Park buck with CWD dispatched

A buck at the Hot Springs State Park terraces was dispatched on Saturday, Oct. 12 after it was observed to have Chronic Wasting Disease.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is highly contagious among deer, elk, moose, reindeer and caribou.

There is no known cure, and it’s always fatal. Exposure to animals with CWD is not advised, as it’s unknown whether humans can contract it. The disease is a chronic, fatal disease of the central nervous system.

Animals afflicted with CWD become very thin and unresponsive to stimuli. They might also have drooping ears but, per the CWD designation, the most obvious symptom is a loss of body tissue. Animals with CWD are typically put down.

Wyoming Game and Fish is looking at how to manage the disease and make the public aware it is a concern.

According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website, evidence suggests that CWD is transmitted via saliva, urine, feces, or even infected carcasses. Animals may also be infected through the environment via contamination of feed or pasture with CWD prions — abnormally folded proteins — which can persist for many years. The most likely route of exposure is through ingestion.

The Wyoming Game and Fish site, wgfd.wyo.gov, also provides suggestions on how people can help with surveillance and minimize transition of the disease.