SPARTA, N.Y. (Azat TV) – The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) confirmed on Friday, November 6, 2026, that a wild adult female white-tailed deer harvested in the Town of Sparta, Livingston County, tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Reported by WHEC, this detection marks the first time the fatal neurological illness has been identified in a wild white-tailed deer in New York State since 2005.
Following the positive laboratory results, state authorities have launched aggressive containment and surveillance protocols. The initial sample tissue was tested and retested at the New York State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Cornell University, with additional confirmation procedures underway at the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. Officials are utilizing the state’s established CWD Response Plan, coordinated jointly by the DEC and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM), to determine the prevalence of the disease and prevent further geographic spread across the landscape.
Containment Zone and Mandatory Testing Rules
To address the confirmed infection, the state has established an active containment area spanning six towns in Livingston County: Conesus, Groveland, North Dansville, Sparta, Springwater, and West Sparta. Within this designated zone, the DEC has instituted strict regulatory measures under 6 NYCRR Part 189. Hunters operating inside the containment area are now subject to mandatory sample submission for every harvested deer.
Furthermore, state regulations prohibit the movement of high-risk animal parts out of the containment zone, including the brain, spinal cord, spleen, and eyes. Transporting whole deer carcasses out of the area is strictly forbidden without an official DEC transport permit issued for carcasses taken to approved processors or taxidermists outside the zone. Additional prohibitions ban the possession of deer killed by motor vehicles within the containment area, as well as the collection, sale, possession, or transport of deer or elk urine sourced from the zone. Rehabilitation of wild white-tailed deer from or into the containment area is also prohibited.
Collection Stations and Surveillance Strategy
To facilitate required testing, the DEC announced that on-site collection stations will begin operations within the containment area on November 12, 2026. Specific locations and operating hours are scheduled to be published on the DEC website. Hunters who harvest a deer in the containment area prior to the opening of the official collection stations are instructed to save the animal’s head and contact agency personnel directly via email at cwd.response@dec.ny.gov.
The agency is also collaborating closely with local meat processors and taxidermists to gather necessary tissue samples and track harvest records. If any harvested deer tests positive for CWD, hunters will be notified directly, and the DEC will request the surrender of the venison for proper disposal. In tandem with these hunter-focused measures, the DEC and AGM are contacting captive deer herd operators across the region to inspect and audit herd records.
Broader Context and Stakeholder Outreach
Chronic Wasting Disease is an always-fatal, transmissible neurological condition that attacks the brain and central nervous system of cervids, including deer, moose, and elk. New York first began systematic CWD monitoring in 2002, leading to the initial 2005 discovery in both captive and wild deer in Oneida County. Prior to the Livingston County detection, the state had tested more than 70,000 wild deer statewide over two decades without finding additional cases, though a captive red deer herd in Herkimer County tested positive in 2024.
While public health agencies emphasize there is no current evidence linking CWD to human illness, domestic dogs, cats, or livestock, federal guidelines caution against consuming meat from infected animals. To engage the public and local stakeholders, the DEC has scheduled a virtual informational webinar for Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., with additional in-person outreach sessions planned for Livingston County.