Deer photo prompts worry
by Rob Gibson · CastanetA photo of a deer in Kelowna making the rounds on social media has prompted questions and concerns.
The photo shows a deer in the Lower Mission, in the Hobson Road Beach access area covered with wart-like growths on the front of its body.
The poster states, "just a warning, a deer was spotted outside my home with what seems to be chronic wasting disease. It had an eye hanging out, some sort of growths growing on it, and was not afraid of people at all."
The sighting has been shared with the BC Conservation Officer Service and Castanet followed up with the Ministry of Water Land and Resource Stewardship for an explanation of what is ailing the deer.
"Our team reviewed the image and determined there is no public or wildlife health and safety concern involved," says public affairs officer Lee Toop.
A biology professor who looked at the photo wasn't 100 per cent sure what the ailment could be but he did indicate that it looks more like deer cutaneous fibroma disease as opposed to chronic wasting disease.
Deer fibromas are wart-like growths on deer that are typically caused by an infection with a species-specific papillomavirus. These manifest as firm, warty growths fixed to the skin of a deer.
Papillomas or warts in animals are caused by viruses similar to the ones that cause warts in humans. However, this condition is spread between animals by direct contact and is not transferable to humans.
The government of Northwest Territories released a field guide in 2017 that indicates that animals that are affected by this disease are generally in good condition.
The guide primarily offers advice to hunters who might shoot an infected animal.
If you shoot a sick animal:
- Do not cut into diseased parts
- Wash your hands, knives and clothes in hot, soapy water after you finish cutting up and skinning the animal, and disinfect with a weak bleach solution.
A deer with ungulate papillomas was spotted in the South Okanagan at the end of August and the Lower Similkameen Indian Band is asking anyone who spots an ungulate (deer, elk, moose, goat, & sheep) with papillomas to contact the Okanagan Nation Alliance’s senior biologist, Mackenzie Clarke, at 250-707-0095, ext 241.