Title

Prevalence of Chronic Wasting Disease in Post-Burn Areas

Date of Award

5-31-2009

Document Type

Capstone Project

Disciplines

Environmental Policy & Mgmt

Degree Name

Master of Applied Science

Department

Environmental Policy & Mgmt

Advisor

Kathy Flanagan

Keywords

Chronic wasting disease, CWD, Deer, Elk, Hunting, Prevalence

Abstract

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease found in deer and elk in 14 western and mid-western states and two Canadian provinces. It is believed to have been first observed in Colorado and Wyoming in 1967. It is a disease caused by prions by an unknown transmission vector and impossible to cure at this time. Most of the management options currently available are labor-intensive and costly. The potential use of controlled burns to reduce or eliminate the prions that cause the disease was shown to have no effect on the prevalence of the disease in either study area. The temperatures needed to destroy prions were not reached by either surface or crown fires.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. Permanently suppressed.

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