June 5, 2024 |
Photo – Mule deer herd – Courtesy WY G & F
Wyoming Game and Fish reports that cases of Chronic Wasting Disease cases are increasing slowly among mule deer across the state.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has released the results of Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD, testing from last year’s hunting season. CWD is a fatal disease that affects the central nervous system of deer, elk, and moose. The disease creates abnormal protein formations in the animals’ brains, called prions. These prions disrupt normal nervous system functions, and as the disease progresses, animals become lethargic and eventually die.
Game and Fish Wildlife Disease Specialist Jessica Jennings-Gaines said the state agency has been studying the spread of CWD for over 20 years. In 2023, Game and Fish collected roughly 5,100 samples from deer and elk across the state. Gaines said each year, her department focuses on specific parts of Wyoming, but will also accept samples from outside of the designated collection area.
Gaines said compared to 2022, Game and Fish collected approximately 700 fewer samples from harvested deer and elk last year. Despite a smaller sample size, Gaines said testing indicates that the prevalence of CWD has increased by around 2% across the state. The wildlife disease specialist said her agency has found cases of CWD in places where the disease hasn’t been seen in the past. However, Jennings-Gaines said the broader range of CWD may be the result of testing in new areas.
Here in Carbon County, cases of CWD have largely stayed the same. The prevalence of the disease in adult mule deer bucks harvested in the Platte Valley has risen by 3.3% since 2022. In the Baggs region, instances of CWD in adult mule deer bucks has decreased by 1.6%.
In the Snowy Range, cases of CWD in adult elk have risen by 0.5% while no instances of the disease were reported in the Sierra Madres. However, with only 24 adult elk specimens collected in the Sierra Madres, the sample size is too low for an accurate assessment of CWD prevalence.
What does the increased number of infected deer and elk mean to Wyoming hunters? Gaines said hunters are encouraged not to eat animals with CWD.
As of the writing of this story, there have been no reported cases of humans contracting the disease by consuming the meat of infected animals.
Gaines said the increased prevalence of Chronic Wasting Disease may also lead to smaller and less healthy deer and elk herd populations. The wildlife disease specialist said people can help slow the spread of CWD by not feeding the animals.
Gaines said CWD isn’t going away any time soon because infected prions can persist in the soil for years. The wildlife disease specialist said Game and Fish are doing their best to mitigate the disease through extensive testing and culling older, more susceptible animals. Gaines said the public can help to slow the spread of CWD.
CWD was first described in the 1960’s. A captive research mule deer herd at the Colorado State University in Fort Collins showed symptoms of a new form of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. The new disease only affected Cervids, such as deer, elk, and moose.
Gaines said researchers do not know when the disease appeared in Wyoming. The wildlife disease specialist said the first confirmed case of Chronic Wasting Disease in the Cowboy State occurred in 1985.
Until recently, testing for CWD could only be done on samples from dead animals. New methods to detect CWD in live animals are being developed.
Gaines said Chronic Wasting Disease is a major concern for Game and Fish. She thanked the hunters who contributed samples from their deer, elk and moose. The wildlife disease specialist said the samples are instrumental in helping to better understand the prevalence and distribution of the disease in our state.
