GUNSTON, Va. - The old technique of a canary in a mine still
holds true in the 21st century. Wildlife may be a better early
warning system of the threat of biological hazards than man-made
detectors, according to one local scientist. Animals would be
the first to get sick in an epidemic of anthrax, the plague, the
Ebola virus or botulism. Paying attention to their response
could provide a more timely alert than the most sophisticated
technology. "If we are tuned in and paying attention to the
symptoms that can be manifested by these particular diseases, we
may well provide the first early warning of a deliberate or
inadvertent threat," says Ed Clark, president of the Virginia
Wildlife Center which runs a major animal hospital. Many
wildlife hospitals are now connected online so they can share
information with people who monitor human health, says Clark.
"In many case the problems that cause these symptoms to show in
wildlife can also affect people," he says. Clark says they can
now report such illnesses to th