Division of Wildlife Resources biologists are urging people not to feed deer that have been driven to lower elevations by heavy snowfall in some areas of Utah.

"We're monitoring the situation closely and despite all of the snow, the deer are doing alright," said Jim Karpowitz, big game coordinator for the DWR. "We'll continue to monitor the herds throughout the winter and spring. If conditions become so severe that deer need to be fed in certain areas of the state, we'll consider starting a feeding program and let people know how they can help."

In the meantime, people are strongly encouraged not to feed deer. "The best thing people can do is let the deer feed on the natural food that's still available to them," Karpowitz said. "By feeding deer, you're doing them more harm than good."

He says several negative things can happen when people feed deer:

• If deer are fed the wrong foods, they can starve to death even while they're being fed (it's difficult to obtain food that will actually sustain deer.) For instance, deer will readily eat hay but can starve to death if that's the only feed they have.
   
• The chance deer will spread diseases increases when they're concentrated in a small feeding area. This could lead to the further spread of disease — including chronic wasting disease — among Utah's deer.
   
• Concentrating deer near roads increases the chance they'll be hit by cars.
   
• More deer fawns die than would die under more natural and dispersed conditions because the competition for food at feeding sites is intense.
   
• The natural plants deer rely on from year-to-year can be permanently damaged by concentrating deer into a small area (they still continue to eat the natural plants in the area while being fed artificial food.)
   
• Once people start a feeding program, they must continue to feed the deer until they're ready to move back to natural forage in the spring (their digestive systems cannot switch back to natural winter feed on short notice.)
   
• Nearby agricultural crops and hay on private lands can be damaged by deer that are drawn into feeding areas.

For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

7:43:35 AM    

The Utah Division of Air Quality has issued a health advisory for much of the Wasatch Front through today due to increased air pollution.  During this period, wood/coal stoves or fireplaces must not be used.  Commuters are advised to reduce vehicle use by consolidating trips.  Industry should optimize operating conditions to minimize air pollution emissions.

Sensitive individuals (those with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children) should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors. Everyone should limit prolonged exertion outdoors.

For more information, see today's Air Quality Index Report or call the air pollution hotline at 975-4009 or 1-800-228-5434.
7:37:52 AM    

Utah continues to outpace the rest of the country when it comes to having babies. A new Utah Department of Health report show’s Utah’s fertility rate is 91.2 births per 1,000 women 15-44 years of age compared with the U.S. rate of 64.8. The report, Utah's Vital Statistics: Births and Deaths, 2002, offers 100 pages of information that serves as a critical resource for business leaders, educators, government agencies and the general public.

Here’s a sample of what you can find in the report. In 2002:

• There were 49,140 births and 13,042 deaths among residents of Utah.
• 270 Utah babies died before their first birthday. That’s a rate of 5.5 deaths for every 1,000 live births, a testament to the astronomical improvements in health care since the 1950s, when 25 of every 1,000 infants died in their first year of life.
• Davis County babies were healthier than those in other parts of the state. The report shows the infant mortality rate in Davis County was 2.7, about half that of the state overall.
• The birthing process is also safer today than ever before: In 1940, 36 mothers died in childbirth. In 2002, two mothers died during delivery. The fact that Utah’s population today is more than four times larger than in 1940 makes this fact even more meaningful.
• There were 104.8 males born for every 100 females in Utah. The ratio was nearly the same in the U.S. during 2001.
• There were 52,687 pregnancies that resulted in 49,140 live births, 247 fetal deaths, and 3,300 abortions.
• Nearly 8,400 babies were born to unmarried mothers.
• There were 3,261 babies (6.6 per 1,000 births) born under 2,500 grams or 5.5 pounds, defined as low birth weight. The U.S. low birth weight rate was 7.8.

"The 2002 report has much more than just 2002 data," said Jeffrey Duncan, director of the Office of Vital Records and Statistics, Utah Department of Health. "The report contains statistics from as far back as 1940 so that you can see trends and compare changes over time."

Also significant is the report’s listing of the top 10 causes of death for Utah residents:

1. Diseases of the heart cause (22.7%)
2. Cancer (18.1%)
3. Strokes
4. Unintentional injuries
5. Chronic lower respiratory diseases
6. Diabetes
7. Influenza and pneumonia
8. Suicide
9. Alzheimer’s disease
10. Kidney disease

These birth and death data provide only a glimpse of the information available in the annual report, now available on the Utah Department of Health Office of Vital Records and Statistics web site at www.health.utah.gov/vitalrecords. The report can also be found at the state's depository libraries at universities and in the public library system.

7:10:36 AM