The first case of ‘zombie disease’ has been confirmed in Yellowstone National Park, where a deer carcass tested positive for chronic wasting disease [CWD].
This deadly brain virus shows symptoms such as confusion, drooling, and lack of coordination, reducing the affected animal’s fear of humans. CWD has reportedly spread to more than 23 US states, two Canadian territories, and even South Korea.
Yellowstone National Park Highlights Next Steps
Yellowstone National Park and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department [WGFD] has officially confirmed the presence of CWD in the carcass of an adult mule deer. The discovery was made near Yellowstone Lake in the southeastern part of the park.
The mule deer fawn was first captured near Cody, Wyoming, in March 2023 by WGFD staff for a population study. Sadly, the deer, fitted with a GPS collar, was found dead in mid-October.
Working with Yellowstone staff, the WGFD located the carcass on the Promontory, a headland that divides the South and Southeast arms of Yellowstone Lake. They then collected samples and performed several diagnostic tests at its Wildlife Health Laboratory, which confirmed the presence of chronic wasting disease.
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To manage the disease, Yellowstone, via the National Park Service website, stated that staff will focus on a variety of actions including increasing cooperation and information exchange with WGFD and other state agencies to determine areas in Yellowstone that are at high risk for CWD.
Another step is to intensify monitoring efforts to detect the presence of CWD in elk, deer and other elk within the park while expanding “carcass investigations and collection of samples for testing.”
According to the WGFD, CWD was initially identified in mule deer in southeastern Wyoming in 1985 and was later found in deer in the state the following year. Over the next two decades, the disease spread westward, affecting much of the state, especially mule deer.
Keep in mind that CWD is a prion disease similar to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (“mad cow disease”), which leads to a fatal neurological disease of the cervix. Although no human infections have been reported, health officials recommend avoiding meat from infected animals and taking precautions when field dressing or slaughtering animals.
Authorities have stated that there is currently no vaccine or cure for CWD, and the disease is 100 percent fatal.
The Park Is Still Overcoming Some Weather-Related Obstacles From Last Year
This is not the first time the national park has faced major challenges. In June 2022, The Blast reported that the park, known for its wildlife and various geothermal features, had to be temporarily closed following several floods and rock slides.
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In a statement released on Monday, June 13, the Yellowstone National Park Service announced the closure of the national park due to “extensive flooding, rock slides, and extremely hazardous conditions.”
Earlier that morning, they had closed the road in the northern part of the park due to “major flooding, rock slides, and landslides on the road as a result of unprecedented rain.” Five roads, including the north entrance to Mammoth Hot Springs, are closed.
The park service explained that preliminary assessments on the road revealed, “multiple sections of road in the park were washed out between Gardiner and Cooke City, Montana, and some bridges may be affected.”
Visitors in the northern part of the park were also evacuated, a challenging task given the heavy flooding on the roads. US Highway 89 S was closed in Yankee Jim Canyon due to about three feet of water covering the road.
Residents are further advised to consult the Montana Department of Transportation for additional information regarding road closures. The National Park Service is working, working with the communities of Gardiner, Silver Gate and Cooke City to offer support to residents affected by the flooding.
More than a year later, significant progress has been made in rebuilding large portions of the northeast entrance, although parts of Yellowstone National Park are still under construction.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
