{"id":11627,"date":"2019-04-01T02:02:31","date_gmt":"2019-04-01T08:02:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.yellowstonegate.com\/?p=11627"},"modified":"2019-03-31T17:50:14","modified_gmt":"2019-03-31T23:50:14","slug":"yellowstone-geyser-virus-suspected-in-zombie-like-wildlife-behavior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yellowstonegate.com\/?p=11627","title":{"rendered":"Yellowstone ‘geyser virus’ eyed in ‘wildlife zombies’"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A<\/a>
A rare thermophilic virus found in the hot waters of Yellowstone National Park may be behind strange animal behavior in the region.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/span>Local and regional public health officials are working with researchers in Yellowstone National Park to learn more about the origins and life cycle of a strange virus that could be causing highly aggressive behavior in small wildlife in the park and surrounding areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

While little is known about the newly encountered, so-called “geyser virus,” park officials stress that it doesn’t appear to pose an immediate threat to human health. But they are advising park visitors to take extra precautions around any small animal that doesn’t appear to display typical signs of fear, or that shows outright aggression.<\/span><\/p>\n

Concern about the geyser virus first arose after a series of bizarre wildlife encounters involving backcountry skiers and hikers in and around Yellowstone over the winter. Visitors reported uncharacteristically aggressive behavior from a variety of small mammals, ranging from otters to beavers to pikas.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Cooke City woman snowshoeing with her dog in the Gallatin National Forest just north of Yellowstone reported that a marten attacked and killed her 125-pound Great Pyrenees<\/a>. Authorities did not initially believe that a marten \u2014 a 4-pound, 2-foot-long member of the weasel family \u2014 could have killed the dog.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A marten near Yellowstone National Park attacked and killed a 125-pound dog after suffering a strange viral infection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

But a smartphone video\u00a0taken by the woman, whom authorities did not identify, corroborated the account, prompting an investigation into whether the marten suffered from rabies or some other disease. Authorities ruled out rabies, and have declined to release\u00a0the video of the incident, citing an ongoing public health investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other recent instances of aggressive behavior by small animals in the area include:<\/span><\/p>\n