‘Zombie deer disease’ epidemic spreads in Yellowstone as scientists raise fears it may jump to humans

This is literally why we have apex predators such as wolves. They help clamp down on the old and the sick so that prions (mad cow disease) does not spread to other species or humans. It cannot infect wolves.

When you kill off all the apex predators, like when Montana governor Greg Gianforte authorized the massacre of 100 wolves, you see explosions of extremely dangerous diseases and land degradation as deer damage tree roots, gardens, meadows, streams, and farms.

Not only that, but killing members of wolf packs causes their families to fall apart and everyone to scatter. That means wolves alone. Which cannot hunt pack animals which require coordination. So then they go after the easiest meal: dumbass farm animals who have zero survival instincts and whose ranchers no longer employ people to look after the herds in great enough numbers like the olden days. The cycle then perpetuates, as mad-cow contaminated soils spread and spread....

If a mad-cow-like disease jumped the barrier to humans and began spreading through Americans, the main problem in eradicating it would be that basically no one would be able to tell the difference from the average 'Enthusiastic' Republican Voter and someone whose brain is melting due to an actual pathogen.

fookin' prions

From the little I’ve read on this it appears that the infectious cells favor a functional brain so that means all maga evangelical republicans are safe.

Without reading, is it Chronic wasting? I just checked in on that the other day and the CDC didn't seem to think it was a big deal unless you are in a hotzone.

Oh its totally fine it's not like we've made the planet warmer allowing viruses to mutilate easier and for longer or like how we haven't been taking part in a centuries long destruction of the deers native habitat forcing them into populated areas right?... Right?

who had zombie invasion on their 2024 bingo card?

Add it to “What else can fuck millennials?” pile.

A particularly concerning illness for me.

I believe it's made the jump into a certain species of monkey in a lab environment last I knew, but the jump to humans hasn't been seen and isn't a given. This is a clickbait title. If you're hunting game, make sure to get it tested with samples taken at a wildlife check station before consuming and you're likely safe here.

scientists raise fears it may jump to humans

Who says it hasn't? I mean, have you looked at our politics lately?

I see we are lining up for a great 2024

Prions sounds like a very tiny, evil shrimp

Yeah here we go! We all wanted a zombie outbreak and all we got was corona lockdowns. This is more like it! Bring it on!

/s

Oh deer

Prions are freaky.

Can't say this is entirely what I expected from 2024, but I will say it is completely on-brand.

It'd be an improvement for some people.

One estimate in 2017 suggested humans could be eating up to 15,000 CWD-infected animals a year in the

Yeah, no, eating animals is surely never a bad idea. They compare it to the BSE cases that caused years and years of consequences.

I know this has been going on for years. Still needs more research

Once an environment is infected, the pathogen is extremely hard to eradicate. It can persist for years in dirt or on surfaces, and scientists report it is resistant to disinfectants, formaldehyde, radiation and incineration at 600C (1,100F).

right, prions officially suck.. also no known cure or vaccine..

Since its a prion in a species that we don't farm, we just need to not eat venison.

Edit: Not that that helps the deer, of course.