Fatal Chronic Wasting Disease Halts Rehabilitation Efforts for White-Tailed Deer Fawns in Tennessee

Due to the emergence of deadly chronic wasting illness, attempts to rehabilitate white-tailed deer fawns in Tennessee will be halted this year.

According to Joanna Prosser, Director of Walden's Puddle Animal Care, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reached this decision owing to the 100% death rate that affects the neurological system of deer. Although the sickness has been reported in West Tennessee, scientists believe it is spreading eastward.

Chronic wasting disease CWD has already been found in 16 counties in western Tennessee, according to the TWRA. Animal-to-animal contact, as well as soil and food contaminated with the animal's feces, urine, or saliva, is how the disease spreads.

Preventing Contagion and Human Interference

According to Prosser, contaminants in the environment could persist for decades. Because the disease progresses slowly, an animal might become infectious long before it exhibits any indications of sickness.

According to Prosser, it is incredibly infectious and may persist in the environment for a very long period. If this spreads throughout the state, it is exceedingly alarming not just for our cervid species (deer, elk, and moose), but it might potentially spread to other creatures.

Because there are only a handful of rehabilitation facilities, fawn rehabilitation necessarily includes transferring the animals over potentially long distances, which the TWRA claims increase the likelihood of disease transmission across the state.

TWRA, according to Prosser, is taking this decision very seriously. If the pollution enters the region, the center must be shut down.

Rehabilitated fawns also exhibit behavioral changes that may make it more difficult for them to survive if put back into the wild, and may even result in the deer being a hazard for humans whilst it is rutting season, when male deer exhibit high levels of hostility, according to WATE.

Prosser explained that Fawns habituate very easily, and there are specific protocols to prevent that, but still sometimes the case, like if someone had kept them for weeks before, they become extremely acclimated to humans. They will walk right up to humans, so they'll go right to a hunter.

According to the TWRA, the low survival rates observed even without considering the spread of disease suggest that rehabilitation is an ineffective tool for enhancing white-tailed deer populations. The greatest chance for their survival lies in the wild, where they can thrive without any human intervention.

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Rehab for Other Species Instead

With the new limits in place, wildlife rehabilitators, according to Prosser, have been forced to recognize that not every species can be rehabilitated. A great deal of time and resources formerly dedicated to recuperating fawns, on the other hand, may now be used to aid other species at Walden's Puddle.

If a fawn was recently picked up by humans, Prosser advises returning it to its original location. She stated that, contrary to common perception, a human fragrance on a fawn will not frighten away the mother.

Anyone who sees a fawn who seems abnormally underweight, ill, or infected should notify the TWRA. The goal of these citizen reports is to assist TWRA in determining illness and health concerns that may harm the Tennessee deer population, WKRN reports.