Wyoming officials confirm chronic wasting disease in moose near Laramie

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has confirmed the presence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in an adult bull moose located in Moose Hunt Area 45, east of Laramie. The discovery follows a report from a member of the public on September 2, who observed the animal suddenly collapse and die.

A field necropsy conducted by department veterinary services revealed the moose was in poor physical condition and showed signs of a possible bacterial infection. Subsequent testing by the department’s Wildlife Health Laboratory and the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory confirmed the CWD diagnosis.

This marks only the second time CWD has been detected in a free-ranging moose in Wyoming, with the previous case recorded in 2008 near Bedford. While rare in moose, the disease has been present in deer and elk within the same geographic region for decades. Officials are encouraging hunters who harvest moose in Moose Hunt Area 45 to submit their animals for testing.