Experts Looking For Cause Of Texas Deer Deaths

There seems to be a problem with the deer population in southwest Texas. They are dying in large numbers around stock tanks and ponds. One rancher found two dozen dead on his ranch. Another found 15 dead deer in and around his stock tank. Whatever the cause, it is hitting deer of both sexes and all ages.

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is not sure what is killing the deer. Experts will be going to southwest Texas next week to try and find the cause. The best guess right now is that it is either bluetongue disease, or its cousin, epizootic hemorrhegic disease [EHD]. Officials say that the drought has weakened the immune system of the deer, and recent rains have increased the amount of a type of fly, culicoides, known to carry bluetongue and EHD.

If it is bluetongue or EHD, then the public is safe. These diseases cannot be transferred from animals to humans. But officials have not ruled out anthrax, and that can be transmitted to humans. Dale Rollins, a wildlife expert with the Texas Cooperative Extension Service, says, "We don't know...Anthrax is not out of the question." Don Davis, a veterinary pathobiologist at Texas A & M, urged those who come across dead or dying deer to use "extreme caution". Davis says, "We're not 100 percent sure what it is."

The reports of unexplained deer deaths began a few weeks ago. Right now, the disease seems to be restricted to six southwest Texas counties - Schleicher, Tom Green, Concho, Menard, Crockett and Sutton counties.

This is not a good time for this to be happening. Here in Texas, archery deer season starts on September 30th, and gun deer season begins on November 4th. Officials will be performing deer autopsies next week, and hope to know the cause before deer season begins.