As more deer around America become ill with chronic wasting disease, scientists are trying their best to understand it. The disease spells a terrible fate for any deer unlucky enough to have it. Since first discovering it, more than half of the U.S. states have found cases of it in their elk, deer, and moose populations. Currently, there is no way to treat the affected animals, and the sufferers always end up dying.
The disease can appear in any of the aforementioned animals. There are symptoms that hunters and farmers can look out for, including extreme weight loss, lack of coordination, hanging ears, and not being skittish around people.
Right now, it is not certain that individuals who eat CWD-infected meat will contract the illness. Despite this, it’s still a risk to humans, and hunters should be aware of the illness in the following states and counties.
Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah
Colorado was one of the first states to notice Chronic Wasting Disease in a population of captive deer in the 1960s. Since then, CWD has been found in wild deer in 1981 and has spread more widely in the 2000s without signs of stopping.
Because Wyoming shares a border with Colorado, it was natural that the disease spread to its borders in the 90s. The infection spreads slowly in wild populations, but where it’s been found, it tends to spread much faster. Because of where its border is, Utah has cases of CWD in its eastern border, spreading slowly to the center.
Alabama and Tennessee
In Alabam, Lauderdale is the only county one with confirmed CWD reports. The disease has been confirmed in 35 U.S. states and 5 Canadian provinces.
Tennessee has had confirmed reports of CWD in 17 counties concentrated on the state’s western border.
Montana and The Dakotas
Montana has CWD spread sporadically through the local population. As North Dakota shares its border with Montana, the state has confirmed reports on its western counties. South Dakota’s entire western half has also had reports.
Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan
CWD’s most populated counties in Wisconsin are in the south. Illinois has cases with counties that share the border with Wisconsin, and Minnesota has cases of CWD on its southeastern border. Michigan is free of CWD in the north except for Dickinson, with most reports from counties in the southern-central part of the state.
Idaho and Washington
Both Idaho and Washington each only have one case of CWD. For Idaho, it’s the county of the same name – Idaho. The only county that reported the disease for Washington is Spokane.
Texas, New Mexico, and Louisiana
Texas has cases of CWD on its northwestern and western border, as well as reports in Lubbock, Coleman, Val Verde, Medina, and Bexar. New Mexico has CWD accounts in Socorro and Otero. While Louisiana only has one confirmed case in the county of Tensas Parish
Missouri, Iowa, And Nebraska
Missouri has 39 counties with disease reports, including north, east, and southwest counties. Iowa has 23 counties across the state with cases of CWD. Some of the most concentrated areas are in the northeast counties and central counties like Marshal, Grundy, Jasper, and Tama.
Nebraska has 43 counties with reports of the disease. Most of the reports are from the western and southern borders.
Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, And Mississippi
Oklahoma only has reports of the disease in the northwest counties of Texas and Woodward. All of Arkansas’ northwestern counties, as well as the northwestern counties of Independence, Randolph, and Craighead, have reports of CWD. The southern county of Union also has reports.
Kansas has 49 counties, all with reports of CWD, most of them in the western half of the state. Mississippi’s north and western counties have reported cases, with the only one in the south being Harrison.
New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, And North Carolina
New York only has one CWD case in the county of Oneida. Pennsylvania has reported all across its southern half. Virginia has cases in the northern counties and a few of its southwestern counties as well.
West Virginia only has reports in the few counties surrounding it, including Hampshire in the northeast. North Carolina has reported in Wilkes, Yadkin, SurryStokes, Johnston, Franklin, and Cumberland.
Maryland, California, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio
Maryland has four counties with reported cases: Allegany, Baltimore, Montgomery, and Washington. California has two reports in Inyo and Madera.
Florida has only confirmed cases of CWD in Holmes. Indiana also has only one report in LaGrange. Kentucky has one account in Ballard, and Ohio’s counties, Allen, Hardin, Marion, and Wyandot, all have cases of CWD as well.
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