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Georgia DNR confirms first case of chronic wasting disease in deer

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  January 23, 2025 3:10pm EST
Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta

The Brief

    • First CWD Case in Georgia: A hunter-harvested white-tailed deer in Lanier County tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), marking the first confirmed case in the state.
    • Response Plan Activated: The Georgia DNR has established a CWD Management Area, including Lanier and Berrien counties, and is conducting cluster sampling to determine the disease’s spread and prevalence.
    • Prevention Measures for Hunters: Hunters are urged to avoid moving live deer, dispose of carcasses properly, and test animals harvested in CWD-affected areas before consuming the meat.

LANIER COUNTY, Ga. - The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has confirmed the state’s first case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a white-tailed deer. The disease, a fatal neurological condition affecting deer, elk, and moose, was detected in a two-and-a-half-year-old male deer harvested by a hunter in Lanier County.

What we know:

The confirmation was made through testing by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories as part of routine surveillance. In response, the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) has activated its CWD Response Plan and is conducting additional testing in the area.

Managing the Situation

A CWD Management Area has been established, encompassing Lanier and Berrien counties. The DNR is working to determine the extent and prevalence of the disease within this zone, relying on landowner cooperation for cluster sampling in the affected region.

What they're saying:

"I want to assure our hunters that deer hunting will continue to thrive in Georgia, despite this current discovery," said Walter Rabon, DNR Commissioner. "Working together with our hunters and all Georgians, we will manage CWD and maintain healthy deer herds."

What is CWD?

The backstory:

First identified in 1967 in Colorado, CWD is caused by infectious prions and is always fatal to deer, elk, and moose. The disease has been reported in 36 states and three Canadian provinces. There is no known transmission to humans, but the CDC recommends testing animals harvested in CWD-affected areas before consuming their meat.

Preventing the Spread

The DNR is urging hunters and residents to take precautions to limit the spread of CWD:

  • Avoid moving live deer to new areas, as this poses the highest risk for spreading the disease.
  • Dispose of carcasses properly, leaving remains on the property where the deer was harvested, sending them to a landfill, or burying them.
  • Report sick or abnormal deer to a WRD Game Management Office.

Hunters are also reminded not to transport whole carcasses into or out of the CWD Management Area.

Stay Informed

The Georgia DNR, in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, will provide updates as new information becomes available.

For more details on Chronic Wasting Disease, visit georgiawildlife.com/CWD.

The Source

  • Information for the above story was provided by Georgia's Department of Natural Resources. 

GeorgiaWild NatureNews