The Province is responding to a potential case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a male white-tailed deer harvested east of Enderby. CWD is an infectious and fatal disease affecting species in the cervid family, such as deer, elk, moose and caribou. Initial testing by the provincial animal health laboratory detected prions (which are abnormal proteins) that may indicate CWD in the deer sample. The sample has been submitted to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for further testing, as the CFIA is Canada’s authority for confirming CWD. Results are expected by early December. The hunter who submitted the sample has been notified of the potential detection. The Province will update the public if the CFIA confirms the sample to be positive for CWD. This is the first potential detection in the Okanagan and the first identified outside B.C.’s existing CWD management zone in the Kootenay region.

Additional coverage from the BC Wildlife Federation: WEBINAR: Chronic Wasting Disease Update