Which one of you guys that hunt the Yellowstone elk keeping the scabies infection alive in the elk populations?
Scabies infecting more Yellowstone elk
The number of elk in the Yellowstone National Park region infected with scabies, a skin infestation caused by mites, is up this year, state wildlife officials say. The disease can be fatal, especially when an animal's health has been weakened for other reasons, such as old age or disease.
Scabies also can cause animals to lose all their hair, said Jim Miller, a Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks game warden.
"I've seen a lot of them that look naked," he said. "Just a little fuzz on them."
The mites that cause scabies live at the base of host hairs and pierce the skin with their mouths. This causes inflammation, hair loss and an "oozing matter which hardens into a scab and ultimately a dark crust," according to FWP information distributed this winter to Gardiner-area hunters. The type of scabies infecting elk is not a threat to humans.
Meat from infected elk isn't as tender as meat from healthy elk, park biologist Travis Wyman said.
"It tastes good, and it smells fine," he said. "But it's tougher than nails. It's like eating a football."
The number of cases in the region varies from year to year and is more common in old cows and in bulls debilitated by the rigor of the rut.
"This year it caught everybody's attention," said Tom Lemke, area biologist for FWP. "It has a higher percentage in the elk herd this year."
The infestation does not appear to play a role in the declining elk numbers in the park's northern herd, he said.
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Information from: Bozeman Daily Chronicle, http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com
Scabies infecting more Yellowstone elk
The number of elk in the Yellowstone National Park region infected with scabies, a skin infestation caused by mites, is up this year, state wildlife officials say. The disease can be fatal, especially when an animal's health has been weakened for other reasons, such as old age or disease.
Scabies also can cause animals to lose all their hair, said Jim Miller, a Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks game warden.
"I've seen a lot of them that look naked," he said. "Just a little fuzz on them."
The mites that cause scabies live at the base of host hairs and pierce the skin with their mouths. This causes inflammation, hair loss and an "oozing matter which hardens into a scab and ultimately a dark crust," according to FWP information distributed this winter to Gardiner-area hunters. The type of scabies infecting elk is not a threat to humans.
Meat from infected elk isn't as tender as meat from healthy elk, park biologist Travis Wyman said.
"It tastes good, and it smells fine," he said. "But it's tougher than nails. It's like eating a football."
The number of cases in the region varies from year to year and is more common in old cows and in bulls debilitated by the rigor of the rut.
"This year it caught everybody's attention," said Tom Lemke, area biologist for FWP. "It has a higher percentage in the elk herd this year."
The infestation does not appear to play a role in the declining elk numbers in the park's northern herd, he said.
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Information from: Bozeman Daily Chronicle, http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com
