Second Alabama Case of Chronic Wasting Disease Confirmed in Lauderdale County | News

The second deer in northwestern Alabama tested positive for chronic wasting disease.

White-tailed deer was harvested by a hunter in Lauderdale County.

The first case was also detected in January in Lauderdale County.

Since then, the state has taken several steps to prevent the disease from spreading throughout the state.

The full news release from the Alabama Conservation and Natural Resources Department is:

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) today announced the results of an additional chronic wasting (CWD) prevalence study of white-tailed deer in northwestern Alabama. A second case of white-tailed deer CWD harvested by a hunter was identified in Lauderdale County. The first case of CWD in a herd of deer in Alabama was detected in January 2022 in Lauderdale County.

After the first CWD-positive deer was detected, all of Lauderdale and Colbert counties were designated as CWD Control Zones (CMZs). The west side of US Highway 43 in Lauderdale County, the border between Mississippi and Tennessee, and the south side of the Tennessee River are designated as high-risk zones. The rest of Lauderdale County and all of Colbert County are designated as buffer zones.

Samples were collected from 966 white-tailed deer harvested in the CMZ during the 2021-202 hunting season. All samples collected within the CMZ were tested by the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industry and the results were received by ADCNR. Only one additional positive was detected.

After analyzing the results of CWD prevalence detection tests in Lauderdale and Colbert counties, ADCNR has stopped using supplemental wildlife feeding and feeding privileges within the CMZ. Bird feeder suspension does not apply to bird feeders within 100 feet of a building or occupied dwelling, or to food in active wild pig traps. Supplemental feeding and feeding privileges will continue to be granted outside the CMZ.

“Supplementary feeding and suspension of feeding privileges in Lauderdale and Colbert counties is an attempt to slow the spread of CWD in affected areas,” said Chris Blankenship, ADCNR Commissioner. “We take the presence of this disease very seriously and manage it using CWD’s strategic monitoring and response plans. Our staff are ready and state deer resources. And to protect our hunting culture, the department will do anything cautious and rational. “

CWD was first detected in Tennessee and Mississippi in 2018 and is slowly moving towards Alabama. CWD is a member of a group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). Among deer, CWD is a progressive and deadly disease that generally changes behavior due to microscopic changes made to the brains of affected animals. Animals may carry the disease for years without any outward signs. In the later stages of the illness, symptoms may include fatigue, head loss, weight loss, repetitive gait in a pattern, and lack of responsiveness.

“We would like to thank the hunters for their overwhelming support by providing a large number of samples submitted to the CWD test after the first positive cases were published in January,” said Blankenship. “As we progress into the future deer season, hunters will become our most important partner in managing this disease.”

For more information on Alabama CWD, please visit: Outdooralabama.com/cwd-info..

ADCNR promotes the wise management, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four sectors: marine resources, state land, state parks, wildlife and freshwater fishing. For more information, Outdooralabama.com..

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