Legal regulation of supplementary cervid feeding facing chronic wasting disease

Abstract

The supplementary feeding of cervids is a widespread practice across the northern hemisphere. There are few studies, however, regarding the extent of feeding in space and time. There are adverse effects of supplementary feeding, of which the most severe are increased parasite and disease transmission. With the recent emergence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) among cervids in Norway, a legal regulation was issued that banned all supplementary cervid feeding. We quantified the spatial extent and intentions of feeding cervids across all of Norway using a questionnaire at the municipality scale. We also compared spatial extent of feeding before and after the feeding ban to shed light on the ability of regulations to control supplementary feeding. Supplementary feeding to increase winter survival and targeting roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) was more common (48.4% of the municipalities) than the feeding of red deer (Cervus elaphus; 20.5%) and moose (Alces alces; 7.4%). The main feeding period was January–March, but extensive feeding also occurred from November to December and in April. Reducing traffic accidents was also a motivation, particularly for the feeding of moose (14.5%), and this was the main motivation (86%) for public feeding. Among the 65.7% that responded, 53.3% reported they knew about supplemental feeding of cervids in their municipality. In the region with the first feeding ban, 80.2% of municipalities were feeding in 2015–2016 before the ban, which was reduced to 68.4% in 2016–2017 and remained at 68.4% in 2017–2018. In the remainder of Norway, 81.4% were feeding in 2015–2016, and 72.6% were feeding in 2016–2017, but after the ban, this increased to 78.6% in the harsh winter of 2017–2018. Our study highlights that regulations across broad scales may not be followed and that more spatially targeted regulations and increased enforcement are required for disease transmission to be more effectively combated. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Wildlife Society.

Climate change and anthropogenic food manipulation interact in shifting the distribution of a large herbivore at its altitudinal range limit

“…These findings raise the question of the extent to which anthropogenic modifications of resource availability affect ungulate populations—particularly those facing particularly limiting winter conditions 27 . Potential drawbacks of supplementing feeding include, but are not limited to, transforming feeding sites into “ecological traps” 28 , where disease transmission 29 , 30 or competition-induced stress increases 15 , 31 can severely affect population dynamics. Behavioral responses may enable animals to adapt to anthropogenic changes 32 – 34 , but in many cases, these responses may be insufficient and even maladaptive 28 , 35 .…”

Food Safety Considerations Related to the Consumption and Handling of Game Meat in North America

“…However, the negative impact of supplementary feeding for free-ranging wildlife remains controversial due to its risk to increase disease transmission, and impact on human and wildlife health [ 37 ]. In North America, the practice of supplementary feeding of cervids has contributed to the spread of chronic wasting disease [ 44 , 45 ], tuberculosis [ 46 ], and brucellosis in free-ranging and captive cervids [ 47 ]. Numerous studies have documented that supplemental feeding can facilitate large concentrations of wildlife foraging near feeding sites, expanding the risk of inter- and intra-species transmission of infectious diseases [ 48 , 49 ].…”

<p>Chronic Wasting Disease In Cervids: Prevalence, Impact And Management Strategies</p>

“…Prion deposition in mineral licks was demonstrated in an enzootic area in Wisconsin, corroborating the participation of mineral licks as risk factors for CWD transmission, environmental reservoirs for CWD prions and as potential sources for cross-species contamination as they attract livestock and non-cervid wildlife species 101. The bans on baiting and feeding implemented in multiple states in North America and municipalities in Norway are crucial to reduce the congregation of animals and to reduce direct contact rates of susceptible with infected animals that in normal circumstances do not congregate and feed on the precise same small area 153. This regulatory ban helps to prevent direct transmission of infectious diseases like tuberculosis, brucellosis and CWD.…”