Chronic Wasting Disease is a deadly illness spreading among deer, but it hasn’t reached Delaware yet.
CWD affects elk, moose, reindeer and possibly other animals in the Cervidae family, but deer are the only carriers around in Delaware.
Scientists believe CWD spreads between animals through contact with bodily fluids or feces of an infected animal, according to the CDC. It also might spread through drinking water or food. Once an animal contracts the disease, it is 100% fatal and can bring down deer populations in an area.
Joe Rogerson is the wildlife section administrator for the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife. He said the neurological disease has been found in Delaware’s surrounding states, including Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
“We actually sample at a higher rate than probably most any state does that has not found CWD… and with our high harvest rates during that November general firearm season, we're able to get our hands on a lot of deer in a relatively short period of time.”
DNREC’s largest survey monitoring effort includes almost 50 workers from different departments who help test for CWD. They sampled over 600 deer this season.
“It's probably a good thing not to be first, right?” Rogerson said.
Rogerson added affected deer are usually at least six years old, and it takes two or three years for CWD to kill deer.
“I don't know how much of a reduction in the deer population we would see over the long term… Our harvest rates, we’re actually harvesting those animals before they reach those ages, anyway.”
CWD passes between animals through proteins called prions, not as a virus or bacteria. The CDC reports that CWD can stay in soil and water for years, possibly resulting in higher infection rates for certain areas.
Rogerson said DNREC likely won’t expand these efforts unless they find a positive sample. If DNREC detects CWD in Delaware, Rogerson said they may need to liberalize hunting season opportunities.
From there, DNREC would collect more samples from the same area and determine next steps.
