Hunters in the Cherryville-Lumby area can help monitor bovine tuberculosis by bringing the heads of white-tailed or mule deer to select locations.
Local hunters can drop deer heads off at:
Sundowner Meats, 2611 Highway 6
RT Ranch Sausage and Custom Cutting, 39 Byers Rd.
Any Conservation Officer Service office
The heads will be sent to a lab to test for bovine tuberculosis and other diseases.
“Bovine tuberculosis is a highly contagious disease that originates in domestic cattle and can be fatal to bison, moose, deer, elk and mountain goats,” states the Ministry of Forests.
So far, B.C. wildlife have been free of the disease, but there have been several recent outbreaks in cattle in the area and the disease has a history of spreading from domestic livestock to wildlife.
“Once bovine tuberculosis is established in a wildlife population, it’s difficult to eradicate,” states the ministry.
“Bovine tuberculosis can easily spread when animals are in close contact, so early detection is key to containing it.”
For more information, go to www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/plants-animals-ecosystems/wildlife/wildlife-health/wildlife-diseases/bovine-tuberculosis