Background
This World Wide Web site, with its primary page accessed using the Uniform Resource Locator <http://www.umesc.usgs.gov/nwhchome.html> (the "Website"), is created and maintained by the USGS-BRD-National Wildlife Health Center ("NWHC"), an agency of the United States Government. The Website is hosted by the USGS-BRD-Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center ("UMESC"), also an agency of the United States Government.

Privacy Policy
NWHC has a clear and simple privacy policy: it will NOT collect personal information about visitors to the Website unless the visitor chooses to provide that information to it.

If a visitor does nothing more than browse the Website, read pages and download information, then NWHC and/or UMESC may gather and store certain information about that visitor automatically:

• the Internet domain and IP address from which the visitor accesses the Website
• the type of browser and operating system used
• the date and time of access
• the pages visited the Uniform Resource Locator from which the visitor arrived at the Website.

This information does not identify the visitor in any specific way. It does, however, allow NWHC and UMESC to make the Website more useful to visitors by learning about their general patterns of use.

Visitors may choose to provide NWHC or UMESC with specific personal information, via e-mail or by filling out a form submitted to NWHC or UMESC. This information will only be used to respond to the original message and to assist visitors with specific questions or concerns. NWHC and UMESC share this information with other government agencies only when the question relates to that agency, or as required by law. NWHC and UMESC do not create individual profiles with the information provided, and they do not provide personal information to private organizations or commercial marketing groups.

Use of Materials Found on the NWHC Website
Information presented on this website is considered public information and may be distributed or copied. Use of appropriate byline/photo/image credit is requested. NWHC strongly recommends that data be acquired directly from this Website and not through other sources that may change the data in some way. While NWHC makes every effort to provide accurate and complete information, various data such as names and telephone numbers may change prior to updating.

Links to the NWHC Website
Third-party sites may create links to the NWHC Website, as long as they do not replicate the content of the Website. Third-party links should not create a frame or border around NWHC content. Links should neither imply an endorsement from nor misrepresent the site's relationship to NWHC. The third-party site should not present false information about NWHC, nor should it contain content that could be construed as inappropriate, offensive, or controversial.

Links to Third-Party Sites
As a convenience to its visitors, this Website may provide links to third-party websites, created and maintained by other organizations. Visitors who follow these links will leave the NWHC Website. NWHC has not reviewed all of these third-party websites. NWHC neither controls nor has any responsibility for the relevance, timeliness, or accuracy of the content or operation of third-party websites. NWHC does not endorse or make any representations about these third-party websites, or any information, software or other products or materials found there, or any results obtained from use of those sites. Visitors choosing to access a third-party website from this Website do so entirely at their own risk.

Disclaimer of Sponsorships and Endorsements
References within this Website to any specific commercial product, process or service, by trade name, trademark, manufacturer or otherwise, do not necessarily constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government, its agencies and its employees. Views and opinions of authors expressed herein (except for those employed by the United States Government) do not necessarily state or reflect the views and opinions of the United States Government, its agencies or its employees.

Disclaimer of Liability
THE INFORMATION AND MATERIALS FOUND AT THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS," WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. No responsibility is assumed by NWHC, the United States Government, its agencies or its employees in the use of this information or related materials. Applicable law may not permit the exclusion of implied warranties, so the above exclusion may not apply to you.

IN NO EVENT SHALL NWHC, THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, ITS AGENCIES OR EMPLOYEES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THOSE RESULTING FROM LOST PROFITS, LOST DATA, OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) ARISING OUT OF THE USE, INABILITY TO USE, OR RESULTS OF USE OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE, WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND WHETHER OR NOT OTHERWISE ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. IF YOUR USE OF THE INFORMATION OR MATERIALS FROM THIS SITE RESULTS IN A NEED FOR SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION OF EQUIPMENT OR DATA, YOU ASSUME ALL RELATED COSTS. APPLICABLE LAW MAY NOT PERMIT THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THESE CONDITIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

General Terms
NWHC may revise these terms, conditions and policies at any time by updating this document. Visitors should check this document occasionally to keep themselves aware of this information. Certain provisions of this document may be superseded by express legal notices or terms located on particular pages of the Website.

Terms, Conditions and Policies adopted June 3, 1999.