What Is Being Done To Prevent And Eliminate Brucellosis?
A. Idaho, Montana and Wyoming are all committed to eliminating brucellosis from their wildlife populations. Some of the ways that the states are trying to deal with the disease include: ~ Vaccinating- Vaccines are being tested on wild animals to determine how effective they are in preventing animals from getting the disease. Elk are vaccinated in Wyoming. ~ Habitat improvements- By using prescribed burns and other habitat improvement techniques, state and federal wildlife agencies are trying to improve the quality of habitat along the summer/winter migration routes of elk. These improvements can encourage elk to leave their winter ranges earlier and spread out from each other. When elk are more spread out, they are less likely to be in contact with aborted fetuses, which is a major source of infection. ~ Separation of cattle and elk during the winter- Because most abortions occur during the winter and early spring, managers try to keep cattle and wildlife separated during this time so
