Mule deer found dead raises questions

In May 2017, a mule deer carcass was found near a highway bridge over the Chena River Flood Control area near Fairbanks, Alaska. The deer died from a vehicle collision, but the timing of this event is what concerned researchers most. Mule deer aren’t native to Alaska, although occasional sightings are reported. The species is also known to carry various parasites and diseases, which could potentially spread to Alaska’s moose and caribou. A parasite of large concern is the moose winter tick, which can devastate moose populations. A necropsy was performed on the mule deer and it appeared to be in good health prior to being hit.

Read the full article at the Alaska Fish & Wildlife News.

This article was featured in the Alaska Chapter of The Wildlife Society’s fall 2017 newsletter, available here. For more information on the Alaska Chapter visit https://wildlife.org/alaska/.