Chronic wasting disease infection in wild deer is steadily spreading in Alberta and Saskatchewan and now the British Columbia government is on alert.
Last week provincial wildlife biologists asked hunters in the Peace River and Kootenay regions of B.C. to bring deer, elk and moose heads to officials so they can be tested for the disease.
CWD has not been found in any B.C. animals, according to a provincial news release. However, it spread from Saskatchewan to Alberta within the last two decades so it could spread westward.
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The brain-wasting illness is spread through infected saliva, urine, feces and soil. Ungulates that get the disease show weight loss and poor condition, accompanied later by stumbling and trembling. However, infected animals may not appear ill.
CWD is among a group of transmissible spongiform encephal-opathies, the most famous of which is BSE in cattle. However, CWD cannot be transmitted to humans.
Hunters are also warned not to bring risk materials from kills of deer, elk or moose into B.C. from other provinces. Those include the brain, spinal cord, eyes, lymph nodes and spleen.
Hunters can bring the heads of deer, elk and moose to any B.C. wildlife or conservation office.
In the Peace Region, they can also take them to North Peace Rod and Gun Club in Fort St. John, Peace Taxidermy on Highway 29 and Russell’s Custom Meat Cutting in Chetwynd. In the Kootenays, heads can be delivered to Cliff’s Meats in Kimberley or to Rick’s Fine Meats in Cranbrook.
