Updated: May 2011

Chronic Wasting Disease has been detected in two animals in Kansas. Once in a captive elk, and once in a free range whitetail deer.

The first case, in a Harper County captive elk herd, occurred in 2001. That elk came from a private elk farm in Colorado and was tested as part of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Kansas Department of Animal Health (KDAH). Although that herd has been destroyed, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) still tests as many free-ranging animals in that area as possible.

The second case of CWD was detected during the 2005 hunting season in a free-ranging whitetail doe harvested in Cheyenne County. Cheyenne County borders Colorado and Nebraska, both states have previously detected CWD.

The KDWP continuously monitors for CWD during the fall 2006 and January 2007 deer hunting seasons. CWD was not detected in any of the samples collected. KDWP staff collected 2,970 samples from across Kansas, including 2,724 whitetail deer, 225 mule deer, and 15 elk.

At least 2,134 animals had bee tested prior to the 2006 season.