Abstract

The mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) population that winters in Estes Park, Colorado and the eastside of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado (RMNP) is currently sampled for chronic wasting disease (CWD) using a live tonsillar biopsy test. Utilizing the live test as a population level experimental management technique involves cooperation between federal and state field teams working in their respective jurisdictions. The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) works primarily in the town of Estes Park, Colorado and recently published a paper evaluating the feasibility of the live tonsillar biopsy strategy in this urban environment.¹ The costs and logistics associated with implementing this program in RMNP are considerably different. We compare and contrast the feasibility of implementing a live testing program for CWD in mule deer populations in urban versus wildland environments.

Costs associated with mule deer live testing are estimated on a per deer basis. The two major categories of expenditures are supplies/equipment and personnel services. Supplies and equipment are fixed costs and include wildlife pharmaceuticals, darts, ear tags, telemetry transmitters, vehicle, and lab fees. Supplies and equipment costs are similar between urban and wildland environments. Colorado Division of Wildlife reported a supplies/equipment cost range of $297–$341 per animal dependent upon the drug combination used. Rocky Mountain National Park costs per deer are comparable. The real difference in feasibility between wildland and urban settings lies in personnel service costs. These costs are substantially higher per deer in a wildland setting. The time required to locate deer in wildland settings greatly increases personnel costs. In 28 field days, CDOW sampled 181 mule deer, averaging 6.5 deer per day. Rocky Mountain National Park sampled only 41 deer in 28 days, averaging 1.5 deer per day. These differences in efficiency between wildland and urban environments are important considerations for wildlife managers who may be considering using this technique.

Literature Cited

1.  Wolfe LL, MW Miller, ES Williams. 2004. Feasibility of “test and cull” as a strategy for managing chronic wasting disease in urban mule deer populations. Wildl. Soc. Bul. In Press.