Hundreds of deer killed to contain deadly disease with ‘no cure,’ Idaho officials say

Hundreds of deer have been killed to slow a contagious and incurable disease in Idaho, wildlife officials said.

As of March 1, 289 deer and three elk had been killed from the Slate Creek drainage area and tested for chronic wasting disease, Idaho Fish and Game said in a news release.

Chronic wasting disease is a contagious and fatal neurological disease that impacts deer, elk and reindeer, the wildlife agency said.

“There is no cure for this fatal disease,” officials said.

The disease is hard to recognize because it can take months or years before infected animals show symptoms, wildlife officials said. Some animals, however, will show signs of the disease in excessive salivations, drooping head or ears, a low body weight and unusual behavior.

In some cases, infected animals have shown a lack of coordination and show no fear toward humans, according to Fish and Game.

Out of 289 killed deer, 163 have been tested and 19 tests were positive, officials said, estimating 12% of deer in the area are infected.

The first animal from the Slate Creek area tested positive for the disease in 2021, officials said.

“Although it is tough to see CWD prevalence this high in the area, it validates the importance of this ongoing project to lower deer densities in Slate Creek and reduce the spread of the disease,” Clearwater regional supervisor J.J. Teare said in the release.

Wildlife officers and landowners with special hunting permits have been part of the project to kill deer in the area. Hunting isn’t open to the public because the animals are on or near private land, officials said.

Food banks will get meat from animals that tested negative, officials said.

Wildlife officials said they will continue killing deer in the area through March.

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