Chronic wasting disease has been discovered south of Melfort, Sask., marking a new area of the province for the disease.
The province said a three-and-a-half year-old bull elk submitted as part of the voluntary CWD surveillance program tested positive.
It was found in wildlife management zone 42E.
CWD has now been confirmed in 45 of the 83 management zones in Saskatchewan.
Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said the participation of hunters in the surveillance program is critical.
“The information collected through the submission of heads is vital to understanding how the disease is impacting wildlife populations in the province and efforts that can be taken to slow the spread of the disease,” he said in a news release.
The fatal nervous system disease that affects deer, elk, moose and caribou was first discovered in 2000. Research has found that CWD is affecting the survival and population of mule deer.
Although the disease hasn’t been found in humans, hunters are advised not to consume the meat from animals that test positive.
More information on the surveillance program can be found at www.cwdsk.ca.
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