The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently completed an inspection campaign on meat processors in Northwest Florida to prevent the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in Florida.
Chronic wasting disease is a contagious, neurological disease that is always fatal in deer but does not seem to affect people.
It was first detected in Florida in June 2023 in Holmes County; it is one of the most serious wildlife diseases facing Florida’s deer population and poses a significant economic and environmental risk for Florida’s rural communities.
Signs of the disease can include extreme weight loss and abnormal behaviors such as listlessness, lowering of the head, inattentiveness toward people, walking in circles, staggering and standing with a wide stance.
The inspection campaign was called Operation Processor24; it was a 4-month effort to inspect businesses involved in meat processing and taxidermy of highly regulated wildlife species.
The operation covered all 16 counties of the Northwest Region, from the Alabama state line to Jefferson County.
It included 88 businesses known to work with regulated species to ensure compliance with wildlife conservation laws while supporting hunters and trappers.
A total of over 100 violations of Florida laws and rules were cited during the operation.
The operation also led investigators to violations that occurred in other states.
FWC partnered with Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Mississippi to curtail wildlife violations crossing state lines.
And with hunting season coming up, the FWC is asking anyone who sees a sick, abnormally thin deer or finds a deer dead from unknown causes to call the Chronic Wasting Disease hotline at 866-CWD-WATCH (866-293-9282) and report the animal’s location.
Chronic wasting disease is a contagious, neurological disease that is always fatal in deer but does not seem to affect people.
It was first detected in Florida in June 2023 in Holmes County; it is one of the most serious wildlife diseases facing Florida’s deer population and poses a significant economic and environmental risk for Florida’s rural communities.
Signs of the disease can include extreme weight loss and abnormal behaviors such as listlessness, lowering of the head, inattentiveness toward people, walking in circles, staggering and standing with a wide stance.
The inspection campaign was called Operation Processor24; it was a 4-month effort to inspect businesses involved in meat processing and taxidermy of highly regulated wildlife species.
The operation covered all 16 counties of the Northwest Region, from the Alabama state line to Jefferson County.
It included 88 businesses known to work with regulated species to ensure compliance with wildlife conservation laws while supporting hunters and trappers.
A total of over 100 violations of Florida laws and rules were cited during the operation.
The operation also led investigators to violations that occurred in other states.
FWC partnered with Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Mississippi to curtail wildlife violations crossing state lines.
And with hunting season coming up, the FWC is asking anyone who sees a sick, abnormally thin deer or finds a deer dead from unknown causes to call the Chronic Wasting Disease hotline at 866-CWD-WATCH (866-293-9282) and report the animal’s location.
No comments:
Post a Comment