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Central Washington deer fight lice problem

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bobcat:
Central Washington deer fight lice problem

The Associated Press • Published February 15, 2009

ELLENSBURG – State wildlife officials estimate about 50 percent of the deer population in two central Washington counties has been lost since 2004, and while all the causes aren't known, at least one is believed to be lice.

Officials in Yakima and Kittitas began receiving reports about black-tailed and mule deer with hair loss syndrome in 2002. The deer population began declining in 2004.

At first, the type of lice causing the deer to lose hair was thought to be one of several native species already found in wild deer populations in the United States.

But test samples showed that the type of lice causing the problem — Bovicola tibialis — typically is found only on European fallow deer, which had been farmed in central Washington. According to reports by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, some of those deer may have escaped, inadvertently introducing the lice into the local environment.

Game farms have since been banned in Washington, though several existing ones have been allowed to continue operating.

"This is a new situation in Eastern Washington," said James Mertins, an entomologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture who was the first to discover the exotic lice species had invaded the area.

The chewing lice cause deer to begin obsessively grooming or rubbing. Bald patches then begin to appear, which make the deer more susceptible to environmental stresses.

One reason the lice species may be thriving, Mertins said, is that it has no females or males and everyone can lay eggs. That means the species populates very quickly.

Only about a half-dozen species worldwide reproduce that way, Mertins said.

"This is sort of a worst-case scenario," he said.

David Darda, associate dean of biological sciences at Central Washington University, said the native deer's ability to overcome this infestation will depend heavily on its genetic diversity.

"If you've got a decent genetic variety, you may have a large die-off initially, but as time goes by the variety can improve the deer's ability to fight," Darda said. "It'll be interesting to see what happens in five years."

bowhuntin:
I wonder if most of the deer have died off that have this lice. I also read something a while back that said they thought it was going to start spreading into other counties, which I hope doesn't happen. I haven't seen many deer in the Yakima area for a couple years now, but seen more than usual last spring. Hopefully the deer herds will recover from this.

DOUBLELUNG:
Unfortunately, I saw 4-5 deer in Chelan Co. last year with hair loss.  Along Hwy 97 between Blewett Pass and Hwy 2.

norsepeak:
There were a lot of them around my house last year, but this year, I haven't seen one with the lice.  The deer all look real healthy this year.

bowhuntin:

--- Quote from: DOUBLELUNG on February 15, 2009, 09:17:58 AM ---Unfortunately, I saw 4-5 deer in Chelan Co. last year with hair loss.  Along Hwy 97 between Blewett Pass and Hwy 2.

--- End quote ---

That's not good.

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