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Blood tests of two elk recently captured by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks from the upper Dearborn River basin north of Helena--and later killed to be tested for disease and suspected hybridization with red deer--show both animals were pure Rocky Mountain elk. The Wyoming State Vet Laboratory in Laramie conducted the tests.
"It^s a great relief to know that these elk were not red-deer hybrids," said
FWP spokesman Ron Aasheim. "We^re still waiting to hear about the disease
tests, and we^re hoping they show no exposure to chronic wasting disease."
Both of the 1.5-year-old elk-a bull and a cow--were once under the care of
FWP^s Wild Animal Shelter in 1999 and later released in the upper Dearborn
where their oddly tame behavior and the atypical physical appearance of the
young bull elk^s antlers came to the attention of local FWP officials.
"Montanans care deeply about their wildlife as do we at FWP. We responded
swiftly when the resource appeared to be threatened," Aasheim said. "We^re
hoping a new wild animal rehabilitation center at Spring Meadow Lake State Park
will address the types of problems and issues that we encountered in dealing
with the Dearborn elk."
Chronic wasting disease (CWD), which is fatal to deer and elk, has become a
concern to western states wildlife managers. Since 1998, FWP biologists and
wardens have conducted "targeted surveillance" of elk and deer that appear to
display clinical symptoms suggestive of CWD-emaciated animals that appear
listless, with blank facial expressions, excessive salivation, lowered heads
and, in some cases, hyperexcitability and nervousness. FWP continues to
encourage hunters and others who see animals with any of these symptoms to
contact the nearest FWP office.
To date the only known CWD infected elk from Montana were detected at an
alternative livestock facility near Philipsburg. FWP has conducted statewide
sampling of wild elk for CWD since 1998, with all 1,038 animals taken by
hunters and FWP officials showing no CWD infections.
The origin and the mode of transmission of CWD is unknown and tests for CWD can
only be conducted on dead animals.
Over the course of the 2000 hunting season FWP officials will conduct CWD
surveillance of wild deer and elk from the Philipsburg area and in selected
areas in southwestern Montana.
Uploaded: 10/14/2000
Uploaded: 10/14/2000