How can I help protect
the province’s wildlife
(continued)?
Protect Yourself from TB
Coughing
& Sneezing
K
T
H
E
A
3) Prevent TB
● Educate yourself and others
● Prevention is accomplished through:
- Minimizing wildlife / cattle interactions
- Preventing cattle and deer / elk from
sharing food and water
- Using high deer-proof fencing around
cattle feed
B
R
E
S
d?
Ho
ea
w
ection
pr
is
Inf
Nose-to-nose
Contact
● Human infections resulting from eating or
handling infected wildlife are very rare if
you follow these basic principles:
- Thoroughly cook your food
- Routinely wash your hands
- Wear gloves when field dressing game
Mycobacterium bovis:
Tuberculosis
British Columbia’s
Wildlife
in
74 C
● If you have any concerns about your own
health, speak to your doctor or contact a
Public Health specialist in your area
For additional information:
● Canadian Food Inspection Agency
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/wldhealth/
diseases/specificdiseases/
tuberculosis.htm
● Diseases you can get from Wildlife
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/wldhealth/
diseases/index.htm
Shared Contaminated
Feeds & Water
E
C Y C L
!
By working together with hunters, biologists
and outdoor enthusiasts, the B.C.
Government will be better able to protect
the health of British Columbia’s wildlife
● BC Health Guide online (main page)
http://www.bchealthguide.org/
● BC Health Guide online (tuberculosis)
http://www.bchealthguide.org/healthfiles/
hfile51a.stm
Centre for Coastal Health
Increasing Hunter Awareness
Through Education
Why should I care?
● Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly contagious
disease that can debilitate and kill:
- Bison, moose, deer, elk, goats, cattle
How can I help protect British Columbia’s wildlife?
● If you are a hunter with a valid license for British Columbia, you have a very important role:
- Check the lungs and rib cage of each animal you field dress and butcher
1) Recognize TB
● Multiple pale (tan or yellow) round gritty lumps in lymph nodes and on lungs and rib cage
● Poor body condition can occur in late-stage disease
● Affected animals may be coughing or sneezing excessively in late-stage disease
1) TB in wildlife is SERIOUS:
● TB infected wildlife in other parts of North
America is a very expensive problem for
governments, hunters and ranchers
● There are no effective vaccines or
medications to:
- Prevent spread of TB among cattle and
wildlife
- Treat TB infected wildlife
● The only line of defence is early detection
- Recognize TB (see next page)
- Report TB (see next page)
- Prevent TB (see the back of this
pamphlet)
2) TB in cattle is SERIOUS:
● Canada’s cattle herds are currently
designated as free from tuberculosis
● However, several cases of TB have
occured in British Columbia cattle in recent
years
● When TB occurs in cattle it may result in:
- Restricted cattle movement both
nationally and internationally
- Mandatory test and slaughter of
affected and adjacent cattle herds
- Spread to wildlife species
3) TB in humans is SERIOUS:
● Although rare, infection can cause severe
illness and even death
2) Report TB
● If you see lumps in lungs or lymph nodes like the ones shown above, contact your:
- Local Conservation Officer (CO) RAPP line (1-800-663-9453) or Provincial Wildlife
Veterinarian (250) 953-4285
- You may be asked to submit the entire carcass for further testing