October 25, 2005
Emergency Regulation Prohibits the Importation of Deer and Elk Carcasses from States with Chronic Wasting Disease
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) continued actions to protect the state’s white-tailed deer herd from chronic wasting disease (CWD) by initiating an emergency regulation that prohibits the importation or possession of whole carcasses or parts of any deer or elk from wild or captive herds from other states or Canadian Provinces where CWD has been confirmed. CWD is a disease that is fatal to deer and other members of the Cervid family. Currently, those states and provinces that have confirmed the presence of CWD include, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Montana, South Dakota, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska, Oklahoma, New York, West Virginia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. This emergency regulation, which became effective on October 25, 2005, is intended to prevent the introduction of CWD into Connecticut by prohibiting the importation of parts of deer and elk carcasses that are most likely to harbor the disease. Meat that is de-boned, thoroughly cleaned skullcaps, hides, and taxidermy mounts may still be brought into Connecticut from states with CWD.
CWD is a neurological (brain and nervous system) disease of deer and elk that is similar to mad cow disease in cattle and scrapie in sheep. Scientists believe that CWD is caused and transmitted by abnormal proteins called prions that slowly attack the brain of infected deer and elk, causing the animals to progressively become emaciated and display abnormal behavior. The prions that are believed to cause CWD may persist in the environment for long periods of time, posing a risk to other deer and elk that come into contact with them. No treatment or vaccination exists and if contracted by deer or elk, the disease is always fatal.
CWD is a relatively new disease and, consequently, there are a lot of unknowns about the disease. It was first recognized in captive mule deer in Colorado in the late 1960s and then documented in wild elk in Colorado in 1981. Its discovery in wild deer in south-central Wisconsin in 2002 generated heightened attention from wildlife managers. In 2005, CWD was documented in captive and wild deer in New York and in wild deer in West Virginia.
"It is important to note that there is no known relationship between CWD and humans or domestic animals," said DEP Wildlife Division Director Dale May. "However, there are still reasons to be concerned. The disease has the potential to seriously impact Connecticut’s native white-tailed deer herd." CWD does not cause an immediate widespread die-off of deer, but there may be long-term impacts to the herd if the disease is allowed to spread. Some scientists who have tried to predict the outcome on a deer population have described the disease as a 30 to 50-year epizootic with a potential to extirpate local populations. Others believe that the impacts might not be that severe. There are no proven solutions to eradicating the disease once present in wild populations. In addition, efforts by the state to contain or eradicate the disease are extremely costly and labor intensive.
"Due to the uncertain ramifications that CWD may have on the state’s white-tailed deer resource, the DEP is taking immediate and appropriate actions to prevent the introduction of CWD into the state," continued May. "The emergency regulation is intended to prevent the introduction of CWD into Connecticut by prohibiting the importation of neurological tissue of deer and elk from states and provinces where CWD has been confirmed."
The Northeastern states, including Connecticut, have already prohibited the importation of live deer and elk. This emergency regulation is consistent with a regional effort to prevent the introduction of CWD into New England. Sportsmen planning on hunting for deer or elk in another state should contact that state's wildlife agency for the latest information on CWD and restrictions on transportation of harvested animals.
Since 2003, the DEP Wildlife Division has been monitoring hunter- and vehicle-killed deer as part of a nationwide CWD monitoring and surveillance program. No evidence of CWD has been detected in Connecticut’s deer herd. The monitoring program will continue during the 2005 deer-hunting season. The DEP has published a brochure that contains information about CWD. Copies can be obtained by contacting the DEP Wildlife Division at (860) 642-7239 or (860) 675-8130 (Monday through Friday, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM), or by accessing the DEP’s website (www.dep.state.ct.us). The DEP’s website also contains more information about CWD and efforts to monitor the state’s deer herd. Information about CWD also can be found at the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance website at www.cwd-info.org.
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