wildlife disease & deer — dec. 2010 board meeting

WILDLIFE DISEASE - DEER

LESLIE MCFARLANEWILDLIFE DISEASE PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Deer with salmonella infection from Tooele County

STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR MULE DEER: Strategy dInvestigate and manage disease outbreaks

that threaten mule deer populations. Adopt a specific management plan for chronic wasting disease.

deer with conjunctivitis (pinkeye) infection Morgan County

DISEASES IN WILDLIFE

AFFECT POPULATION GROWTH and RECRUITMENT

HUMAN HEALTHDOMESTIC

LIVESTOCK CONCERNS

DIFFICULT TO ERADICATE ONCE ESTABLISHED

deer with mange in San Juan County

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

No interventionIntervention to prevent disease occurrenceReduce the frequency or impact of the

diseaseComplete eradication of the disease

CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE (CWD)

CervidsPrion disease – not

bacteria or virusBSE (mad cow

disease), Scrapie, CJD

Always fatalDiagnosed by

examination of lymph or brain tissue

Not known to affect to domestic livestock or humans

CWD Positive buck killed by a mountain lion on the La Sal Mountains

CWD - TRANSMISSIONbehavior,

saliva, feces, carcasses

contaminated sources in environment infective for years

12-24 months in deer

24-36 months in elk

CWD – CLINICAL SIGNS

CWD - NATIONWIDE

Found in free-ranging cervids in 13 states

CWD UTAH HISTORY First tested in

1998 First positive in

2002 near Vernal Early 2003 on La

Sals Late 2003 near

Ftn. Green First elk 2009 Currently 52

positives

CWD SURVEILLANCE

Positive WMU every yearRotational basis Hunter-harvestTargeted samplesVehicle kill samplesOver 17,000 samples Sampled all WMU’s within the state at least once

CWD Prevalence in breeding age

males (4-6 years of age) is 2-4 x’s higher than in females or young age males

Relationships between density and prevalence (transmission on winter range – spread through migration)

Decreased life expectancy by 2 years

Long-term population effects – decline

CWD positive buck from the La Sal Mtns.

CWD MANAGEMENT

CullingProhibit

feedingProhibit

carcasses

Lower population density

Why is disease management important for deer populations?

Colorado research has shown in two North-central units where trends in adult male mule deer have been monitored since 1996 that CWD prevalence has increased steadily during the last 7 years.

Population managementHerd healthEconomic importance –

food supply Hunter participation

Recreation – opportunityTreatment

THE END……..