Infected Deer Count Rises
SANTA FE— The state Department of Game and Fish has confirmed that three deer captured in southern New Mexico tested positive for chronic wasting disease, bringing the total number of infected deer in the state to 15.
Two of the wild deer were caught near the White Sands Missile Range near Las Cruces, and the third deer was captured in the small town of Timberon in the southern Sacramento Mountains. The department received the test results last week from the state Veterinary Diagnostic Services Laboratory in Albuquerque.
Chronic wasting disease is fatal to deer, elk and moose, causing them to become emaciated, display abnormal behavior and lose control of bodily functions.
[mjh: we need more wolves!]