The Board of Natural Resources recently approved a change to rules and regulations governing the importation of live cervids (members of the deer family), announces the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources
Division (WRD). Changes to the existing rules reflect the need to provide for the safety, health and welfare of the public and animal populations, either wild or captive, found in Georgia by restricting the importation of deer and elk due to increasing potential for importation of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) into Georgia.
"The Division will take the first line of defense to keep
chronic wasting disease from infecting the wild deer herd in Georgia by closing our borders to the importation of ALL members of the deer family," says WRD Chief of Game Management Todd Holbrook. "The greatest risk of introduction is movement of live animals that may have the disease."
CWD is a fatal neurological disease found in deer and elks believed to spread through the importation of infected cervids. The disease is caused by a misshapen protein, or prion, that changes healthy proteins into abnormal ones and in turn affects additional healthy proteins and animals eventually die. CWD appears to be passed from animal to animal, possibly through mucus, saliva and/or feces contact.
This disease has an incubation period that may exceed five years and
infected animals often show no symptoms during that period.
At this time disease experts do not believe that CWD presents a risk to people or livestock. However, the theoretical possibility must be acknowledged. Hunters are encouraged to take precautions, including wearing rubber gloves when field dressing carcasses, boning out the meat, minimizing the handling of brain and spinal tissues, washing hands and tools thoroughly when finished and avoiding the consumption of brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes.
In addition to banning the importation of cervids, it is
important to continue to prohibit canned hunting operations and the baiting of deer. These processes result in the concentration of large numbers of deer in small areas, thereby possibly bringing sick deer into contact with healthy deer and further spreading the disease. The only management possibility should the disease turn up in Georgia would be complete depopulation of the affected area. This step currently is underway in parts of Colorado, Nebraska and Wisconsin.
"WRD will continue to monitor the existing deer population through hunter surveys and through the cooperation of the deer farming
industry," says Holbrook. "The real key to avoiding a similar situation to
the one that exists in other states is through prevention."
Hunters should report any violations of Georgia laws,
including illegal importation of deer or elk and illegal baiting by calling
1-800-241-4113. For more information on CWD, visit the WRD website at
www.gohuntgeorgia.com or call the local WRD Game Management Office.