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by AHMED SHARMA, WOAI / KABB
SAN ANTONIO (WOAI / KABB) – Our worst fears have come true. Zombie deer are real and they come for us (well, sort of).
According to a recent article in the Daily Mail, an illness known as "chronic waste disease", known as "zombie deer disease", has been reported in 24 US states and two Canadian provinces. The disease attacks the brain, spinal cord and other tissues of deer, elk and moose. In the end, before the MDC kills the animal, it begins to lose weight quickly. In addition, their coordination becomes unbalanced and they can become aggressive.
On their website, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that although the MDC has not affected humans, there is a fear that people who come in contact with Infected animals run a potential risk of infection.
"To date, no case of CWD infection has been reported.However, animal studies suggest that CWD poses a risk for certain types of non-human primates, such as monkeys, who eat meat from CWD infected animals or come into contact with animals, cerebral or bodily fluids from infected deer or elk.These studies raise fears of risks to humans. "
The CDC has published a map, marked in red, where MDC cases have been reported in the United States. Compared to the northern states, the disease does not appear to be a significant threat in Texas. Nevertheless, the map reveals a small epidemic in the mountains, including Dallam, El Paso and Medina.
The CDC website also states that although the incidence of CWD is relatively low, there is nothing to ignore.
"Across the country, the prevalence of CWD in deer and elk in the wild is relatively low, but in many localities where the disease is established, infection rates may exceed 10% (1 in 10) and localized infection rates are greater than 25. Infection rates in some captive deer may be much higher, with 79% (nearly 4 of 5) reported by at least one captive flock. "
Fortunately, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TWPD) has already taken precautions against the MDC. In fact, their website only mentions that the first MDC home in Texas "was discovered in 2012 in loose mule deer in the Hueco Mountains of the Far West, Texas." Since then, the TWPD website indicates that it has put in place regulations to ensure a smooth capture of deer likely to be affected by CWD.
"With the discovery of MDC in a captive deer farm in south-central Texas, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (TPW) has adopted detailed management rules for the management of wildlife. MDC on June 20, 2016. Developed according to a collaborative process involving many of the rules deal with the management of MDC badociated with authorization programs that allow intensive deer management activities. "
The website also highlights the extent to which the TWPDs are determined to fight the MDC through their detailed plan.
"This management plan is dynamic, and the management strategies described in this document are subject to change as the epidemiology and management of this disease are better understood over time." Specific intervention plans can be developed. and integrated into this plan as a result of local or regional discoveries of the three main objectives of this management plan are:
1. Minimize the risk of CWD for white-tailed deer, mule deer, and other species susceptible to wild and captive in Texas.
2. Establish and maintain support for prudent management of CWD with hunters, landowners and other stakeholders.
3. Minimize the direct and indirect impacts of CWD on hunting, hunting and conservation savings in Texas. "
Click here to follow the TWDP capture of deer diagnosed with MDC. To learn more about how TWPD attacks MDC, visit their website.
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