California supports one of the greatest diversities of terrestrial wildlife of any state. However, many wildlife species have been lost or have become imperiled since the mid-1800s. Much of this biodiversity loss has been due to habitat loss caused by the conversion of wildlands to agriculture, facilitated by numerous water projects. Although certain agricultural practices can benefit wildlife, continued population growth and urban sprawl are consuming much of California's agricultural land, threatening even these benefits.

Background he integrity of an ecosystem may be measured by the health of its vertebrate carnivore populations. Carnivores influence the structure and reflect the vigor of trophic levels on which they depend, and are sensitive to the abundance and behavior of the human populations with which they coexist (Eisenberg 1989). Concern for the conservation of mammalian carnivores in the western United States has centered on two large species, the gray wolf (Canis lupus) and the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos). The public is well acquainted with the plight of these species; a wealth of popular literature on their natural history and a long tradition of folk knowledge have built a foundation of awareness. In contrast, the four species that we address in this manual, the American marten (Martes americana), fisher (Martes pennanti), lynx (Lynx canadensis), and wolverine (Gulo gulo) (henceforth collectively referred to as MFLW), are no less important constituents of their biological communities than the wolf or grizzly bear, but much less familiar. Fortunately, MFLW have begun to emerge from the shadows of public and scientific awareness (Kucera and Zielinski 1995). In the past 7 years in the Pacific Southwest Region of the USDA Forest Service, 58 actions such as timber sale appeals, lawsuits, and Freedom of Information Act requests were filed concerning the marten, 54 concerning the fisher, and 20 concerning the wolverine (lynx do not occur in California). Each species is receiving increased levels of administrative and legal protection. The wolverine is a "candidate" for Federal listing under the Endangered Species Act (Category 2 (C2)) in nine States, and listed as either "State Endangered" (SE) or "State Threatened" (ST) in three of them. A C2 designation indicates that more information is necessary to support a listing decision by the Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Department of Interior. The lynx is a C2 species in nine states and either SE or ST in two states. The fisher is a C2 species in three states and SE or ST in two. The marten has no Federal status, but is SE in New Mexico. Each species is also listed as either "Sensitive" or as a "Management Indicator Species," as provided for in the National Forest Management Act, on most National Forests throughout its range (Macfarlane 1994). Sensitive species are those whose population viability is a concern because of significant current or predicted downward trend in abundance or habitat capability (Forest Service Manual 2670.32). Management Indicator Species are used by National Forests to reflect how particular habitats or habitat elements respond to management activities (Forest Service Manual 2670.5). In the early 1990's the Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) was petitioned to list the fisher as "Endangered" in California, Oregon, and Washington under the Endangered Species Act (Central Sierra Audubon Society and others 1990), and the lynx was petitioned to be listed in Washington (Greater Ecosystem Alliance and others 1991).

Blood for serum and thin smears was collected from hunter-killed deer at 23 sites in 18 counties in Texas. Giemsa-stained thin blood smears were examined for hemoparasites, and serum was tested for antibody activity to bluetongue virus (BTV), epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), Brucella abortus and Anaplasma marginale. Of 233 smears of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from across the state, Babesia odocoilei was identified from five animals (2%) at three sites and Theileria cervi was identified from 167 animals (72%) at 22 sites. Theileria species resembling T. cervi were identified in two of three axis deer (Axis axis) and two of four sika deer (Cervus nippon) from the Kerr Wildlife Management Area (Kerr County) and three of 16 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) from Sierra Diablo Wildlife Management Area (Culbertson County). Including all species of deer tested statewide, the total prevalence of serologic reactors to BTV was 34.0% and to EHDV 32.0%, but there were significant differences among the reactor prevalence rates of different age classes. No serologic reactors to B. abortus were found. Serologic reactors to A. marginale were found in six of 20 (30.0%) mule deer in the Trans-Pecos region.