USDA - in IL, NY, PE, MI - 33% of white tail deer exposed to covid

[womanofthehills]

Link to tweet

?s=21

[Crepuscular]

4. Nothing changed

The 60% prevalence was for Michigan only, collectively the samples from 4 states indicated a 30%+ prevalence rate. This is still the original data, nothing changed. Also, this was a very small sample and the samples were likely not distributed evenly across each of the areas tested, so it's a little bit hyperbolic to say that "60% of the deer in Michigan tested positive for Covid", as several headlines did when first reported. More accurately, 60%+ of a small sample, taken from a few counties, tested positive for Covid19.

[Crepuscular]

7. Nothing changed

They didn't increase the sample size, you are mistaken.

USDA tested samples which they had already gathered for other purposes (in the case of Michigan it was for monitoring Bovine Tuberculosis in the deer herd), for Covid19. These samples were taken in four states. The original news release noted the results both collectively (all four states combined) and individually. Michigan had a much higher incidence of positive Covid in the deer sampled, then was found in the other states. When some media outlets ran the story, they used the numbers from Michigan (60%+) because it was more sensationalistic than using the lower collective number.

The difference in the numbers is due to how different media outlets reported the original story, not any new data. I really don't think that this story is being manipulated in a pro-hunting or pro-gun manner but if you want to see a conspiracy, have at it.

The story is an important one, however, because it demonstrates the Zoonotic nature of Covid19 and documents the existence of at least one reservoir species, that has the potential to frustrate efforts to reach herd immunity over the long term. One aspect of Zoonotic diseases is the potential for mutations occurring when spread in a non-human host (in this case Cervids) which when passed back into the human community may cause a variant that is not impacted by either natural immunity or vaccine driven immunity.

It's an important story but not for the reasons that you seem to suspect.

[LeftInTX]

12. 60% is crazy

[kentuck]

5. My thought also...

Might be a good time to cut back on the venison?

[CrackityJones75]

17. By who's count?

By who’s count are there too many deer though?

Whatever did deer do before they thankfully were hunted by man?

[CrackityJones75]

19. So basically we are the problem.

I am not begrudging the post. It just strikes me funny that the solution to a problem is to kill more things. Because we already ran off the things that did the killing naturally.

Maybe man needs to start hunting man.

[CrackityJones75]

21. I hear that. Stay safe Chin.

[NickB79]

25. By historical counts, and as evidenced by their impact on forests

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/11/the-deer-paradox/309104/

Humans have hunted whitetails in America for over 12,000 yr. Before that, there were wolves, cougars, and American lions (yes, there were lions in America).

Native Americans even practiced cultural methods such as intentionally set fires to improve deer habitat and hunting success.

With the explosion of our population, white Americans nearly hunted them to extinction by the early 20th century, resulting in laws to protect them, along with misguided laws to exterminate their predators. Deer, being very fertile, are now so numerous that they're destroying forests. Native wildflower populations around the Great Lakes are in serious decline due to their grazing, and oak and maple tree seedlings aren't regenerating any longer or n many areas.

Without serious steps to reduce their numbers, native forests will start to die off, replaced by invasive non-native species like buckthorn that deer won't touch.

[CrackityJones75]

26. So if covid eliminated all the humans....

Then the forests would die off?

I don’t believe that.

Salt was bad fir you before it was good for you before it was bad for you again. Same with eggs. Tobacco. We have it app figured out depending on what we know when we know it.

[Kingofalldems]

27. They're here in the DC suburbs and plentiful.

The Parks people have annual hunts to lower the population but they can't in my neighborhood as it's pretty urban.

[CrackityJones75]

29. Don't get me wrong

As I said before I am not criticizing the post. I fully understand the reasons we humans need(?) to do it.

[Klaralven]

2. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to kill the shrubbery and flower eating varmints.

[LeftInTX]

13. LOL -Funny how animals respond

[Backseat Driver]

3. Isn't the abbreviation for Pennsylvania PA?

[Greybnk48]

11. That would mean it's in WI too.

Nothing's been said here that I have heard.

[DemocraticPatriot]

14. We are fortunate that most deer practice 'social distancing'.

[GregariousGroundhog]

16. So does this have serious implications, or is just more of an interesting fact at this point?

[Crepuscular]

24. Potentially

It has potentially serious implications, not due to the potential for spreading the disease to hunters or those who consume venison but more so due to the implications of there being a reservoir species for Covid19 and the potential mutation issues that could result.

[jcgoldie]

22. Just set out horsewormer blocks for them...

Easy peasy.

[Kingofalldems]

28. How the heck did they get Covid?