Alliance for Public Wildlife's Living Legacy White Paper Series
Examining the complex science, evidence, issues, and implications relevant in matters of public policy affecting North American wildlife.
Examining the complex science, evidence, issues, and implications relevant in matters of public policy affecting North American wildlife.

The Challenge of CWD: Insidious and Dire
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a sister disease to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or ‘mad cow’ disease, is threatening our deer and elk. Declared a 'State of Emergency' in the U.S. in 2001, CWD was described by Canada's Expert Scientific Panel as "arguably the most important issue in the management of free-living deer and elk in North America."
Without immediate action we are heading for worst case outcomes that include severe population impacts, extinctions, crashing economies, and, although unlikely, potential transfers of CWD to people. This white paper examines the science behind the disease, the history and process of it's spread, and the public policy implications and recommendations for dealing with it.
Without immediate action we are heading for worst case outcomes that include severe population impacts, extinctions, crashing economies, and, although unlikely, potential transfers of CWD to people. This white paper examines the science behind the disease, the history and process of it's spread, and the public policy implications and recommendations for dealing with it.

The Challenge of CWD: Insidious and Dire, and URGENT
Late-breaking research reinforces the need for urgent action.
Shortly after the release of The Challenge of CWD: Insidious and Dire, key findings in several areas of CWD research alerted prion scientists and authorities around the world to the urgency of the current situation. Careful scrutiny, repetition, and thorough interdisciplinary analyses are needed—but the implications are profound.
Shortly after the release of The Challenge of CWD: Insidious and Dire, key findings in several areas of CWD research alerted prion scientists and authorities around the world to the urgency of the current situation. Careful scrutiny, repetition, and thorough interdisciplinary analyses are needed—but the implications are profound.
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