There is no known cure for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). CWD is a prion disease. It is a rare, progressive, and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that affects cervids. This makes it a real and undeniable threat to animal and herd health. To date, scientists have documented that CWD can have negative population effects in elk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer. CWD management efforts become less effective once the disease prevalence in an area exceeds 5%. Published models generally predict that CWD has a population-level impact when its prevalence within the herd exceeds 25%. In areas where little active management of the disease has been done, herds are currently infected with CWD at rates higher than 40%. Active management is our best chance at controlling the spread of CWD.

Jurisdictions (e.g. Colorado, Wyoming) that have had the disease for several years and have reached these thresholds are now seeing significant and irreversible declines in both deer and elk populations.

The best defence against CWD is to detect it early and apply management tools as soon as possible to limit transmission and spread. Once CWD is introduced to a free-ranging cervid population, it is virtually impossible to eradicate the disease completely.   

CWDBC strives to keep the disease prevalence low in British Columbia. This can only happen with hunter participation and active management. You play an incredibly important role in keeping CWD under control!