Wolves assist with Chronic Wasting Disease

I hear about Chronic Wasting Disease in our deer and elk. The solution I always hear is 'shoot them!” That never solves the problem. Nature takes care of itself. It's when man interferes with it, is when we have a problem like this. Wolves help control the spread of CWD.

Wolves have the ability to spot vulnerable animals. This may make them the best natural control for the disease, since wolves kill off sick animals, researchers say.

CWD makes its victims distracted and unwary as it eats tiny holes in their brains.

Wolves show up and pick out the weak, sick and old. They look for weakness; it's their hunting style. They are tailored to remove the animals with CWD, which makes them one of the single best ways to stop spread of the disease. So why are we killing wolves?

Wolves can remove infected individuals and clean up carcasses that could transmit the disease.

Killing off our wolves allowed CWD to take hold in the first place.

We need to advocate for our wolves. They are the ecosystem.

Debra Warrens

Waterloo