1 week Ago By Damon R. Sheffield
Amid the ongoing struggle to manage wildlife diseases, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has confirmed new cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in four additional counties, extending the affected region within the state. Previously confined to northern Illinois, the detection of CWD in Adams County marks its unsettling creep southward. This debilitating neurological condition remains a looming threat to white-tailed deer populations and the traditions of deer hunting in the Prairie State.
In an announcement that's a far cry from uplifting, the IDNR shared that hunter-harvested deer tested positive for CWD in Putnam, Marshall, and Adams Counties early this February, as part of their routine surveillance. Peoria County later joined the list with a confirmed case in a two-year-old deer showing symptoms indicative of the disease. This addition brings the total number of counties with documented CWD cases to twenty-five, casting a wider net over the state's wildlife health concerns.
Considered fatal to deer, CWD is known for attacking the brains of infected animals, leading to death. First identified in Illinois in 2002, it has been a persistent adversary for wildlife management efforts. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources emphasizes its ongoing efforts to manage the disease, which includes lowering prevalence rates in deer through various control measures.
These initiatives have been integral in keeping prevalence low, impacting nearly a generation of the state's deer hunters.IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie underscored Illinois' endeavors by saying, "Illinois is a national leader in managing and slowing the spread of CWD, and over the past two decades IDNR's program has served as a model for other states." The absence of a human transmission link by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not dismiss the caution recommended against consuming meat from CWD-positive animals.
Hunters have been advised to get their deer tested and to refrain from consuming specific deer tissues where the disease agent is typically found.The state's wildlife biologists will hold public meetings to discuss these recent detections and offer insights into current CWD management strategies. While dates and details for these meetings are pending, landowners, hunters, and citizens with stakes in the matter are urged to participate in the dialogue.
Additional information regarding the latest updates to Illinois' CWD management program can be accessed online through the IDNR's dedicated portal.If anyone needs more information on CWD or wishes to inquire about the new cases, they can reach out to Chris Jacques, the IDNR's wildlife disease program manager, at chris.jacques@illinois.
gov. By doing so, interested parties can stay informed and contribute to the ongoing battle against CWD in Illinois' cherished deer populations..
