TN Deer Test Positively For CWD
Posted on December 18 2018
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is enacting its Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Response plan after 10 white-tailed deer in West Tennessee tested positive for CWD.
CWD is a contagious and deadly neurological disorder that affects members of the deer family. The TWRA said CWD isn't known to make humans or livestock sick.
The disease is spread when animals come in contact with each other, come in contact with an environment that is contaminated or come in contact with contaminated feed and water sources.
CWD is the most significant threat to deer across the county. Any deer or elk that gets the disease will die because it is 100 percent fatal, the TWRA explained.
Seven deer in Fayette County and three deer in Hardeman County preliminarily tested positive for CWD.
The TWRA is working to contact the hunters who harvested the deer.
“Once arrangements are made, TWRA will be encouraging hunters harvesting deer in these areas to submit their deer for testing,” Chuck Yoest, TWRA CWD Coordinator, said.
“Hunters are our biggest ally in managing chronic wasting disease in Tennessee if it is confirmed here,” Dr. Dan Grove, Wildlife Veterinarian, University of Tennessee Extension, said. “Besides submitting deer from the to-be-defined CWD Zone, the most important thing everyone needs to do is follow the regulations for moving harvested deer"
Currently, in the United States, 25 states have documented CWD.
Story re-posted from WRCB TV. Written by Anna Huffstutler
