A Preliminary Note on Trichinosis Investigations in Alaska

Trichinosis in the arctic regions of the world has received considerable attention during recent years, particularly since the work of Roth (1948) in Greenland. In Connell's (1949) review of arctic trichinosis some Alaskan and Canadian records were included but, until now, little has been known of the status of the disease in Alaska. Information available at the present time indicates that the incidence of trichinosis is high in circumpolar carnivores and that marine mammals have a definite place in its epizootiology. Present knowledge cannot explain the survival of trichinosis in marine mammal populations, but it is evident that they may serve as important sources of human infection. Up to the present time the following mammals from Alaska have been found to be infected: From the arctic coast-polar bear, Thalarctas maritimus; arctic fox, Alapex lagapus irmuitus; red fox, Vulpes fulva alascemis; white whale, Delphinapterus leucas; Eskimo dog. From south of the Brooks Range--brown and grizzly bears, Ursus spp.; wolf, Canis lupus ssp.; wolverine. Gula l. luscus. At the time of writing, nearly ail species of land carnivores in Alaska have been examined as well as many other mammalian species less likely to be infected, including various rodents, shrews, and others.

Notes on the Nunamiut Eskimo and Mammals of the Anaktuvuk Pass Region, Brooks Range, Alaska

Covers the physical attributes (physiography, climate and vegetation) of the Brooks Range, Alaska, as well as the Numamuit Eskimo people who lived there in the 1940s and before (including information about their livelihood, history, dwellings, clothing, food, transportation and hunting implements), and includes a list and description of the mammals that lived there (including shrews, grizzly bears, foxes, wolves, martens, ermines, weasels, minks, wolverines, otters, lynxes, hares, marmots, ground squirrels, red squirrels, lemmings, voles, beavers, porcupines, moose, caribou and sheep).

Studies on Some North American Shrew Cestodes

In spite of the importance of the various species of shrews to the biotic community, several aspects of their ecology remain very incompletely known. The helminths parasitic in the more conspicuous small mammals in North America have been studied more or less completely, but those occurring in shrews have been largely disregarded. This situation is particularly inappropriate when one considers that shrews often constitute the most abundant mammalian group in a given area. We have attempted to secure an adequate amount of shrew helminth material for study, and it is the purpose of this paper to present observations resulting from this work.