7 new CWD cases found in deer

Despite the discovery of seven new cases of chronic wasting disease in deer, wildlife officials are quick to point out that the news is "not all bad."

The seven cases came from an area where CWD is known to exist.

"It did not show up in any new areas, despite an extensive testing program, and that's encouraging," said Leslie McFarlane, wildlife disease specialist for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

The DWR set up several check stations in key hunting units during last fall's general deer and elk hunts, mainly along the eastern half of the state.

The target was to take tissue samples to be tested from 2,900 animals. In the final tally, 3,067 deer and elk were tested.

The seven positive results came from adult mule deer that came from the LaSal Mountains southeast of Moab, which is one of three areas where CWD has been found.

McFarlane pointed out that of the 18 deer found in Utah with CWD, 13 have come from the LaSal Mountains.

"Exactly why there are so many I don't know," she explained. "There's no real reason that we know. It may be that the prevalence is higher than anywhere else because it may have been in this area longer."

The first case of CWD was found in 2003 in a deer found northeast of Vernal. A total of four deer have now been found in this area. One deer found in a farmer's field near Fountain Green also tested positive.

One of the seven deer that tested positive in the most recent cases was killed by a cougar. The remaining six were shot by hunters.

As part of the ongoing study, McFarlane started a testing program this year to help track deer on their migration patterns and to monitor reproduction. A total of 21 deer — 10 does, five adult bucks and six yearling bucks — were trapped and fitted with radio collars. She had hoped to collar 30 deer this winter. The program now calls for 30 deer a year, over the next two years, to be fitted with radio transmitters.

"We'll monitor their movements and see where they go and try to determine what interaction they have with other deer," she explained. "We'll also try to determine why there's a much higher prevalence of the disease in adult males than in any other age or sex class."

The disease was first discovered in an area on the Wyoming/Colorado border near Cheyenne in the 1970s. In recent years it has spread to other states. The first case found in Utah was a deer officials believe either came from Colorado or came in contact with other deer from Colorado.