BOISE, Idaho — A deer was found dead and tested positive for chronic wasting disease in Idaho, officials say.
According to a news release from the Idaho Fish and Game, on Thursday, a white-tailed deer was found dead along a road in Idaho County. and it tested positive for chronic wasting disease. IDFG said that the deer was found in the same general area where the disease was first detected in November 2021.
The deer was found by an IDFG employee. The cause of death is unknown but the deer’s head was collected. IDFG said the lymph nodes were sent to a lab for testing.
According to The Associated Press, chronic wasting disease is a contagious and fatal neurological disorder. There were seven cases found in Idaho. Last year, IDFG created a designated chronic wasting disease management zone.
The disease could possibly affect hunters because it’s similar to mad cow disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, according to the AP. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, per the AP, suggests that people should not eat meat that came from animals with chronic wasting disease. So far it has not been noted whether or not the disease can infect humans.
The AP said that the deer was found in IDFG’s Management Unit 14, which is the only unit in Idaho where the disease was found.
“We expected to see more positive animals from Unit 14 this year, so while not surprising, it’s an important reminder that chronic wasting disease is present here in Idaho,” said State Wildlife Manager, Rick Ward, in the news release. “We want to remind hunters they must not remove whole carcasses of deer, elk or moose from Hunting Units 14 and 15.”
According to the AP, IDFG has tested over 1,000 deer and elk across Idaho for the disease this year. Many of those testing results are pending.
IDFG said that hunters are required to test all deer, elk and moose for the chronic wasting disease in Unit 14 and 15. IDFG said that hunters who do not test for the disease could face a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, and a three-year hunting license revocation.
There is no cure for chronic wasting disease, according to IDFG.
More information can be found on IDFG’s website.
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