A video from final Could reveals a mountain lion in Colorado struggling to face and stroll. Wildlife officers tranquilized and euthanized the animal after realizing it was very sick. New analysis from Colorado State College confirms that the mountain lion had staggering illness, a often deadly situation that outcomes from the rustrela virus. That is the primary recognized case of staggering illness in North America.
“On Could 12, 2023, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (Denver, CO, USA) obtained a report of an ≈1-year-old free-ranging feminine mountain lion (Puma concolor) with indicators of extreme hind leg ataxia and paresis,” the analysis report says. “The animal was reluctant to rise and had markedly decreased capability to maneuver or bear weight on the hind finish.”
After wildlife officers euthanized the mountain lion, researchers performed a postmortem investigation to higher perceive the animal’s situation. They discovered the rustrela virus, which researchers say causes neurologic ailments amongst mammals, together with staggering illness.
CDC defines staggering illness as “a often deadly neurologic syndrome in cats.” It’s extra frequent in Europe, the place researchers say it has affected numerous totally different mammal species, together with home cats.
Watch the video of the mountain lion scuffling with staggering illness right here:
