Pennsylvania Game News - July 2011 - 44

“Feeding wildlife, especially deer, causes a higher concentration of the animals in the area,” Cottrell said. “Because the disease can be spread from one animal to another through direct animal-to-animal contact or indirectly from animal-to-animal through a contaminated environment, feeding would make the spread of the disease easier, should an infected animal come into a feeding area. “We recognize that people enjoy viewing wildlife. However, if feeding is something that could contribute to the spread of this disease, we would hope that those who enjoy seeing wildlife will assist us in our efforts to prevent the introduction of CWD and contain it as best we can after it is found within our borders.” First identified in 1967, CWD affects cervids, including all species of deer, elk and moose. It is a progressive and always fatal disease of the nervous system. Scientists theorize CWD is caused by an agent called a prion that is capable of transforming normal brain proteins into an abnormal form, in turn causing the death of brain cells. There currently is no practical way to test live animals for CWD, nor is there a vaccine. Clinical signs include poor posture, lowered head and ears, uncoordinated movement, rough-hair coat, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive drooling and, ultimately, death. There is currently no scientific evidence that CWD has or can spread to humans. The Center for Disease Control has stated “the risk of infection with the CWD agent among hunters is extremely small, if it exists at all” and “it is extremely unlikely that CWD would be a food-borne hazard.” Cottrell noted that hunters, especially those who hunt big game in other states and Canadian provinces, can play a role in preventing the un44

intentional introduction or spread of CWD in Pennsylvania. “The Game Commission prohibits the importation of specific carcass parts from members of the deer family – including mule deer, elk and moose – from a growing list of states and Canadian provinces,” Cottrell said. He noted that this importation ban applies to hunters heading to Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland (only from CWD containment area), Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (Oneida and Madison counties), North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia (only from CWD containment area), West Virginia (only from the containment area), Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. “Under an executive order, hunters are prohibited from bringing back the certain tissues below from any cervid from these states or provinces, whether the animal was taken from the wild or from a captive, high-fence operation,” Cottrell said. The specific carcass parts that cannot be brought back to Pennsylvania by hunters are the ones where the CWD prions (the causative agent) concentrate in cervids, and they are: the head (including brain, tonsils, eyes and any lymph nodes); spinal cord/backbone; spleen; skull plate with attached antlers, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; cape, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if root structure or other soft tissue is present; any object or article containing visible brain or spinal cord tissue; unfinished taxidermy mounts; and brain-tanned hides. Cottrell noted that the prohibition does not limit the importation of: meat, without the backbone; cleaned
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http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/895191/cervid_parts_importation_ban_pdf http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/895191/cervid_parts_importation_ban_pdf http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/895191/cervid_parts_importation_ban_pdf

Pennsylvania Game News - July 2011

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