Chronic Wasting Disease CWD in Texas – Latest Updates
Texas saw a spike in Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) cases in Texas in 2021. Most reported cases were in the hill country and were from breeder White-tailed deer. Additional cases were reported in breeder Elk and Red Deer along with a few cases in free ranging Mule Deer populations. In this article I line out Texas’ historical case count and provide insight into the latest trend in cases.
What is Chronic Wasting Disease?
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a neurological disease known to effect members of the deer family, known as “cervids”. Transmission occurs when an animal encounters prions that were shed from an infected animal’s fluids (blood, saliva, urine, or feces) before or after death according to research by the Cesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute (CKWRI). These prions cause misfolded proteins.
Check out the CKWRI research on The Past, Present, and Future of Chronic Wasting Disease in Texas.
CWD was first identified in 1967 at a Colorado captive deer facility and has since been detected in captive and free ranging cervids in 4 Canadian Provinces and 27 US States.
Chronic Wasting Disease in Texas
The first known case in Texas was discovered in 2012 in a free ranging mule deer in West Texas. Since then, 269 additional cases from various species of cervids (White-tailed Deer, Elk, Red Deer, and Mule Deer) have been reported across the state. The first infected White-tailed deer in Texas was discovered in 2015 at a Medina County deer breeding facility.
Although Texas is still thought to be early in the infection cycle, several agencies are taking the threat very seriously and are implementing mitigation measures to slow the spread of the disease.
Texas Parks and Wildlife has implemented reporting and testing requirements for hunters who harvest mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, red deer, or any other CWD susceptible species in the South-Central, Panhandle, or Trans-Pecos regions of Texas. In the areas mentioned, known as CWD Containment and Surveillance Zones, a hunter must bring their animal to a TPWD check station within 48 hours of harvest.
Latest Chronic Wasting Disease Updates in Texas
Texas has seen a total of 270 cases reported across 14 counties, representing both captive and free ranging populations, since 2012. Most of the cases seen are of White-tailed Deer. In 2021, 86% of reported cases were White-tail. Among all CWD cases reported in White-tailed Deer only 8% were from free ranging populations while the majority (92%) of cases reported were breeders and released breeder deer.
Texas Annual Case Count of Chronic Wasting Disease Cases
2021 Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Cases in Texas
The Chronic Wasting Disease case count in Texas in 2021 was the second highest ever reported, with 64 total cases. This was second only to 2018 with 70 reported cases. Most cases were reported from breeder white-tailed deer in Uvalde, Medina, and Hunt counties, which accounted for 53 of the cases last year.
Cases in Mule Deer were found in El Paso (4, Hudspeth (3), and Lubbock (1) counties, all of which were free ranging animals.
There was a single case reported in Elk and Red Deer during 2021, both of which were breeder released animals in Medina county.
For a detailed list of reported CWD cases check out Texas Parks and Wildlife’s, CWD Tracking page.
Texas Counties with Chronic Wasting Disease
The following Texas Counties have had known cases of Chronic Wasting Disease in free ranging populations.
• Dallam
• El Paso
• Hartley
• Hudspeth
• Lubbock
• Medina
• Val Verde
The following Texas Counties have had known cases of Chronic Wasting Disease in captive populations.
• Duval
• Hunt
• Kimble
• Lavaca
• Mason
• Matagorda
• Medina
• Uvalde
Resources
There are ton of great resources that will help you learn even more about this disease. Here are links to my top choices below.
• South Texas Wildlife – Publication by Cesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute
• Texas CWD News
• Chronic Wasting Disease and Deer Management on Private Land – Cesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute
• Chronic Wasting Disease – Texas Parks & Wildlife
• CWD Tracking – Texas Parks & Wildlife
• CWD – Center for Disease Control
About the Author
Michael Morrow is the founder of the Texas Landowner’s Association and a land agent in the state of Texas. He is dedicated to ensuring landowners have the resources, information, and platform they need to effectively accomplish their personal goals for their property. His undergraduate and graduate level studies at Texas A&M were focused around Rangeland Ecology and Wildlife Management. He’d love to help you with your next purchase or help take your property to market. You can reach him here by emailing Michael@LandAssociation.org