Despite the publicity, actual cases of chronic wasting disease are
rare, say published articles by the Western College of Veterinary
Medicine.
In the most infected counties of Wyoming and Colorado, where the
disease was first discovered and appears to be endemic, only one
percent of elk and five percent of the mule deer populations are
affected.
Industry experts say they are concerned that CWD was found in two wild
mule deer in the Minto Hills near Lloydminster, Sask.
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But Murray Woodbury of the college, Denise Smith of the Saskatchewan
Elk Breeders Association and George Luterbach of the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency, all hope the presence of CWD in the wild originated
from the farmed animals.
Woodbury said that would be the best outcome for the Canadian industry.
“We need to show the world that we have eradicated (CWD). We hope that
no more animals in the wild population are found to have it and that it
traces back to that one farm in 1989. We hope it doesn’t appear to be
endemic in Saskatchewan …. We have no reason at this point to believe
it is,” he said.
Luterbach agrees.
“We haven’t seen it before and we hope we don’t see it again. The
(Saskatchewan environment department) needs to be applauded for their
cervid surveillance program. That should show whether or not it is
present in our wild populations,” said Luterbach.
The department checks for the disease in heads of deer and elk turned
in by hunters. The monitoring covers the whole province but focuses on
seven areas near farms where CWD was found.
