WASHINGTON, Nov 21, (Agencies): Yellowstone National Park has reported the first instance of "chronic wasting disease," aptly nicknamed the "zombie" disease, in deer, marking a concerning development, as announced by park officials and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in a recent press release.

The affected deer, an adult mule buck, was part of a population dynamics study and had been fitted with a GPS collar during capture near Cody, Wyoming, in March 2023. Unfortunately, the collar indicated the animal's demise in mid-October 2023.

In response to this discovery, Yellowstone officials are implementing precautionary measures to curb the spread of the disease in the area. These measures include intensified testing for deer, elk, and moose, along with heightened surveillance within the park.

Described as a contagious and fatal ailment caused by a malformed protein (prion), chronic wasting disease (CWD) has no known vaccine or treatment, making its presence in Yellowstone a cause for concern.

While CWD first emerged in Wyoming in the 1980s and has since spread throughout the state, this is the first recorded instance of its existence in Yellowstone National Park. Symptoms of the disease encompass listlessness, weight loss, increased drinking and urinating, excessive drooling, and head lowering, often culminating in death.

The mode of transmission includes both direct and indirect methods through disease particles, with long-term effects still undetermined. Although there is currently "no evidence" of CWD spreading to humans or among domesticated animals, caution is urged, and the CDC emphasizes the importance of preventing prion diseases from entering the human food chain since 1997.

The emergence of chronic wasting disease in Yellowstone raises concerns not only for wildlife but also for the potential implications on the park's ecosystem and beyond.