Chronic Wasting Disease in Whitetail Deer - 2025 Words

Whitetail Populations Over just a century ago the whitetail deer population became nearly extinct, mostly due to a rapid expansion in the railroad system. At this same time market hunting, weak enforcement of game laws, and habitat loss contributed to the dangerously low deer populations in the late 1800’s. In states like Kansas and Indiana deer were completely extinct, being endangered in many others. With the whitetail deer population doubling every two years there is an estimated thirty million deer in the United States (Rooney, 2012). Although with these over-abundant populations comes the destruction of natural resources along with diseases and other factors that can tremendously affect the population. While there are many factors that play an active role in the declination of Whitetail deer populations, chronic wasting disease is just one of them. Densities Predators, hunters, and habitat contribute to the increasing densities of whitetail deer in some locations. The populations of predators, wolves and cougars, have greatly declined in suburban areas. This declination has helped with the increase of the deer population. Since the 1970’s the number of hunters has been declining. This may be because of the number of people that do not believe in recreational, or sport hunting. For some hunting has become a hobby to show off and brag about causing others to be turned off to the whole idea of hunting. Although hunting can be popular it is prohibited in parks,Show MoreRelatedDon t Get Wasted By Chronic Wasting Disease1652 Words   |  7 PagesDon’t Get Wasted by Chronic Wasting Disease Can you imagine the impact of a fatal disease on a population? Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD for short, is a prime example in the whitetail deer herd. CWD is a fatal neurological disease, more specifically known as a type of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). In deer, this disease causes a characteristic spongy degeneration of the brains of infected animals, resulting in emaciation, excessive drinking and urination, abnormal behavior,Read MoreSymptoms Of Chronic Wasting Disease1708 Words   |  7 Pagesyears, cases of Chronic Wasting Disease have increased to over 25% in bucks and over 10% in does (Marien). With CWD being such a deadly disease, the rising percentage of cases has led to decreasing deer populations. Because the spread of CWD has resulted in many deaths, fewer hunting tags are allowed in affected areas to help the deer herd get healthy again. It is possible, though, that as the populations grow back, CWD may also become more prevalent. Actually stoppi ng this tragic disease is a challenge