Two deer tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease during recent white-tailed deer reduction operations at Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site in Pennsylvania. This is the first confirmed case of CWD at Gettysburg.
CWD has been found in deer, elk, moose and similar animals. It has been reported in the United States, Canada, Norway, Finland, Sweden and South Korea. As a prion disease, it occurs when proteins in the body misfold and cause brain damage and other symptoms, ultimately leading to death within months or years.
Park staff are in the process of coordinating a response with the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the National Park Service Biological Resources Division to ensure a consistent, science-based approach to monitoring and limiting the spread of the disease. CWD has been present in Pennsylvania since it was first detected in 2012 and has since spread among deer populations in the state.
In 2024, three nearby national parks in Maryland – Antietam National Battlefield, Monocacy National Battlefield, and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park – reported their first CWD-positive test results.
The Park Service points out that Gettysburg has managed deer populations since 1995 to protect native vegetation, support healthy and diverse forests, and preserve historic landscapes. Herd reduction is also a recognized management tool used to help limit the prevalence and spread of CWD in affected areas. Deer management operations will continue at the park with appropriate CWD mitigations in place to reduce the risk of continued spread of the disease.
Park visitors that see sick or dead wildlife should avoid contact with the animal and notify park staff as soon as possible. The Park Service also recommends keeping pets on a leash and away from sick or dead animals, as well as keeping a safe distance from wildlife.
While there is currently no evidence that CWD can infect humans, CDC guidelines recommend that people avoid eating tissues from CWD-infected animals.
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