'Zombie Deer Disease' Hits Another US State As 2 White-Tailed Deers Test Positive In Virginia

Chronic wasting disease, also known as 'zombie deer disease', is the illness that leaves animals confused and drooling.

Two white-tailed deer inside Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia recently tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurological disease found in deer and similar species. This marks the first CWD-positive detection for a national park in West Virginia, the National Park Service (NPS) said. 

According to an NPS press release, the two deer which tested positive were killed during a routine population reduction effort on the Park Service property.  Deer at the nearby Antietam and Monocacy battlefield parks, both on the Maryland side of the Potomac River, were also found with CWD recently.

The NPS said Harpers Ferry and other national parks reduce deer populations to protect and restore native plants and preserve historic landscapes.