Chronic Wasting Disease

NAFWS Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Project

Since 2003, the USDA-APHIS signed a cooperative agreement with the Native American Fish & Wildlife Society to, "generate in Indian country, surveillance, communication and information dissemination capacity in and around the wild and captive endemic disease areas".

In 2003, the USDA at the request of Congress was to develop a national plan to assist state wildlife programs and state agencies with the management of chronic wasting disease. In this natonal plan, Native American tribes were included. The plan called to assist Native American tribes, federal agencies, and states in managing CWD.

Factual information and up to date information about Chronic Wasting Disease can be found at the Center for Disease Control and the USGS websites.

Center for Disease Control - Chronic Wasting Disease
USGS National Wildlife Health Center - Chronic Wasting Disease

The CWD project has concentrated its efforts to gather samples taken during tribal hunting seasons from NAFWS regional areas and training tribal persons to collect CWD samples. Training may be provided to tribes if requested to demonstrate sample collection techniques. Three regional NAFWS biologists are charged with working with the tribes in those regions.

Currently, the project (June 2010) status includes the following:

• The Northwest/Great Plains Region - One positive sample for CWD identified at the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. 20 samples provided and 10 tested negative for CWD.
• The Great Lakes/Northeast Regional areas - 8 samples provided and are pending from the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Tribe. Training was provided at this event held in conjunction with the 2010 NAFWS national conference, and a total of 5 persons trained.
• The Southwest Region - No samples were obtained or training provided.

• The Northwest region in 2009 provided 47 samples from three tribes.

• The Great Lakes/Northeast Regions provided 102 samples from four tribal areas and training sites located within the two regions. At least 18 tribal persons were trained.

• The Great Plains/Southeast areas provided no training or sample collection.

• The Southwest Region provided 212 samples from among 5 tribes and 4 people trained.

For more information about the Chronic Wasting Disease Project, contact:

Northwest/Great Plains Region - Emerson Bull Chief, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Great Lakes/Northeast Region - Ryan Wallin, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Southwest Region - Corey Lucero, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it