- Hello Jeff - They make it sound so innocent by saying
testing continues. Testing means that an animal has to die.
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- Maybe we should have not taken the Black Hills or the
land from the Native Americans, they were much better stewards of the land
and wildlife than Europeans.
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- Patty
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- Testing Of Elk, Deer Continues For Chronic Wasting
Disease
- 10-3-9
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- RAPID CITY, SD (AmmoLand.com)
-- As South Dakota hunters get ready for deer and elk hunting seasons,
the state Game, Fish and Parks Department is preparing for another round
of chronic wasting disease testing.
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- CWD surveillance is done in counties where the disease
has been verified in elk and deer. Those areas include the Black Hills,
and Fall River, Custer and Pennington counties.
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- "We are monitoring prevalence of the disease
in these areas to see if CWD is becoming more common," says Steve
Griffin, GFP big-game biologist. "There are no known human health
risks involved with this disease, so we focus on determining the consequences
for wildlife populations."
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- Hunters receiving licenses for CWD surveillance areas
will be advised by mail by GFP with details about participation, drop-off
points and testing procedures. Hunters who submit deer or elk heads will
be notified about test results.
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- "Hunter participation is the key to success
of such a large-scale surveillance project," Griffin says "Their
efforts show that hunters are concerned about protecting the natural resources
in South Dakota."
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- During last year's surveillance, 21 deer and 14 elk were
found with the disease. Since 1997, 75 deer and 37 elk have tested positive
for CWD in South Dakota. During that time, more than 19,600 animals were
tested.
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- CWD is a fatal brain disease found in both captive and
free-ranging elk and deer. In the disease's late stages, infected animals
become emaciated, behave abnormally, lose control of muscles and other
bodily functions, and die.
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- Those who spot elk or deer showing symptoms of CWD should
report them.
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- "If you see an animal displaying signs of CWD, please
contact the Game, Fish and Parks Department," Griffin says. "It
doesn't matter what time of year it is or where in the state the animal
is located. If it's displaying signs of CWD, we'll try to get it tested."
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- For more information about the CWD surveillance program,
contact the GFP Regional Office in Rapid City at 605-394-2391 or visit
the department's Web site at
- http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/hunting/BigGame/CWD.htm
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- South Dakota's efforts are part of the National CWD Surveillance
Program, with testing for the disease at the South Dakota State University
diagnostic laboratory in Brookings. Hunters who want deer tested from outside
the surveillance areas should directly contact the diagnostic lab
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- http://www.ammoland.com/2009/10/03/testing-of-elk-deer-
- continues-for-chronic-wasting-disease/
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- Patricia A. Doyle DVM, PhD Bus Admin, Tropical Agricultural
Economics Univ of West Indies Please visit my "Emerging Diseases"
message board at: http://www.emergingdisease.org/phpbb/index.php Also
my new website: http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/ Zhan le Devlesa tai
sastimasa Go with God and in Good Health
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