Officials from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) announce the detection of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer populations across Putnam, Marshall, Adams, and Peoria counties. This neurological disease poses a serious threat to white-tailed deer, and new cases highlight the ongoing challenges in managing its spread since the first documented instance in 2002.
IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie emphasizes Illinois’s leadership in CWD management, noting that the state’s strategy has become a model for others. As the disease surfaces primarily in the northern regions, hunters are strongly encouraged to test their harvested deer for CWD, as public health organizations continue to advise against consuming meat from CWD-positive animals.
Read full story at www.kfvs12.com