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Sustainable
eNews |
August 2002 |
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IWMC
World Conservation Trust |
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Chronic Wasting
Disease in Wild Game
A potential disaster for many reasons
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Americans have learned, sadly, never to say,
"It can't happen here". Eight states and much of Canada have now
confirmed the presence of chronic wasting disease in elk, moose, caribou
and deer, and three human deaths are suspected to have been caused from
consumption of the meat of infected animals. This is a potential disaster
for North American hoofed game species. The disease is similar to
spongiform encephalitis in beef, or "mad cow" disease. Infected
animals fail to thrive, grow very thin, and die. Humans who consume the
meat of infected animals appear to contract Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease,
which is always fatal. Although the disease has been in North America for
the past thirty years, Americans are paying more attention now to the
connection between the disease in animals, human deaths, and the presence
of the same animal-human connection in Great Britain and Europe.
The implications of this are the following: Literally thousands of
animals suspected of having the disease are being slaughtered en masse, in
an attempt to prevent the spread from one herd, or one area, to another.
This and the disease itself will impact all species in those environments,
as predators, prey, and vegetation will all be affected.
Fewer people will want to eat wild hoofed game meat, out of fear of
contracting the disease. This will last an undetermined time, and so lack
of hunting will have conservation impacts for years to come. As more human
cases develop, fear and aversion will have an escalating effect.
The economic impact on rural communities will be significant in the
absence of robust hunting, both from loss of direct revenue such as
gasoline, motel, restaurant, and supplies sales, and because of the
economic damage that deer do to agricultural crops, young timber, and
landscaping. Further economic impact can be expected from increased
car/deer accident rates, and the resultant higher insurance rates in
certain areas.
This serious problem is being given increasing research attention at the
Centers For Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, and across the country in
those states which are affected. It is possible that a test for the
presence of the disease in animals can be developed so that people can be
somewhat reassured in certain areas. Or, it is possible that a wildlife
vaccine could be developed, but that is probably years down the road.
Meantime, it has happened here, and it will be interesting to see how
this affects conservation in America from now on. 
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