Columbia Valley Pioneer staff
The province of BC is taking further action to limit the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer, moose, and caribou populations.
The disease is a fatal infection that affects the brain and nervous system, weakening the animal and making it slower. It was confirmed in two deer from the Kootenay region in January 2024. However, no further positive tests were found after enhanced surveillance of road-killed cervids and a targeted harvest of 50 deer in the areas of the two positive cases. This may suggest that the disease has been detected early and is affecting a small segment of the population. But without active management, the disease will continue to spread and lead to irreversible impacts to cervid populations.
Actions being implemented include updated and enhanced hunting regulations. These regulations include mandatory CWD testing of deer, elk and moose.
Carcass-transport restrictions have been added to the regulations, measures that will reduce the risk of disease spread. Similar regulations are in place for road-killed cervids.
The new CWD regulations apply to a zone that includes 14 wildlife management units in the Kootenay region: 4-1 to 4-8 and 4-20 to 4-25. This zone boundary was defined based on animal movement, connectivity and proximity to known CWD cases in BC, Montana and Alberta.
Provincial, First Nation and local governments will work together to address the risk of CWD in urban deer populations. These populations are at high risk for CWD given proximity within the populations and their interactions with wild populations. This work will be developed collaboratively with the Ktunaxa Nation and local government. It will include selective sampling and removal of urban deer in fall 2024 and winter of 2024-25 to understand the extent of CWD.
The BC government says there is no direct evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans, and there have been no reports of cases of disease in humans. However, to prevent potential risk of transmission or illness, Health Canada recommends that people do not eat meat or other parts of an animal infected with CWD. Cooking temperatures are not able to destroy the abnormal protein or prion that causes CWD if an animal is infected.
The province says that vigilance and continued efforts toward preventative measures and enhanced surveillance are critical to limiting negative impacts on cervid populations and the communities that rely on them.
Earlier this year, wildlife health biologist Cait Nelson highlighted the concern to the Regional District of East Kootenay. In her report, she said there will be mandatory testing and a restriction of the transfer of carcasses. She also noted that roadkill will be tested. In addition, Nelson stated the importance of getting hunters on board to submit samples (heads) for testing.
Nelson said if nothing is done to curtail the disease, there will be long-term, irreversible impacts, such as fewer animals and decreased hunting opportunities.
RDEK board chair Rob Gay previously stated that chronic wasting disease is a “scary” situation that must be addressed.
PHOTO SYD DANIS
