New wildlife feeding ban takes effect in WA amid concerns of CWD
This decision comes as a precautionary measure to mitigate the risk of transmitting Chronic Wasting Disease, an always-fatal neurological disease that affects cervids, among Washington's wildlife populations.
The rule was formed in response to the discovery of CWD in Eastern Washington for the first time in 2024. With no known cure for this disease, state officials identified the need to reduce concentrations of cervids at feeding sites, which could accelerate the spread of this and other wildlife diseases.
Kyle Garrison, an ungulate specialist from the WDFW, emphasized the dangers of wildlife congregations due to feeding practices during a hearing on March 18.
"Artificially increasing cervid concentrations raises the potential for disease transmission. When CWD is present, feeding can facilitate frequent exposure to prions through animal contact and contaminated sites," he explained.
The regulations apply not only to direct feeding, but another rule change March 24 also restricts baiting animals during hunting, both because of CWD.
Public feedback during the hearing revealed a mix of support and skepticism surrounding the new regulations. Out of 453 comments received, many attendees expressed agreement with the ban, understanding its necessity in limiting the potentially devastating impacts of CWD.
However, some voiced concerns about whether the science behind the regulations was robust enough, noting that deer, elk, and moose are social animals that naturally aggregate.
Others had concerns around potential economic impacts related to hunting and wildlife tourism in regions where these practices were previously common.
Despite the mixed reactions, WDFW officials reiterated that feeding wildlife is neither biologically necessary for survival nor beneficial for their health. The ban, according to WDFW, is a step in promoting the overall wellness of Washington's wildlife populations, particularly in light of the threats posed by diseases like CWD.
The health risks associated with wildlife feeding extend beyond disease transmission. Animals accustomed to human-provided food may venture onto roads or become more exposed to predators, according to WDFW.
The digestive systems of these animals are not equipped to handle non-natural foods, with diets involving fruit and grains leading to health complications like rumen acidosis, a metabolic disorder caused by a sudden dietary shift, according to WDFW.
WDFW encourages the public to support wildlife through habitat preservation rather than feeding.
To this end, the agency is promoting its Habitat at Home program, which offers tips for creating natural environments that support wildlife year-round. Residents are also urged to report sightings of sick or injured animals to help monitor health-related issues within wildlife populations.
"I realize this change may be difficult for those who enjoy feeding local wildlife, but the practice is not biologically necessary for these animals to survive," Garrison said. "Ceasing feeding is a significant way for the public to help minimize the impacts of CWD in our state."
What is Chronic Wasting Disease?
Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurologic illness of cervids, which include deer, elk, moose and caribou. CWD is caused by an infectious prion protein and transmitted from animal to animal through feces, saliva, urine or through contaminated environments.
Most animals with CWD appear normal until the end stages of the disease when they show signs of weight loss, lethargy, drooping ears, excessive salivation and urination and loss of fear of people.
There is no cure for CWD, and testing tissue collected from the head of carcasses is the only way to determine if an animal is infected with it.
SOURCE/WDFW
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
09-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Huge health care Chapter 11 bankruptcy hits ‘STD capital' hard
Florida's The Villages has gotten so big that it's reasonable to say that if your parents don't live there, they probably know someone who does. A Central Florida 55+ retirement community, The Villages has been one of the fastest-growing communities for multiple years. Related: AT&T customers sound alarm on a frustrating problem It's a relatively affordable community, even with Florida's rising prices, at least partly because it's very central and not near the beach. That's also good for keeping insurance costs down. The Villages calls itself "Florida's Friendliest Hometown," and its reputation has suggested that many residents in the conservative-leaning community have a liberal definition of "friendly." "We are a 55+ community, perfectly located in sunny central Florida, where you can strive each day to lead an active, meaningful and happy life. Our vision was to create a community with the ideal backdrop for you to write the next chapter of your story, a place where you can grow, learn new things, and spend more time doing the things you love surrounded by friends who are more like family," the company shared on its website. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter The Villages has gained a reputation as a place where seniors move to hook up. It has been called the "STD Capital of the World," a reputation that's not actually borne out with statistics. While it may not be the 55+ Las Vegas, The Villages does have its own very unique medical needs, as it's a somewhat isolated community that has to care for an older population. Operating a health care business in The Villages presents some special challenges. Aside from one small housing development for support staff, everyone who lives in the community is 55 or older. That means that the medical needs per person exceed the typical demands in a mixed-age community. Villages Health markets itself as "Care that fits your life." The company shares a deeper description on its website: "At The Villages Health, we make staying healthy easier with same-day appointments, longer doctor visits, and a care team that truly knows you. From prevention to healing, our goal is simple: to keep you well and doing what you love," it added. More retail and bankruptcy: Popular retail chain to close unprofitable store locationsBankrupt retail chain unloads store leases, key assetsPopular discount retailer files bankruptcy, closes all stores And sure, "doing what you love" might include activities that spread STDs, but that's a minor area of coverage offered by the caregiver. Now, The Villages Health (TVH) has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy because it owes Medicare hundreds of millions of dollars. In addition, the company has between 200-999 creditors, including various health care vendors and service providers such as Starkey Laboratories, Olympus America, and Boston Scientific Corporation. The Villages Health System, LLC, a health care provider operating in The Villages, Florida, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on July 3, 2025, in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida. "The bankruptcy petition indicates significant financial challenges, with assets estimated between $50 million and $100 million and liabilities between $100 million and $500 million. The United States of America is listed as the largest creditor with a contingent, unliquidated claim of approximately $361 million. The filing indicates that funds will be available for distribution to unsecured creditors," RK Consultants reported on X, the former Twitter. The company shared a message from its CEO Bob Trunh to all members. In the letter, he assured members that TVH was not going away. "We are still the same doctors, clinicians, and care teams caring for our patients," he wrote. TVH, he shared, is being sold to CenterWell, which is owned by Humana. That transaction requires court approval. "This will allow the health care system which has been providing amazing care to our patients for all these years, to continue on in the hands of a national health care services organization that has the resources and expertise to grow The Villages Health, and to enhance patient care," Trinh wrote. Related: Huge furniture manufacturer closes and liquidates assets The CEO tried his best to reassure members that their health care will be preserved and uninterrupted. "This legal process aims to preserve TVH as a highly effective health care system while putting it in the hands of a large national organization with the resources and expertise to grow and enhance the patient care experience," he added. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Yahoo
Steele among eight counties added to DNR's deer feeding and attractant ban
Jun. 18—The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has added eight counties, including Steele County, to a deer feeding and attractant ban to reduce the risk of chronic wasting disease spread, after CWD was detected in wild deer in new areas of the state last year. "The feeding and attractant ban is one tool to reduce unnatural congregating of deer and lower the risk of CWD spread," said Paul Burr, acting big game program coordinator. "We use this tool where it provides the greatest benefit to the health of Minnesota's white-tailed deer." Added to the feeding and attractant ban along with Steele are Anoka, Clay, Ramsey, Sherburne, Traverse, Wilkin and Wright counties. The ban now includes 32 Minnesota counties and remains in effect for Aitkin, Beltrami, Carver, Cass, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Itasca, Le Sueur, Mower, Norman, Olmsted, Polk, Rice, Scott, Sibley, Wabasha, Washington and Winona counties. A map of the feeding and attractant ban area is available on the Minnesota DNR website ( The wording of the ban was clarified to prevent it from covering natural or manufactured products that do not have attractants added. This change allows hunters to use items such as non-scented ropes, mock scrapes with no scents added, and other items that were never intended to be covered under the deer feeding and attractant ban. In areas outside the ban, the Minnesota DNR recommends that the public not feed deer. People interested in helping deer should focus efforts on improving habitat to provide long-term food resources and shelter. For more information on how to improve private land for the benefit of deer and other wildlife, visit the Minnesota DNR website (
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
CWD surveillance measures in effect for three KY counties
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Officials say new Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance measures are now in effect for Henderson, Union and Webster counties, following the detection of CWD in a deer harvested just across the Ohio River in Posey County, Indiana. Officials with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) say, in response, the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission approved a CWD Surveillance Zone for the three counties, expanding the state's existing surveillance area, which includes Ballard, Breckinridge, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hardin, Hickman, Marshall, Meade and McCracken counties. The zone brings specific regulations to help limit the spread of the disease among deer. Board approves proposed tuition increases at Murray State, WKU Officials say these are the key regulations now in effect: Mandatory testing Hunters in Henderson, Union and Webster counties must bring deer harvested during the first three days of modern gun season, which is November 8 to 10, to a staffed check station or CWD Sample Drop-Off site for testing. Carcass transport limits Whole carcasses or high-risk parts from deer harvested in the zone cannot leave the three counties. Permitted items for transport include de-boned meat, clean skulls and teeth, antlers with or without a clean skull cap, hides and finished taxidermy mounts. Carcasses of deer harvested outside the zone may be brought in. Rehabilitation ban The rehabilitation of deer is prohibited within the surveillance zone. For the 2025–2026 deer season, under the authority of the commissioner, two key changes take effect in all counties that are designated within the CWD Surveillance Zone. According to officials, baiting is now allowed in all counties within the CWD Surveillance Zone, provided it is not distributed through contact feeders like troughs, funnels and gravity feeders without spreading capabilities. This change overrides the previous baiting ban, aiming to give hunters more opportunities to harvest deer while reducing deer densities. A statewide prohibition of feeding is still effective from March 1 through July 31. Also, feeding and baiting is illegal on all Wildlife Management Areas. Man identified after drowning in Pike County lake KDFWR says while permitted with limitations, baiting promotes unnatural congregation of deer, increasing the risk of CWD transmission through saliva, urine and feces from infected animals. Hunters should weigh this risk before choosing to bait. Officials also note to manage deer populations and improve disease monitoring, a special two-day antlerless-only gun season will be held on September 27 through 28, in all CWD Surveillance Zone counties. During this special season, hunters are required to drop off the head of harvested deer to a CWD Sample Drop-off site. Hunters may harvest any deer without visible antlers, including button bucks. However, no deer hunters—whether using firearms, bows or crossbows—may take an antlered buck in a CWD Surveillance Zone county during this weekend. Hunter orange requirements are in effect during this season. According to KDFWR, Chronic Wasting Disease is caused by abnormal proteins called prions and affects white-tailed deer, elk and other animals in the deer family. There is no known cure or vaccine, and the disease is always fatal in infected animals. The disease is not known to be transmissible to people, but as a precaution the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends not consuming meat from deer that test positive for the disease. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife always recommends not consuming meat taken from animals that appear to be sick or in poor condition. Lincoln State Park to close some facilities for dam repair Officials say hunters all across Kentucky are encouraged to submit samples through the CWD Sample Drop-Off sites or CWD Sample Mail-in Kits at any time during the hunting season. The test comes at no monetary cost to the hunter, and results are typically returned within four to six weeks. Back in February, there was a second positive case of CWD confirmed in Posey County. The infected, wild, white-tailed deer was a 2.5-year-old male harvested in Posey County. The deer was confirmed positive for CWD by two independent tests. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
