Ad-Express and Daily Iowegian, Centerville, IA

Community News Network

November 26, 2012

Help needed with Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance

BLOOMFIELD — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is asking for the public’s assistance in its Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance efforts in Davis, Jefferson, Wapello and Van Buren counties.  

CWD is a nervous system disease that causes the slow decline and death of infected deer or elk. The Iowa DNR has tested more than 42,500 wild deer and more than 4,000 captive deer and elk as part of its surveillance efforts since 2002 when CWD was found in Wisconsin.

Samples are collected from all 99 counties in Iowa; however the majority of samples are taken in the counties nearest to areas where CWD has been detected in Iowa and other states. Samples are collected voluntarily from hunter-harvested deer by roving crews of DNR personnel, check stations and at participating meat lockers primarily during the upcoming shotgun deer seasons.

A captive deer tested positive for the disease in Davis County in 2012 and the DNR wants to test as many hunter harvested wild deer in designated zones in Davis, Jefferson, Wapello and Van Buren counties (see map with sample quotas listed) to determine if the disease has spread.

For more information, call 641-799-0793, or go to http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/DeerHunting/CWDEHDInformation.aspx

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