JACKSON, Wyo. — Amid positive Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) confirmations at multiple Wyoming feedgrounds, the National Elk Refuge (NER) and the Jackson elk herd are unlikely to be affected.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) confirms to Buckrail there are approximately 11,000 elk in the Wyoming Jackson herd, many of which spend winter on the Refuge. GPS data from collared elk show it is unlikely elk from the Jackson herd directly interact with elk using the Scab Creek feedground, a USFWS source says, where a positive CWD case was recently confirmed.
While the Wyoming Game and Fish Department previously confirmed the presence of CWD in a cow elk from Elk Hunt Area 84 in the Jackson region south of Cache Creek, the USFWS provided Buckrail with the information that staff at the NER conduct what they call “active CWD surveillance” and test all hunter-harvested elk and elk dying from other mortality factors. Staff also test and euthanize elk that appear to be symptomatic of CWD.
According to the USFWS, prevention practices include dispersed feeding to reduce animal contact between elk, decreased feed season length and incineration of elk carcasses when found. However, WyoFile reported on Feb. 25 that a CWD “epidemic” could be emerging at Wyoming’s Dell Creek Feedground in the Hoback Basin.
Buckrail will continue to provide updates as they become available.
