Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Chronic Wasting Disease in Texas


Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose (collectively known as cervids) in North America.  CWD is part of a family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) or prion diseases.  This disease was first recognized in captive mule deer populations in Colorado in the 1960's. Since then, monitoring efforts have been ramped up, especially in the last 10 years, as this disease has spread to multiple states and Canadian provinces.

CWD attacks the brain of infected animals and may be transmitted directly through saliva or feces to other animals or indirectly as prions can live on the soil surface that animals may then become infected by.  The Trans Pecos area of far West Texas is the only part of Texas currently in the distribution of CWD (see map below).  


In Texas, hunting is a $2.2 billion economic enterprise, and many landowners benefit economically from hunting activities on their property.  In an effort to preserve the health of wildlife populations in west Texas and throughout the state, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) have an extensive surveillance program and cooperative management plan to address risks, develop management strategies, and protect captive and free-ranging cervid populations.

After discovering CWD for the first time ever in Texas during a strategic sampling effort in the summer of 2012, TPWD and TAHC established a Containment Zone and High Risk Zone to more aggressively control the spread of the disease (see map below).  The state's CWD Management Plan calls for increased sampling and regulation changes that restrict permitted activities involving the capture, movement, or possession of susceptible cervid species in the CWD Zones. This past hunting season, CWD was detected in four additional mule deer that were harvested within the Containment Zone.  To date, a total of six positives have been detected, which is 29% of the deer tested from the Hueco Mountain population.



How Do I Know if an Animal has CWD?

Some typical signs of CWD include:
  • Loss of bodily functions
  • Staggering or standing with very poor posture, including carrying their heads low and with a wide stance
  • Drinking large amounts of water
  • Excessive drooling 
  • Emaciation (wasting) 
 *It is important to note that other diseases may have these same characteristics.*

What Can I Do?

As hunters and landowners, it is important to assist the state agencies that are combatting CWD by reporting any animals that exhibit these signs.  It is recommended not to shoot, handle or consume any animal that exhibits these signs.  For a complete list of recommendations for hunters, visit the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance website.

For more info, visit the following websites: Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Animal Health Commission, Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance, and watch the video below.


This article was reviewed by Mitch Lockwood, Alan Cain, Shawn Gray, and Ryan Schoeneberg of Texas Parks and Wildlife for reviewing this article.