REPORTINGWildlife and Game Animals
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Wildlife and game animals can potentially transmit several diseases to people. Like all warm-blooded animals, wildlife and game animals can carry the rabies virus. Anyone bitten by a wild animal should seek medical attention immediately. If the animal can be safely captured and euthanized, it can be tested for the rabies virus. In northern Idaho, there have been no cases of rabies in any animal other than bats. There have been a rabid cougar and skunk in southern Idaho.
In this region, predatory animals such as cougars and bears can carry a parasite known as trichinella. Cysts of the parasite are found in the muscle tissues of cougars and bears. To make the meat safe for eating, thoroughly cook it at 165 degrees F to kill the parasite. When cleaning game animals, people should wear gloves and they should wash their hands thoroughly when they're finished.
Cross contamination between raw meat and cooked meat should be avoided. Use different plates and utensils for each. After preparing meat, thoroughly clean and sanitize the preparation area.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a neurological disease that affects the brain of animals such as deer, elk and moose. It is believed to be caused by an infectious protein called a prion. Cooking doesn't destroy prions. There have been no cases of CWD in animals in nothern Idaho, but there have been cases in Wyoming and Colorado.
So far, there have been no known cases of people infected with CWD from eating infected meat from deer, moose or elk. Surveillance is continually being conducted on this issue
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