Hardangervidda is free of chronic wasting disease

Wild Reindeer herds chronic wasting disease CWDReindeer. Photo: pixabay.com

Hardangervidda is free of chronic wasting disease

While in Nordfjella it is necessary to kill the entire wild populace of 2,200 animals, Hardangervidda is free of the chronic wasting disease.

 

None of the between 700 and 800 specimens taken from reindeer shot on Hardangervidda show signs of infection or disease, the Veterinary Institute informs NRK.

“We consider it crucial for the future of the wild reindeer that we do not have a find on Hardangervidda. It is a big and important flock, that it is healthy, is therefore very positive, says researcher and CWD coordinator at the institute, Jørn Våge.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), is a prion disease that causes weight loss, abnormal behavior, uncoordinated movements and loss of body functions. It is 100 percent lethal.

In Nordfjella, which extends over six municipalities in Buskerud, Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane, it has been decided that the entire wild reindeer populace of 2,200 animals will be slaughtered for fear of spreading the disease to tame reindeer and other types of deer.

The Veterinary Institute does not exclude that several cases of involving the disease will be detected before the entire shooting in Nordfjella is completed on May 1, 2018.

In Selbu in Sør-Trøndelag, the disease has been detected in moose.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today