Manitoba Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures is highlighting the success of the 2024-25 chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance program, in order to stress the importance of increased participation for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
This past year saw success in the program’s efforts to streamline processes, reduce staffing requirements and cut testing times significantly, while expanding licensed hunting opportunities. The average turnaround time for test results was 22 days this year, compared to 37 days in 2023-24 and 77 days in 2022-23.
The province has also expanded licensed hunting opportunities for 2024-25 including mandatory testing for licensed deer hunters in target areas. A second white-tailed deer hunting season opportunity was expanded to game hunting areas (GHA) 5, 6, 6A, 7, 8, 10, 11, 15, 15A, 17B, 25B, 23. GHA 23A was also added for CWD sampling this past year.
With the conclusion of the 2024-25 hunting season, the program has processed approximately 3,100 samples.
CWD is an incurable, fatal disease that affects members of the deer family (cervids) including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, moose and caribou. Animals infected with CWD may appear healthy until the later stages of the disease. If CWD spreads and becomes endemic to Manitoba, there is a serious risk that CWD will threaten the health of all cervid populations in the province.
First detected in the province in 2021, a total of 30 positive cases of CWD have been detected to date. This includes four positive cases identified during the 2024-25 hunting season. Cases were identified from mandatory biological sampling submissions of animals as well as animals harvested by department staff as part of ongoing CWD management efforts to reduce the spread.
Hunter-directed sampling is key to engaging the hunting public and integral to increasing the speed of the program. The province thanks everyone for participating in efforts to manage CWD. Hunters with questions or concerns about an animal that has been harvested can call 1-204-638-4570.
For more information about CWD and Manitoba’s response, visit manitoba.ca
