Tom Morang
04-23-2002, 11:06 PM
April 23, 2002 Contact: Amanda Hathaway,
Public Relations Manager, 517/346-6488
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MUCC RESOLVES TO PREVENT SPREAD OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IN WHITETAIL DEER
HERD
LANSING - Michigan United Conservation Clubs' Board of Directors unanimously
passed a resolution aimed at preventing Chronic Wasting Disease from
reaching Michigan's whitetail deer herd at its April 21 meeting.
The resolution calls for a ban on the importation of all deer, elk and
exotic game species except boned meat, capes and antlers into Michigan. It
also calls for a moratorium on the registration of new privately owned
cervid farms. Cervids are members of the deer and elk family.
The recommendation on existing facilities included no expansions and the
installation of double fencing. The Michigan Department of Agriculture has
already banned the import of deer and elk from Wisconsin, Colorado, Wyoming,
Nebraska, Montana, South Dakota, Kansas and Oklahoma, where the disease has
been discovered in their populations.
Recent disease survey results have revealed that Chronic Wasting Disease
(CWD) exists in free-ranging whitetail deer in Wisconsin. In Western
states, the highest prevalence rates have occurred in captive cervid
facilities and game ranches, where animals are in close contact with one
another.
"Too little is known about the ways this disease is spread to take any
chances with Michigan's deer herd," exclaimed MUCC Executive Director Sam
Washington. "Wisconsin is just too close for comfort. We don't know how
the pathogen is spread, and it's extremely difficult to eradicate."
Research has revealed CWD spreads slowly and at present cannot be diagnosed
with live animal testing procedures. CWD is a progressive and always fatal
neurological disorder affecting cervids.
Infected animals experience drastic weight loss, listlessness, frequent
urination and salivation, leading to eventual starvation. Mad Cow Disease
and CWD are in the same transmissible spongiform encephalopathies family.
Unlike Mad Cow Disease, there is no record of CWD spreading to humans.
MUCC has nearly 100,000 members and over 500 affiliated clubs whose mission
is uniting citizens to conserve Michigan's natural resources and protect our
outdoor heritage. For more information, visit www.mucc.org.
###
Public Relations Manager, 517/346-6488
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MUCC RESOLVES TO PREVENT SPREAD OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IN WHITETAIL DEER
HERD
LANSING - Michigan United Conservation Clubs' Board of Directors unanimously
passed a resolution aimed at preventing Chronic Wasting Disease from
reaching Michigan's whitetail deer herd at its April 21 meeting.
The resolution calls for a ban on the importation of all deer, elk and
exotic game species except boned meat, capes and antlers into Michigan. It
also calls for a moratorium on the registration of new privately owned
cervid farms. Cervids are members of the deer and elk family.
The recommendation on existing facilities included no expansions and the
installation of double fencing. The Michigan Department of Agriculture has
already banned the import of deer and elk from Wisconsin, Colorado, Wyoming,
Nebraska, Montana, South Dakota, Kansas and Oklahoma, where the disease has
been discovered in their populations.
Recent disease survey results have revealed that Chronic Wasting Disease
(CWD) exists in free-ranging whitetail deer in Wisconsin. In Western
states, the highest prevalence rates have occurred in captive cervid
facilities and game ranches, where animals are in close contact with one
another.
"Too little is known about the ways this disease is spread to take any
chances with Michigan's deer herd," exclaimed MUCC Executive Director Sam
Washington. "Wisconsin is just too close for comfort. We don't know how
the pathogen is spread, and it's extremely difficult to eradicate."
Research has revealed CWD spreads slowly and at present cannot be diagnosed
with live animal testing procedures. CWD is a progressive and always fatal
neurological disorder affecting cervids.
Infected animals experience drastic weight loss, listlessness, frequent
urination and salivation, leading to eventual starvation. Mad Cow Disease
and CWD are in the same transmissible spongiform encephalopathies family.
Unlike Mad Cow Disease, there is no record of CWD spreading to humans.
MUCC has nearly 100,000 members and over 500 affiliated clubs whose mission
is uniting citizens to conserve Michigan's natural resources and protect our
outdoor heritage. For more information, visit www.mucc.org.
###