N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Executive Director Cameron Ingram announced today that he has invoked Emergency Powers to activate a localized response plan to assist with the detection and isolation of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Yadkin and Surry counties and the surrounding areas. The decision was made in consultation with Gov. Roy Cooper and State Veterinarian Dr. Michael Martin.
The disease has not been detected in Southeastern North Carolina.
CWD is a fatal, highly contagious disease called a spongiform encephalopathy. CWD is similar to the so-called “mad cow disease,” or bovine encephalopathy. CWD only affects white-tailed deer and other cervids, and cannot be passed to humans.
On March 31, the agency announced the state’s first identified and confirmed positive case of CWD in a hunter-harvested white-tailed deer in Yadkin County.
The Wildlife Commission held special meeting on April 7 to discuss the state’s response to the outbreak. The commission voted to designate areas in Surry, Yadkin, Davie, Stokes and Alleghany counties as surveillance areas.
Among the measures put in place for the surveillance areas were
- Suspension and prohibition of rehabilitation of white-tailed deer fawns within and from the Surveillance Areas.
- Prohibition of transportation of white-tailed deer, dead or alive, out of the Surveillance Areas except for carcass parts that conform to 15A NCAC 10B .0124, or as otherwise permitted by the Wildlife Commission.
- Prohibition of the disposal of white-tailed deer carcasses taken or found inside of the Surveillance Areas outside of the Surveillance Areas, unless permitted by the Wildlife Commission.
- Prohibition of placement of bait, food, food products, mineral or salt licks to purposefully congregate wildlife from Jan. 2 – Aug. 31 inside of the Surveillance Areas, except for bird feeders, hunting during the urban archery season in participating municipalities and other activities specifically permitted by the Wildlife Commission.
In addition some new emergency rules were put into place, including the requirement that all deer taken in the surveillance areas be tested for CWD.
The Wildlife Commission will begin temporary rulemaking on these items at its April 14 business meeting.
A public forum on CWD will be held in District 7 the first week of May. The forum will be an opportunity for the community to learn more about CWD and ask questions about the disease and North Carolina’s response.
The Wildlife Commission will also adopt temporary rules for the affected area and will host a public hearing the second week of May.
For more information about CWD, including public forum and hearing dates and locations as they are confirmed, and answers to frequently asked questions, visit ncwildlife.org/CWD.
