Wild bull elk has made mid-Michigan its temporary home

 

Occasionally wildlife travel to areas where they are not typically found. A young bull elk recently has been spotted in several locations in mid-Michigan that are outside its home range.

 

“We first started receiving reports of a bull elk in Ogemaw County, and then Gladwin County and most recently near Beal City and the Herrick area in Isabella County,” said Michigan Department of Natural Resources elk specialist Chad Stewart. “We were able to confirm the locations and also that it does appear to be a wild elk.”

 

Michigan’s wild elk population is found in the northeast Lower Peninsula, the vast majority in the Pigeon River Country State Forest east of Vanderbilt. Michigan also has privately owned elk, within high-fence facilities located across the state. When a species like an elk is reported so far from its typical range like this, the first steps are to ensure it is not an escaped private animal.

 

“The privately owned elk and deer facilities are strictly regulated, and they have many requirements to ensure wild animals don’t get in and private animals don’t get out,” said Stewart. “After contacting facilities and reviewing photos, we are pretty confident this is a wild male that simply is out exploring mid-Michigan.”

 

Elk are herbivores that have a diet of grasses, twigs and, this time of year, hard and soft mast like acorns and apples. This elk would have no problem finding food, and is expected to travel back north.

 

“Typically, a stray wild animal like this will make his way back to where the rest of the herd is found, and actually where the females are,” said Stewart. “It may take several weeks to months for this to happen, so we appreciate any information on this elk and its whereabouts.”

 

Early archery deer season opened Saturday, Oct. 1, and many people will be hitting the woods and checking their trail cameras. The DNR asks those who believe they have location information or photos of this particular elk to report it by calling 231-775-9727, ext. 6032 or emailing keenk1@michigan.gov.

 

Michigan’s elk population is estimated to be approximately 1,300 animals. Regulated hunting has been used since 1984 to manage the population, locations and compositions of the elk herd. In 2016, 200 state hunters were successful in the elk lottery and received elk hunting licenses. The elk season is a staggered season, with the first elk hunt period open for a total of 12 days starting Aug. 30 and ending Oct. 3. The second elk hunt will be held Dec. 10-18.

 

It is illegal to harvest a wild Michigan elk outside of the elk range. Michigan’s elk hunting seasons are open only in select areas of the state.

 

Learn more about the history and management of elk at mi.gov/elk.

 

 

MDHHS reminds travelers to take precautions against Zika virus

Michigan confirms 62 cases of Zika virus including two pregnant women

 

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is reminding residents to protect themselves from Zika virus while travelling to places with active Zika transmission. Zika virus disease is spread to people primarily through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which have not been found in Michigan, but are common in tropical areas and some parts of the United States.

 

“If you are considering travel to a warmer destination, especially if you or your partner are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, talk to your physician before you travel about the latest health advisories and recommendations,” said Dr. Eden Wells, chief medical executive with the MDHHS.  “The best way to protect against mosquito-borne illness is to prevent mosquito bites. In the case of Zika virus, pregnant women should avoid travel to areas with local transmission for optimal protection.”

 

Couples who are planning to conceive in the near future should also consider avoiding nonessential travel to areas with active Zika transmission. Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause microcephaly and other severe brain defects.

 

To date, Michigan has confirmed 62 cases of Zika virus disease including two pregnant women.  MDHHS is participating in the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry, an effort to learn more about the effects of Zika virus infection during pregnancy.

 

All of the Zika cases in Michigan are travel related. While the virus is primarily transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito, it’s important that residents of reproductive age are aware of the risks associated with sexual transmission of Zika virus.  Zika can be spread through sex without a condom.  Most cases of sexual transmission have involved people who had symptoms of Zika virus infection.  However, recent evidence suggests that asymptomatic males may be capable of transmitting Zika virus to their sex partners. There is currently no vaccine or treatment for Zika.

 

Zika virus illness is typically mild. The most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes) lasting for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Zika has also been linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an uncommon condition of the nervous system following infections.

 

Zika virus is an emerging disease and recommendations are changing as new information becomes available.  The CDC currently recommends the following for travelers:

 

    Pregnant women should not travel to areas with active Zika transmission. If they must travel, they should take precautions to prevent mosquito bites.

    For non-pregnant women who travel to areas with active Zika transmission, it is recommended they prevent pregnancy for at least eight weeks from symptom onset (if ill) or last possible exposure (if illness does not develop).

    For men who return from travel, regardless of whether they develop an illness consistent with Zika virus disease post travel,it is recommended they use condoms and avoid conception for at least six months.

    Men who have been in an area with active Zika virus transmission and have a pregnant partner should either use condoms the right way every time they have sex, or not have sex for the duration of the pregnancy.

 

MDHHS is working closely with the CDC to find additional Zika cases in returning travelers or their partners, and is coordinating with local health departments to enhance mosquito surveillance programs. Additionally, the MDHHS laboratory has added capacity to test for Zika infection to help improve public health response time. For the most current information about Zika, visit www.cdc.gov/zika.

 

Statewide case counts and Michigan-specific information can be found on the MDHHS Zika webpage www.michigan.gov/zika. MDHHS will provide updates on the total number of cases statewide and including the number of pregnant women. Additional information about the cases will not be made available due to health privacy concerns.

 

National statistics about pregnancies and pregnancy outcomes are available on the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/pregnancy-outcomes.html.

 

For information about Zika in a specific Michigan county, contact the local health department.

 

 

LSSU has strong showing in national rating of four-year schools, regional rating of best values for dollar

 

 

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Lake Superior State University has landed in the top 5% of a national magazine's rating of best values for Midwest colleges and universities. Washington Monthly's fourth annual "Best Bang for The Buck" placed LSSU 11th out of field of 367 regional private and public schools, in with such company as the Milwaukee School of Engineering (30), Illinois Institute of Technology (18), Notre Dame (24), and Michigan State University (43).

 

Washington Monthly's annual College Guide evaluates colleges and universities across the country based on key indexes of affordability - such as net annual cost as it relates to family income - as well as by what they are doing for the country across three broad categories: social mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and service (encouraging students to give something back to their country).

 

The criteria earned LSSU 37th in an overall ranking of 237 baccalaureate-granting colleges and universities across the United States, buoyed by LSSU being placed 10th in net price for families making less than $75,000. LSSU also fell within in the Top 5% (12th place) and Top 15% (24th) for social mobility and service, respectively.

 

LSSU placed even higher in Washington Monthly's Best Bang for the Buck Midwest listing, earning 11th place out of a field of 367 public and private schools. This ranking focused more on how schools help non-wealthy students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices. Here, Lake State strengths included a fifth place showing on Pell performance and a third-place finish in net price among families of all income levels.

 

"We are pleased to be ranked as a high value institution in terms of return on investment," said LSSU President Tom Pleger about the laurels. "LSSU offers a high quality personal private-like education in a unique setting along an international border and in the heart of the Great Lakes."

 

Pleger added that many of LSSU's programs are well known regionally for their quality and high-demand graduates.

 

Washington Monthly's Best Colleges and Best Bang for the Buck guides appear in the Sept./Oct issue of the magazine. Run a Web search on "2016 College Guide and Rankings" to read complete listings online.

 

From its main campus located on the south shore of Lake Superior in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., Lake Superior State University offers undergraduate degrees in 45 areas of study that attract 2,100 students from every county in Michigan, more than a dozen states and provinces, and nine nations. LSSU offers an in-state tuition rate for all students from North America. Run a Web search on "LSSU admissions" to tour the campus and explore a course of study at Lake State.