WDFW Bans Feeding Of Wildlife Near Spokane

In an effort to slow, or even stop the spread of chronic wasting disease, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife passed an emergency rule last week banning the feeding of deer, elk, and moose north of Spokane.  CWD is a fatal illness of cervids, which include deer, elk, and moose in Washington.  It is caused by mutated proteins known as prions which can contaminate the environment and be transmitted between animals through feces, saliva, urine, and other bodily fluids.

WDFW officials say while well intended, feeding draws animals together where they can transmit CWD to each other.  One of the most effective ways members of the public can help prevent the spread of CWD is to abstain from feeding wildlife.  The Department added another negative impact of feeding wildlife include habituating wild animals to humans, aggressive behavior towards people and pets when attempting to obtain food and drawing animals across roadways where they can be hit by vehicles while attempting to access feeding sites.

The emergency wildlife feeding rule makes it an infraction to place, deposit, distribute, or scatter feed including but not limited to grain, hay, minerals, salt, fruit, or other such substances or food types to feed, lure or attract deer, elk, or moose in WDFW's Game Management Units (GMU) 124 (Mount Spokane), 127 (Micah Peak), and 130 (Cheney).  Those GMUs were chosen as they are closest to where a deer with CWD was found in north Spokane County earlier this year.  The full text of the emergency rule change can be found on WDFW’s website.

Another way members of the public can help manage the spread of CWD is to report sick or dead deer, elk, or moose to WDFW. More information on CWD, including other rules related to it and how to have harvested cervids tested for the disease, is on the WDFW website.

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