What is the role of captive wildlife in spreading CWD?
Two issues exist with captive wildlife and CWD. First, captive wildlife have been traded and sold throughout much of the United States. CWD has been spread to many captive herds across North America by this transfer of CWD infected animals. Since no live animal test for CWD was available, it was impossible to certify that an animal was not infected. Only after an infected animal was positively identified in a herd could that herd be quarantined. Second, in many states, no laws existed to prevent animals from CWD herds being transferred to their states. At this time many states are enacting laws to block the movement of captive deer and elk into their states. • Will CWD spread to other parts of Nebraska’s deer herd? We believe that CWD will spread outside of the existing CWD areas if it is not quickly controlled or eliminated. Deer commonly move 5 or 10 miles between winter and summer ranges. It is not uncommon for individual deer to move 50 or more miles in one year. • Where else might
