In 1996, the Fish and Wildlife Division of Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) developed a program to assess the presence or absence of CWD in free-ranging elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer in Alberta. The primary objectives are to:
- Collect and analyze heads of wild deer and elk for evidence of CWD.
- Provide surveillance data necessary to assess the geographic distribution of CWD occurring in wild populations within the
- Co-ordinate the program with similar programs in farmed elk and deer.
The Division works co-operatively with user groups, primarily hunters, guides, and local residents as well as provincial
agriculture staff to achieve these objectives. Programs are based largely on submission of heads of hunter-killed deer.
Additional samples are collected by Fish and Wildlife staff during disease control or routine field activities. Emaciated
deer, elk, moose, caribou, or antelope are particularly targeted for testing.
Surveillance Target Areas
The wildlife surveillance program focuses on identified CWD risk areas, primarily
- Along the Alberta/Saskatchewan border.
- Around any confirmed case of CWD in wild or farmed cervids in Alberta.
In addition, random targeted areas elsewhere in the province may be chosen for increased surveillance effort.
Harvested deer head requests
Heads of hunter-killed deer and elk are requested primarily through a communications package to inform hunters via
- The wildlife disease web pages of the Fish and Wildlife Division of AEP
My Wild Alberta website
- Materials sent to outdoor magazines, newspaper and radio outlets, hunting licence vendors, and hunting organizations
- Direct contact between hunters and Fish and Wildlife staff
- Notices sent to draw licence recipients
Laboratory tests of wild deer and elk are conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and results reported to Fish and Wildlife on an on-going basis. Summary test results are available at:
All hunters who submit deer heads for CWD surveillance will be informed of test results from their deer. In addition, the
public are given a general notification of positive cases found in Alberta via our disease web pages.
Updated: Jun 15, 2015