MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. — Yellowstone National Park (YNP) announced Tuesday that the carcass of a mule deer found within the park has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD).
This is the first detection of the fatal disease within YNP, the park said via press release. The adult buck was found in the park’s southeastern area, near Yellowstone Lake.
The buck had been captured by Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) near Cody in March, when he was fitted with a GPS collar as part of a biological study. The collar alerted WGFD to the deer’s death in mid-October, when they collected the sample that tested positive for CWD at WGFD’s Wildlife Health Laboratory.
CWD is a fatal disease afflicting deer, elk and moose. It occurs when the malformed protein prion builds up in an animal’s brain and tissue. The disease is known to be contagious, and there is no cure yet. According to YNP estimates, 10-15% of the mule deer migrate into southeastern Yellowstone are estimated to have CWD.
According to the park’s press release, YNP staff will be increasing its monitoring for CWD. Visitors are reminded to contact park staff if they notice sick or dead wildlife in YNP.
YNP also shared that it is revising its 2021 CWD Surveillance Plan, with a new draft expected in 2024.
