Norway to cull reindeer herd to stem CWD

Alarmed by the appearance of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Norway, the country’s agriculture and food minister has approved a plan for hunters to cull an entire herd of 2,000 reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). The plan would eliminate nearly 6 percent of the country’s wild reindeer population in an effort to contain the disease, which was found in three individuals in the herd. The reindeer’s habitat will be kept under quarantine for at least five years in an effort to prevent infection. CWD was first detected in Norway in March 2016. It was the first appearance of the deadly disease in Europe.

Read more about the proposal on the Science magazine website.