By Blake Jackson
The Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center (AHDC) hosted a chronic wasting disease (CWD) lecture and hands-on laboratory session on February 25 for the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine community.
The event was organized in collaboration with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and held as part of the New York State Wildlife Health Program.
The annual training was led by the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Its goal is to strengthen surveillance efforts and protect free-ranging populations of white-tailed deer and moose from chronic wasting disease across New York.
Students from the Wildlife Disease Association student chapter helped organize the program. Following a sponsored dinner, attendees participated in educational lectures that focused on wildlife diseases, particularly CWD. The disease is caused by prions, persists in the environment, has no treatment, and poses a major risk to cervid populations.
After the lectures, participants moved to the necropsy laboratory for hands-on training. Using white-tailed deer heads provided by the DEC, attendees practiced collecting CWD diagnostic samples. Experts also demonstrated how to age deer by examining tooth wear and how to identify signs of brainworm infection, which threatens New York’s moose population.
This year’s training included 25 wildlife-focused veterinary students from Cornell, along with field veterinarians and visiting wildlife conservation students.
Photo Credit: pexels-jim-fawns
Categories: New York, General