Testing is underway following a significant number of unexplained deer deaths in Grand Forks.
Grand Forks Wildlife Association president Jeff Gailey said close to 80 dead deer have been reported to the local conservation office in the last two and a half weeks.
Samples have been collected from several carcasses but results are still pending.
Gailey said provincial wildlife biologists believe the affected deer contracted epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, a virus similar to bluetongue that devestated the local sheep population a few years ago.
“It is similar to our bluetongue that we had here in Grand Forks in 2021 that killed a lot of our sheep herd and a lot of deer in the area. EHD is similar but it’s totally different than bluetongue,” he said.
The bluetongue virus killed close to three-quarters of the city’s sheep herd, as well as several deer, in 2021.
The two viruses are antigenically different but share similar clinical signs.
Biologists are confident the recent deaths were not caused by chronic wasting disease, another fatal illness identified in the East Kootenay in 2024.
Gailey said the outbreak is believed to be connected to recent EHD cases identified in Idaho and Montana.
“They’re having the same issue right now as we are with the deer down in Montana, Idaho, Washington state just from the extended summers,” he said.
The provincial government said well-documented EHD outbreaks have occurred in late summer and early fall, when it is hot and dry and animals congregate near water.
The disease is transmitted by a Culicoides biting midge, also known as a no-see-um, which is highly sensitive to cold weather.
Gailey said there is nothing that can be done to stop its spread beyond waiting for winter temperatures to kill the insects.
“Until we get a frost to kill the bugs, there’s nothing we can do about it. It’s just a natural thing that happens,” he said.
The province describes EHD as an acute, infectious and often fatal disease characterized by sudden death, especially in white-tailed deer. Carcasses show extensive hemorrhaging of many organs.
Gailey said the dead deer found in Grand Forks appeared healthy.
“This disease affects them within a couple days. They are still healthy-looking deer. But right before they die, they’ll look really lethargic. They’ll have some foam coming out of their mouth, possibly in their nose, and look unco-ordinated,” he said.
“It’s pretty sad to see because they’re basically dying from internal bleeding and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Clinical signs of EHD typically appear seven days after exposure. Early symptoms include loss of appetite and reduced fear of humans.
Infected deer may weaken quickly, drool heavily and show rapid breathing and heart rate before becoming unconscious.
Animals usually go into shock, collapse and die within eight to 36 hours after symptoms appear.
EHD can infect domestic animals but rarely causes disease. It does not infect humans and cannot spread from carcasses to live deer.
“Humans and pets are pretty safe. Everything I’ve read and any research I’ve read about it says that it possibly could affect cattle and sheep and goats, but it’s less likely to affect them. The whitetail has seemed to be more susceptible to it,” Gailey said.
Test results are expected by Tuesday.
Gailey advised residents who find a dead deer on their property to move it to the curb and phone the city’s public works yard for disposal.
If a carcass is found on a highway, he asked the public to drag it out of the road and call Yellowhead Road and Bridge to collect it.
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