Fatal 'zombie deer' disease found at Virginia national park
The NPS reminds park visitors to avoid contact with sick or dead animals when inside the park, and to tell an NPS employee about the animal as soon as possible.
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WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – A disease that is fatal to deer and gives them zombie-like qualities has been found in a white-tailed deer in Manassas National Battlefield Park in Virginia.
According to the National Park Service, this is the first time chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been found in a deer at the national park.
The diseased deer was discovered during disease sampling after an effort to reduce the national park's white-tail deer population.
The NPS said the so-called "zombie deer" disease was found in three nearby national parks in Maryland and Virginia in 2024.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CWD can infect deer, elk, moose and other similar animals. Symptoms of CWD in deer and other animals include significant weight loss, drooling, increased drinking, urination and less fear of humans, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
In order to determine if a deer has CWD, they have to be tested, the USGS said.
The disease hasn't been shown to infect humans, but meat from animals infected with the disease should not be eaten.
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The NPS reminds park visitors to avoid contact with sick or dead animals when inside the park, and to tell an NPS employee about the animal as soon as possible.
The venison from the infected deer found in Manassas National Battlefield Park was destroyed, NPS said, and no other deer with CWD have been found at the park.