Zombie Deer with Chronic Wasting Disease Seen Acting Abnormally in Oklahoma

When a zombie deer acting strangely was spotted in Oklahoma, it turned out that there was a second case of chronic wasting disease.

Second Zombie Deer in Oklahoma

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected in a second wild white-tailed deer in Oklahoma, this time in Woodward County, according to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC).

The first week of June saw the official confirmation of Oklahoma's first instance of a wild deer with CWD.

Following a landowner's complaint that a deer was acting strangely, a second deer has now been discovered in Woodward County, roughly 15 miles east of Woodward.

According to Jerry Shaw, ODWC Wildlife Programs Supervisor, they will be conducting surveillance measures and steps to monitor and slow the possible spread of this disease as part of their response plan.

The ultimate objective is to maintain healthy, well-managed deer with the least possible negative impact on the resource or the constituents.

Chronic Wasting Disease

CWD is a neurological condition that always results in death and causes holes similar to those in sponges in the brains of deer, moose, elk, and other animals of the cervid family.

There is no known instance of wild animals transmitting CWD to humans or livestock.

As hunting seasons approach, the Wildlife Department says it will continue to look for signs of this disease inside the state of Oklahoma and will provide more details, including how hunters for deer and elk may aid in detection and mitigation, Oklahoma News4 reported.

Because of the possible impact on the state's unique hunting traditions, concerns about human health, as well as risk to natural resources, plus the $1.2 billion annual economic contribution that hunting makes to the state, the ODWC takes the disease issues very seriously.

The main goal of ODWC is to reduce the risk to susceptible cervids including wild elk, deer, and other animals inside Oklahoma's borders.

In light of recent developments in medical knowledge and the disease's growing proximity to our state, ODWC is revising and upgrading its response strategy.

As new information becomes available, ODWC works with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry and other organizations to monitor the state's captive cervid herds and update the public as necessary, according to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Abnormal Behavior

The infection is assumed to be brought on by abnormal proteins known as prions, which are thought to harm other normal prion proteins found in tissues throughout the body but are most frequently found in the brain and spinal cord, resulting in brain damage and the emergence of prion disorders.

Similar to other prion illnesses, CWD may take longer than a year to manifest clear neurological symptoms.

Years after contracting CWD, deer, elk, sika, reindeer, and moose may not exhibit any symptoms of the illness.

Animals with chronic wasting disease may experience a range of changes that can be behavioral or physical as the disease worsens.

Drooling, excessive thirst or urine, drooping ears, lack of fear of people, tripping, listlessness, lack of coordination, and severe weight loss or wasting are a few examples, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.