Published Date: 2002-03-04 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH> Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (SD)
Archive Number: 20020304.3679

CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE, CERVIDS - USA (SOUTH DAKOTA)
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See Also

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (Nebraska) (04) 20020219.3586
Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (Nebraska) (03) 20020201.3455
Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (Colorado) 20020131.3452
Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (Nebraska) (02) 20020126.3402
Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (Nebraska) 20020124.3374
Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (Kansas) 20020101.3145


PIERRE, SD - A deer harvested by a hunter this past hunting season in
Fall River County has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease
(CWD).

CWD causes damage to portions of the brain of both deer and elk, and
leads to the death of the animal. The disease is contagious. It has
been detected in northeastern Colorado and southeastern Wyoming for a
number of years, and more recently in western Nebraska with the
latest detection of CWD 2 months ago in northwestern Nebraska near
the South Dakota border. Until this positive test in Fall River
County, there had been no sign of the CWD in free-roaming herds of
deer or elk in this state through extensive testing from 1997-2001.

"Because of the contagious nature of this disease, we felt there was
a very real possibility it might show up in our state," said Dr. Sam
Holland, State Veterinarian with the Animal Industry Board (AIB).
"The Animal Industry Board and the Department of Game, Fish and Parks
(GF&P) have taken this threat very seriously and have closely
monitored this situation for several months."

The heads of over 500 deer were collected from hunters in South
Dakota this past fall to test for CWD. There were 77 deer collected
in Fall River County alone. The infected deer was one of these 77,
and there are more still to be tested.

"We will continue to aggressively test for the presence of this
disease in our state," John Cooper, Secretary of the Department of
GF&P said. "Our plan is to work closely with the area landowners to
find out what the extent of the disease is. We will be harvesting
between 50-100 additional deer in southern Fall River County to test
for presence of CWD."

Cooper said an action plan for dealing with CWD has been in the works
and, depending on the outcome of the testing, is in the process of
being implemented. Besides collecting more deer heads for testing, it
will probably involve taking additional measures to prevent CWD from
further entering the state and spreading should it occur. Cooper said
this would be done in cooperation with the Animal Industry Board and
area landowners.

"We have watched the situation in neighboring states very closely,"
GF&P Secretary Cooper said. "In particular we have tracked the
monitoring of the deer herd in northwestern Nebraska by the Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission since infections of CWD have been reported
as close as 10 miles to the South Dakota border. We are in the
process of gathering information to determine what action we will
need to take."

Cooper noted the states where CWD has been identified have not had to
halt their deer or elk hunting seasons and have used informed hunters
in a number of deer management units to help reduce the deer
population and, hopefully, incidence of CWD. There is no evidence CWD
can be transmitted to humans, or to animals other than deer and elk.
"At this time we plan to proceed with our basic deer and elk
management plans and seasons but with possible modification in any
management units where CWD is found. We want to be proactive in
working to eliminate CWD from South Dakota. Our goal is to do that
and not disrupt our wildlife management programs."

--
Dr. Sam Holland, State Veterinarian, South Dakota
<Dr.Holland@state.sd.us>
.........................tg/pg/lm
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