A bill, strongly backed by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and just passed by the House of Representatives, is designed to help combat chronic wasting disease (CWD) by funding research and supporting state and tribal efforts to develop and implement management strategies.
“The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation supports the Bipartisan Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act as an important acceleration in our national fight against this deer and elk disease,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “Supporting state and tribal efforts to detect and manage the disease locally, as well as develop new practical solutions through targeted research is an important advancement. We want to commend the leadership of Representatives Kind and Thompson and thank our fellow conservation partners for keeping a laser focus on these on-the-ground solutions.”
CWD, a contagious, neurological disease affecting cervids – deer, elk, and moose – that is always fatal. There is no known cure for CWD and it’s unclear how the disease is transmitted. As of December 2021, CWD has been confirmed in 27 states and there are serious concerns it will continue to spread to herds across the country.
To become law, the Senate must pass a similar version and the president must sign it.
(Photo credit: Nevada Department of Wildlife)