Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has spread from white-tailed deer to wild elk and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment makes no press release.
Wasting Disease found in Sask. wild elk – The Edmonton Journal
That CWD has crossed from white-tailed deer to wild elk is alarming enough, but it also raises concern about the potential for spread to caribou, wood bison, and other wildlife.
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Brian Ertz
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Brian
As yet there is no evidence that CWD can pass to bison, but I would worry about potential threat of CWD to caribou, which are, after all, cervids. There is no research about the issue, unfortunately.
The provincial government of Saskatchewan is at fault in attempting to keep this incident secret. As we’ve seen here in the US, government is causing more harm by refusing to be up front about disease in wildlife than good, whether lying about the alleged threat of brucellosis to the livestock industry or lying about the real threat of CWD to elk and deer, all to keep elk feedgrounds going to benefit the liverstock industry’s demand to protect cattle AUMs and forage. Government needs to be held to account, but as long as brown conservation groups refuse to take on the livestock industry, it’s an uphill battle.
RH