(file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Animal Disease

Province once again testing hunted animals for chronic wasting disease

Oct 4, 2022 | 11:57 AM

People hunting deer, moose, or elk this season are being encouraged to have their animals tested for chronic wasting disease (CWD).

This disease affects the nervous system in these animals and can cause them to drastically lose weight, lose all energy, and make it hard for them to move around. There is no cure for CWD with all cases ending up fatal. It can also spread easily among herds.

“Submitting animals for testing helps the ministry monitor and manage the spread of disease, which helps keep overall wildlife populations healthy and hunting opportunities strong,” Saskatchewan’s Environment Minister Dana Skoropad said in a media release.

Every hunter is being asked to submit their animals, with priority on those who plan on hunting in specific wildlife management zones. These areas include 2W, 9, 10, 35, 37, and 50.

One of these zones encompasses mostly everything north of Prince Albert to Christopher Lake and east to Nipawin.

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Testing is free with hunters asked to submit the animal’s heads at designated drop-off locations. Before dropping off the heads, hunters must obtain a CWD tracking number online.

Despite there being no known cases of humans contracting CWD, those who receive positive test results are encouraged not to eat the meat of that animal.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow