JACKSON, Wyo. — A second case of the always-fatal chronic wasting disease (CWD) was detected on the National Elk Refuge in April, according to a Wednesday announcement by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
A dead elk, thought to be between three and five years old, was found on the refuge in late April and was sent to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) lab for testing, per FWS. It was confirmed to be the second positive test, with the first occurring earlier that month.
“In answer to the second confirmed case, National Elk Refuge has updated their response plan,” the announcement reads. “The updated plan summarizes recent disease trends in northwest Wyoming and outlines actions the refuge is taking to monitor and reduce disease risks.”
Monitoring efforts include daily surveillance of elk during winter feeding operations, testing of all “suitable cervid mortality samples,” mandatory testing of elk and white-tailed deer killed by hunters on the refuge, carcass disposal through a crematory, and ongoing collaboration with WGFD and other partners.
The first confirmation of CWD on the refuge came in mid-April when an elk suspected of being infected was humanely euthanized and tested. FWS stated that a third mortality sample was collected on the refuge and tested negative. Laboratory analysis is complete for all mortality samples submitted during the spring.
CWD is a fatal disease that affects neurological function in deer, elk and moose. The disease can spread between animals directly or through contaminated environments. There is no known treatment or cure. View the FWS website here to learn more about CWD.
