Mule Deer Chronic Wasting Disease Notification
Res #: 13-18A
Number: 13
Year: 2018
Midterm: No
Expired: Yes
Responses Received: Yes
Departments: Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment
WHEREAS the mule deer population within southern Saskatchewan has increased dramatically over the past five years;
WHEREAS the testing of mule deer for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has shown that more than 10 per cent have tested positive;
WHEREAS researchers are still uncertain as to what extent CWD can be transmitted;
WHEREAS farmers, ranchers and hunters have the right to know if CWD is present in their area;
BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the Ministry of Environment to make reporting to RMs mandatory, when animals tested from their area, have tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease.
Responses From: Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment
October 25, 2022
The ministry established a chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance program in 1997 and has been monitoring populations of wild cervids, including mule deer, for CWD for the last 25 years. As of 2022-23, the disease has been detected in 59 of 83 wildlife management zones in the province and is believed to be established across most of southern Saskatchewan. Surveillance program data is analyzed on a wildlife management zone scale, which corresponds to the scale at which wildlife populations are managed in the province. Results are publicly available and include data on the number of positive detections by species in each zone.
In addition, the ministry compiles a map of new detections each season, along with a summary and map of the rate of infection in each wildlife management zone for which surveillance data is available.
The CWD surveillance program data is shared annually with stakeholder organizations, including SARM. It is available online for RMs to inform their leadership, hunters, farmers and ranchers of the status of CWD in their region. The ministry will continue to make it available in a timely manner to ensure that landowners, hunters and ranchers remain informed of any changes to the CWD status in their area, including new detections.
The Honourable Dana Skoropad – Minister of Environment, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment