In addition to the fines, Garcia will also be issued 20 license-suspension points, which means he must appear before a CPW suspension-hearing officer. This is a separate process that could result in the suspension oflicense privileges from one to five years. Only the Parks and Wildlife Commission has the authority to impose suspensions.
Wildlife crimes can be reported anonymously to Operation Game Thief at 877-265-6648. Those who report are eligible for a cash reward if the tip results in the issuance of a ticket or a conviction.
LAKE GEORGE, Colo. — Eleven Mile and Spinney Mountain State Park officials are partnering with Landon Mayer Fly Fishing to host the fourth annual “Clean the Dream” volunteer event on Saturday, Aug. 10 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The volunteer event is focused on cleaning up the Dream Stream, a Gold Medal water on the Charlie Meyers State Wildlife Area that is the section of the South Platte River between Spinney Mountain Reservoir and Elevenmile Reservoir. The Dream Stream is famous for its runs of rainbow and cutthroat trout in the spring and brown trout and kokanee salmon in the fall.
“This is our way of giving back to a river that provides so many anglers such great rewards,” said Park Ranger Kasey McClurg.
CPW is expecting a very large number volunteers from across the country to participate in the event and keep the Gold Medal water pristine.
Participants are asked to meet at the Charlie Meyers State Wildlife Area parking lot off of County Road 59 near the bridge to break into groups to clean the complex.
Thanks to Landon Mayer Fly Fishing and event sponsors, free food and drinks along with raffle prizes will be provided to participants.
No registration is required. For questions, please contact Eleven Mile State Park at 719-748-3401.
NATHROP, Colo. — As temperatures climbed under a blistering sun, about 35 Colorado Parks and Wildlife aquatic biologists, staff and volunteers headed up a steep mountain trail last week, each loaded with large bags of water filled with 200 or so squirming, black Boreal toad tadpoles.
In all, the hikers hauled 4,600 tadpoles up to an alpine wetland on Brown’s Creek at 9,780 feet, beneath the snow-tipped reaches of Mount White.
The grueling six-mile roundtrip by the team was part of an effort by CPW, led by Paul Foutz, CPW native aquatic species biologist and Boreal toad specialist, to restore the state-endangered toad, whose numbers have been crashing due to a deadly skin fungus.
At the picturesque wetland, the hikers were greeted by University of Colorado PhD candidate Tim Korpita, who had set up a laboratory on the edge of the water. Korpita and several graduate students took possession of the bags of tadpoles and separated the black, squirming amphibians based on how far developed each was toward metamorphosis into full-grown toadlets.
After placing the tadpoles in tubs in the water, the team of scientists began preparing an experimental probiotic bath they’ve dubbed “Purple Rain” due to its purplish hue. They use bacteria native to the local biological community and naturally found on toads to increase the abundance of protective bacteria during a vulnerable life stage of the toads. Scientists hope the fungus-fighting bacteria will be absorbed into the amphibian skin and protect the toads.
After hours of swabbing and mixing, the Purple Rain solution was suctioned from dozens of Petri dishes, collected in a large bottle and then carefully poured into the tubs full of tadpoles.
Then the scientists waited. The tadpoles needed to be bathed in the solution for 24 hours before they could be released into the wetlands, an historic Boreal toad breeding site that is now absent of toads.
“This is a potential game-changer for Boreal toads and amphibians worldwide,” Foutz said as he prepared to release a tub of tadpoles, which had sleek, black heads, long, translucent tails and tiny little legs. “It’s critical we find a cure to this deadly skin fungus that is killing our amphibians.”
The release of tadpoles went on for several days and marks the first large-scale field application of Korpita’s CPW-funded research in the McKenzie Lab at the University of Colorado-Boulder.
Korpita and Dr. Valerie McKenzie and their research team have spent three years investigating the use of bacterial treatments to armor Boreal toads against the skin fungus. In their lab, Korpita and McKenzie increased toad survival by 40 percent after bathing the toads in the probiotic treatment.
The CPW staff and CU researchers will continue to monitor the tadpole’s development and metamorphosis this season.Next July they hope to find yearling toads returning to the wetland, where they will resurvey toads and check for the continued presence of the Purple Rain solution.
BOULDER — On October 3, 2018, cell phones across the United States received a text message labeled “Presidential Alert.” The message read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
It was the first trial run for a new national alert system, developed by several U.S. government agencies as a way to warn as many people across the United States as possible if a disaster was imminent.
The researchers, who have already reported their results to U.S. Government officials, say that the goal of their study is to work with relevant authorities to prevent such an attack in the future.
“We think this is something the public should be aware of to encourage cell carriers and standards bodies to correct this problem,” said Eric Wustrow, a co-author of the study and an assistant professor in ECEE. “In the meantime, people should probably still trust the emergency alerts they see on their phones.”
Wustrow said that he and colleagues Sangtae Ha and Dirk Grunwald decided to pursue the project, in part, because of a real-life event.
In January 2018, months before the first presidential alert test went out, millions of Hawaiians received a similar, but seemingly genuine, message on their phones: someone had launched a ballistic missile attack on the state.
It was, of course, a mistake, but that event made the CU Boulder team wonder: How secure are such emergency alerts?
The answer, at least for presidentially-authorized alerts, hinges on where you look.
“Sending the emergency alert from the government to the cell towers is reasonably secure,” said co-author Sangtae Ha, an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science. “But there are huge vulnerabilities between the cell tower and the users.”
Ha explained that because the government wants presidential alerts to reach as many cell phones as possible, it takes a broad approach to broadcasting these alerts—sending messages through a distinct channel to every device in range of a cell tower.
He and his colleagues discovered that hackers could exploit that loophole by creating their own, black market cell towers. First, the team, working in a secured lab, developed software that could mimic the format of a presidential alert.
“We only need to broadcast that message into the right channel, and the smartphone will pick it up and display it,” Ha said.
And, he said, the team found that such messages could be sent out using commercially-available wireless transmitters with a high success rate—or roughly hitting 90 percent of phones in an area the size of CU Boulder’s Folsom Field, potentially sending malicious warnings to tens of thousands of people.
It’s a potentially major threat to public safety, said Grunwald, a professor in computer science.
“We think it is concerning, which is why we went through a responsible disclosure process with different government agencies and carriers,” he said.
The team has already come up with a few ways to thwart such an attack and are working with partners in industry and government to determine which mechanisms are most effective.
Other co-authors on the new study include CU Boulder graduate students and researchers Gyuhong Lee, Jihoon Lee, Jinsung Lee, Youngbin Im and Max Hollingsworth.
ORCHARD, Colo. – As part of the annual Operation Dry Water campaign, Jackson Lake State Park and Colorado Parks and Wildlife will join in the nationally coordinated effort to educate boaters about the dangers of boating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The mission of Operation Dry Water is to reduce the number of alcohol and drug-related accidents and fatalities on the water.
Operation Dry Water weekend, July 5-7, is the national weekend of amplified recreational boater outreach, education and coordinated enforcement surrounding boating under the influence. Alcohol use continues to be the leading known contributing factor in recreational boater deaths and a leading contributor in boating accidents. Jackson Lake State Park and Colorado Parks and Wildlife are reaching out to our community to encourage those who will be spending time on the water to engage in safe boating practices, which includes keeping alcohol off the boat for both operators and passengers.
“Recreational boating is an activity enjoyed by people and families nationwide. Our goal is to not only educate boaters on the dangers of drinking alcohol and boating, but also to remind them of other safe boating practices, such as enrolling in a boater education course and always wearing a life jacket,” said Jackson Lake Senior Ranger Luke Stucker. “Alcohol impairs judgment and reaction time on the water even more so than it does in a car because of the added stressors of sun, heat, wind, noise and the vibrations of the boat. Jackson Lake State Park and Colorado Parks and Wildlife want everyone to have a great summer on the water, and to do that boaters must remain sober and alert while underway.
As part of Operation Dry Water weekend recreational boating safety volunteers, in collaboration with law enforcement in every U.S. state and territory, will be out at marinas and on the water educating boaters about safe boating practices and removing impaired operators from our waterways.
Jackson Lake State Park and Colorado Parks and Wildlife are asking boaters to enjoy this boating season and help keep everyone safe by not drinking alcohol while on the water, or operating a boat after you have consumed alcohol. Use of both legal and illegal drugs also impairs judgment and reaction time and makes it dangerous to operate a boat. In 2018, 494 impaired operators were removed by law enforcement across the country during the Operation Dry Water three-day weekend.
Boaters can learn more about boating under the influence by visiting https://cpw.state.co.us/ or operationdrywater.org. Operation Dry Water is coordinated nationally by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard.
As part of the largest interventional canine clinical trial ever conducted, veterinarians leading the Vaccine Against Canine Cancer Study seek to enroll 800 healthy, middle-aged pet dogs to evaluate the effectiveness of a new cancer prevention vaccine.
The clinical trials portion of the study is led by Colorado State University’s Dr. Douglas Thamm, director of clinical research at the Flint Animal Cancer Center at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
“As one of the top animal cancer centers in the world, CSU and our team is in an excellent position to lead this new clinical trial,” Thamm said. “We look forward to contributing to this groundbreaking research study.”
Stephanie Foster, who is from Highlands Ranch, decided to see if her dog, Fraser, would qualify for the study. After a physical exam, bloodwork, ultrasound and X-rays, Fraser was cleared for enrollment in the trial in mid-May and was among the first dogs to receive a vaccination at CSU.
“One year after I was diagnosed with breast cancer, my dog Maple, was diagnosed with lymphoma. She died nine months later,” Foster said. “I hate cancer and if there’s a chance that this vaccine will prevent cancer in Fraser and we can find a way to prevent cancer all together in dogs and maybe even people, that would be a dream come true.”
Study qualifications
Owners must live within 150 miles of one of the participating trial sites.
To qualify, dogs must:
Be between 6 and 10 years of age
Weigh at least 12 pounds (5 kilograms)
Have no history of previous cancer or autoimmune disease
Have no significant illnesses that could result in a life span fewer than five years
Not be on a current treatment with oral or injectable immunosuppressive medications
In addition, dogs must be among the following breeds: boxers, German shepherds, golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers and a variety of mixed-breed dogs. See the complete list of breeds, 45 in total, on our website.
Danielle Biggs, clinical trials technician, and Dr. Doug Thamm examine a dog at the Flint Animal Cancer Center at CSU. Photo: Bill Cotton/CSU Photography
Companion dogs that meet the screening criteria will be randomly chosen to receive either the vaccine or a placebo version on a routine schedule. Study participants will live at home and visit the study site for semiannual check-ups for five years.
Patients that receive the placebo vaccine are expected to develop cancer at normal rates. The trial will determine whether the vaccine can delay or prevent cancer development in the vaccinated group.
Any owner whose dog develops cancer during the trial, on either the test or control arm, will be given a hospital credit that can be used for the diagnosis and treatment of their cancer.
For decades, conventional wisdom has suggested that a universal, preventive cancer vaccine would not be possible because all cancers are unique. However, Stephen Johnston, a professor and director of the Center for Innovations in Medicine, part of the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, and his team recently discovered a way to identify commonalities among cancerous tumors. Using that information, they developed what they believe is a potential one-size-fits-all cancer prevention vaccine.
The new vaccine, called a multivalent frameshift peptide vaccine, was effective in mice and has been shown to be safe for use in companion animals.
The road to clinical trial
After developing and testing the vaccine in the lab, Johnston needed to identify a veterinarian to move the vaccine into a clinical trial in dogs. He chose Thamm, a trusted colleague who has collaborated with him for more than a decade.
“When Stephen brought up the idea of a universal cancer preventative vaccine, I was skeptical,” Thamm said. “However, the data he has shared has convinced me that the vaccine is worth testing.”
The project is supported by a multiyear grant of $6.4 million from the Open Philanthropy Project, which granted the award to Johnston in 2018.
If successful, this trial would provide strong support for the concept of using vaccines to prevent cancer in its earliest stages and could eventually justify human clinical trials.
“This is a critical study in the evaluation of this vaccine,” Thamm said. “While effectiveness has been shown in the lab, moving immediately to a very large, expensive and time-consuming human study is a leap that is hard to justify. Testing this approach in dogs will serve as the perfect bridge to human studies. Additionally, if it is successful, we will have a new tool for cancer prevention in our pets, potentially decades before it is available for humans.”
NEDERLAND — A 69-year-old man was attacked by a cow moose while working on a ranch Thursday morning and was transported by ambulance to Boulder Community Hospital for examination of his injuries.
The incident occurred on private property outside of the town of Nederland. The man was doing property work near thick willow brush when the cow (female) moose attacked him.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers surveyed the property and found a cow moose still in the area and witnesses report seeing her with a calf recently, likely prompting the defensive and aggressive behavior. A dog was also present at the scene of the attack.
No action will be taken against the moose because this incident occurred outside of town on private property, the moose was in its natural habitat and likely a result of seasonal behavior being very protective of its young.
Although this incident was not believed to be sparked by irresponsible behavior, it does serve as an example that wildlife are just that, wild, and they can act in unpredictable ways. CPW reminds the public to respect wildlife and their space.
“It serves as a good reminder that not only moose, but elk and deer are also having babies right now, and does and cows can be aggressive when their fawns and calves are newborn and very vulnerable to predation,” said Area Wildlife Manager Kristin Cannon. “They may be aggressive towards people, but especially people with dogs, and especially if those dogs are off leash.”
Many birds and mammals give birth this time of the year. Now through the end of the month, newborn wildlife will be found across the landscape and it is important that when they are observed, that people do so from a distance and never try to interact with them.
Having dogs off leash often escalates run-ins with wildlife from just a sighting into what could be a dangerous situation.
“As people are recreating for the next three or four weeks, they should be keeping their dogs on a leash or leaving them at home,” Cannon said. “They should be aware of their surroundings and should give all wildlife plenty of space.”
One way to avoid an unnecessary run-in with a moose is to steer clear of thick willow habitat in riparian areas where they are likely to be found eating or resting. Their calves, who are born at the end of May and early June, are often lying in the willows while their mother is off grazing. Calves are usually weaned off a mothers milk after a couple months.
Last fall in response to a growing concern over an increase in moose and human interactions, CPW released a new video illustrating how people can be safe and responsible around these giant mammals.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials have closed an investigation looking into reports of illegal possession of wildlife by a university professor.
Dr. Gregory Ebel, professor in Colorado State University’s Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, was issued a citation for illegal possession of five crows and fined $208. He was also issued a warning on the other 32 crows held in possession that were being used for a study on West Nile Virus.
Dr. Ebel’s scientific collection license he received from the state in 2019 was suspended on April 22, concluding the investigation.
“Upon investigation, this case appears to be one of an administrative oversight, not an intentional violation,” said Area Wildlife Manager Ty Petersburg. “We are supportive of the academic research Colorado State is conducting with this human health and safety project.
“Given the violations that did take place, a citation was issued for the wrongdoing. Rules and regulations must be followed, but we will continue to work with CSU faculty to obtain the proper permit to allow this important research to continue.”
Dr. Ebel, in 2018, did not apply for a scientific collection permit with the state to possess animals. That came in a year when he had collected crows to be used in his study, and where the violation occurred.
“We value our partnership with CSU and have enjoyed working with its research section and many academic departments over the years,” said Northeast Region Manager Mark Leslie. “We will continue to work with them on this project and others in years to come.”
Scientific collection licenses are issued out to an individual, not to a group or research section. Thus, another CSU faculty member could apply for a permit to allow this research project to continue.
DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife is looking to involve the public in an interactive conversation and invites anglers to participate in a public meeting on May 16 at the Chilson Recreation Center in Loveland, 700 E 4th St., from 6-8:30 p.m.
Anglers in Northeastern Colorado will be adjusting to changes in lease status at select reservoirs, including the loss of the Lonetree Reservoir lease, in the coming months. Topics of the meeting will include resource-related issues, the status of leases at select reservoirs, as well as key fishing issues and initiatives, in Northeastern Colorado.
The public meeting will allow interested parties the opportunity to learn more about the status of pertinent reservoir leases as well as the chance to discuss fishing related issues. The meeting will begin with a presentation from CPW staff, followed by an open house question and answer opportunity where anglers will be able to discuss key topics with CPW aquatic biologists.
“This is an opportunity to hear directly from our anglers about the issues that are important to them,” said Jeff Spohn, senior aquatic biologist with CPW. “We are looking forward to providing people the chance to ask specific questions about fishing issues and reservoir leases in Northeastern Colorado, and to get answers directly from our aquatic biologists.”
Who: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
What: Public Meeting for Anglers
When: May 16, 6-8:30 p.m.
Where: Chilson Recreation Center in Loveland,700 E 4th St.
For more information about fishing in Colorado, please visit the CPW website.
