As many of you will likely have heard through the media, there was a new case of CWD reported within 50 km of the BC border in the city of Libby, Montana. An aged white-tailed doe was killed in February 2019 as she was emaciated and sick-looking. Last week, initial test results came back positive for CWD. Results of a second confirmation test are expected soon. This is the first time CWD has been detected west of the Continental Divide in Montana.
Montana is planning surveillance in the area to determine if there are additional cases and if so, disease prevalence, distribution and species affected. Fortunately the BC Wildlife Health Program is working closely with Montana in order to assess the risk and protect B.C. wildlife. Montana’s press release is attached.
Please let me know if you have any questions at this time. I will keep everyone informed as we learn more.
Cait
Cait Nelson
Wildlife Health Biologist | Wildlife and Habitat Branch
Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development
2080 Labieux Road Nanaimo BC V9T 6J9 | 250-751-3219
FORIMMEDIATE RELEASE—May 30, 2019 Libby whitetailtests positive for Chronic Wasting Disease Chronic Wasting Disease was recently found in a white-tailed doe that waskilled within the city limits of Libby. Fish, Wildlife & Parks officialscollected the doe after residents reported seeing a very emaciated andsick-looking deer. This week, initial test results came back positive for CWD. Results of asecond confirmation test are expected early next week. This is the first time CWD has been detected inthe wild, west of the Continental Divide in Montana. In accordance with FWP’s CWD response plan, an incident command team hasbeen assembled to respond to the detection. The incident command team willdefine an Initial Response Area (IRA) around where the infected animal was collected.This will include an area within a roughly 10-mile radius of the collectionsite. The IRA defines the area within which the disease prevalence anddistribution will be determined. Inaddition, FWP will collect samples from road-killed deer in hunting districts100, 101, 103 and 104. For people in the Libby area, who see a deer that appears to be sick,please call 291-6539 and leave a message with your name, number, the locationof the animal and the time you saw it. CWD is a progressive, fatal disease affecting the nervous system of muledeer, white-tailed deer, elk and moose. It is part of a group of diseasescalled Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs). TSEs are caused byinfectious, mis-folded prion proteins, which cause normal prion proteinsthroughout a healthy animal’s body to mis-fold, resulting in organ damage andeventual death. CWD is a slow-moving disease. However, left unmanaged, it could result inlong-term population declines within affected herds. All the states andprovinces that border Montana, other than Idaho and British Columbia, havefound CWD in their wild cervids. CWD was first found in wild deer in Montana in October 2017. To date, CWDhas been detected in Carbon, Liberty, Hill, Blaine, Phillips, Valley, Daniels,Sheridan and now Lincoln counties. To prevent the spread of CWD within Montana,FWP establishes CWD Management Zones in areas where CWD has been found. Wholecarcass, whole head or spinal column from any deer, elk, or moose harvested cannotbe removed from these zones unless the animal has tested negative for CWD.
I would be surprised if prion diseases weren’t already here. I’m sure animals have died in the wild from this. As well as untested animals harvested by hunters. It’s scary either way.
I would be surprised if prion diseases weren’t already here. I’m sure animals have died in the wild from this. As well as untested animals harvested by hunters. It’s scary either way.
Yup, if it is here or not, it will be soon and it is a scary thing.
Hmmmm last year I harvested a deer in eastern Alberta..I had plenty of time to look the deer over..he walked well, normal.he looked healthy and even on field dressing and later processed it for transport home.
Only many weeks later did I get a phone call that my deer tested positive for CWD.
The deer carcass was confiscated and destroyed.
Had it not been for mandatory testing..I would have processed and consumed this animal..as it looked and acted normal and exibited no signs of CWD.
Thats scary. ...imo
Cheers
Srupp
CWD is not liable to be harmful to Humans. It does not appear to be transferable. No need to take my word for it, figure for yourself. I am not worried about it, myself. That said, something of interest to keep appraised of. Hopefully just an old wandering Doe that made it a long ways.