Improve the management of chronic wasting disease-affected wild cervid populations

This Cooperative Agreement, awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) under the Wildlife Services program (CFDA 10.028), is intended to improve the management of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in wild cervid populations. The $176,250 award, effective from September 30, 2024 through September 30, 2025, will enable the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to increase preparedness for CWD surveillance, expand diagnostic capacity, secure sample collection supplies, expand storage capacity, create sampling kits, and develop a CWD training video for hunters, meat processors, and taxidermists. The project aims to provide quicker CWD test results for hunters and compensate processors and taxidermists for assisting with sample collection. This work aligns with the Wildlife Services program's focus on managing wildlife-related challenges, particularly those involving zoonotic diseases like CWD in wild cervids.

Recipient will increase preparedness for chronic wasting disease surveillance after the first positive detection; and increase efficiency of an existing chronic wasting disease partner incentive program. This project will provide an increased diagnostic capacity for chronic wasting disease testing; secure backstock of chronic wasting disease sample collection supplies for recipient staff (biologists, law enforcement, state properties); increase storage capacity at properties near a chronic wasting disease positive zone; create backstock of restocking sampling kits; and create a chronic wasting disease training video for partners. Hunters, meat processors, and taxidermists will benefit most from this project. Hunters will benefit the most because they will have the ability to obtain quicker results from their chronic wasting disease tests. Processors and taxidermists benefit from assisting with surveillance as they receive monetary compensation for sample collections assistance. Recipient will contract with national animal health laboratory network (NAHLN) to perform chronic wasting disease test on samples collected from partners. Additionally, recipient will work with video profe ssionals to create training video(S) for taxidermists, processors, students, and hunters.