ANIMALS
Wildlife Officials Confirm ‘Zombie Deer’ Disease In Yellowstone National Park For The First Time
National Park Service/ Neal Herbert
Park and wildlife officials this week confirmed the presence of a rare zombie deer disease in Yellowstone National Park for the first time.
Yellowstone National Park and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) confirmed the presence of chronic wasting disease in the carcass of an adult mule deer buck found near Yellowstone Lake.
This is the first confirmed positive detection of the disease in the park, a statement from Yellowstone read.
The animal was initially captured and collared by WGFD staff near Cody, Wyo., in March 2023 as part of a population study. The collar alerted them the deer had died in mid-October.
Chronic wasting disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer and moose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease is fatal, and there are no treatments or vaccines. Symptoms include drastic weight loss, or wasting, along with stumbling, listlessness, and neurologic symptoms, including excessive drooling.
According to the CDC, it could take more than a year for an infected animal to develop symptoms, and some infected animals may die without ever developing the disease. The agency said there have been no reported cases in humans.
Park officials said there is no effective strategy to eradicate it once established, but they are taking steps to more closely monitor its spread. Park officials are increasing monitoring for symptoms in deer, elk, and moose in the park, and increasing investigation of carcasses.
Since the mid-1980s, CWD has spread across Wyoming and is now found in most of the state, the park said. About 10-15% of the mule deer near Cody, Wyo., that migrate into the southeast portion of Yellowstone during summer months are estimated to have CWD.
Park officials advised visitors to notify park rangers of any sick or dead animals, and to avoid contact with them. They also said it is recommended that people avoid consuming any part of an animal that is suspected or confirmed to have CWD.
TMX contributed to this article.
