Recently there has been a substantial increase in the attention
being paid to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) by the media, state
and federal natural resource agencies, and hunters and outdoor
enthusiasts. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) developed this page to provide background
information on CWD and explain what is being done to determine
if the disease is in Florida, and if it is not, what we are
doing to make sure it never gets here. What is Chronic Wasting
Disease? Chronic Wasting Disease is a progressive, neurological,
debilitating disease that belongs to a family of diseases known
as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs). It is
believed to be caused by an abnormal protein called a prion. CWD
has been diagnosed in mule deer, white-tailed deer, and Rocky
Mountain elk in captive herds and in the wild. Other cervids
(antlered animals) may also be susceptible. CWD attacks the
brains of infected animals, causing them to become emaciated,
display abnormal behavior, and los