Urban deer a target as B.C. government, cities try to curb wasting disease

CRANBROOK, B.C. — The B.C. government along with the southeastern cities of Cranbrook and Kimberley say they’ll try to limit the spread of chronic wasting disease with a targeted removal and testing of urban deer.

Five cases have been confirmed in southeast B.C. in the last year for the disease that is fatal and affects species in the deer family, including mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, moose and caribou.

A statement from the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship says the risk of spread is higher in urban deer because of population density, and two cities are of special concern because of their proximity to the areas where the infected deer were found.

It says the work will be done as safely and humanely as possible, with the removal of the deer done by professionals following strict protocols to ensure public safety and to minimize stress on the animals.

Deer removal will start Feb. 18 and the government says the sample testing will be shared.

The statement says any future management decisions will be based on what they find when testing the dead deer, their research and local Indigenous knowledge.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2025.

The Canadian Press