#875: Dr Evelyn Merrill: Tracking Mule Deer For CWD

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Since its appearance in the mid 2000’s, Chronic Wasting Disease has been spreading slowly west from the Saskatchewan-Alberta border.

 CWD is a fatal prion disease that attacks deer, elk and other cervids.

University of Alberta researcher Dr Evelyn Merrill is studying mule deer, to better understand how the disease is transmitted between animals and through the environment.

DR EVELYN MERRILL:    And so for this study, we have actually put on some radio collars that record when two animals come within close proximity to each other.  With those collars, when we are trying to look at the seasonal rates of contacts, how the environment such as dispersion of the trees or different habitat such as open agricultural fields, might affect the contact rates And really to quantify that seasonally so we can make some predictions in which environments we might see it transmitted faster.

 Dr Merrill will track the deer by satellite and develop a model that can help predict the spread of chronic wasting disease.

Thanks today to ALBERTA INNOVATES

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 I’M CHERYL CROUCHER

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Alberta Innovates

Alberta Innovates is a provincially funded Corporation with a mandate to deliver 21st century solutions for the most compelling challenges facing Albertans. We do this by building on our province’s research and technology development strengths in the core sectors of health, environment, energy, food and fibre and platforms such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and omics. We are working with our partners to diversify Alberta’s economy, improve our environmental performance and enhance our well-being through research and innovation. 

The Alberta Innovates system has roots stretching back almost 90 years

In March, 2016 the consolidation of Alberta Innovates was announced and on November 1, a single, integrated innovation powerhouse, Alberta Innovates, was formed. Two applied research subsidiaries – Innotech Alberta and C-Fer Technologies –  serve public and private sector interests.

The Alberta Innovates system was first created in January 2010, as part of an overall innovation framework developed within the Alberta Research and Innovation Act. At that time, four corporations were established:

  • Bio Solutions
  • Energy and Environment Solutions
  • Health Solutions
  • Technology Futures.

The Alberta Innovates system has a 90-year legacy. Our expertise is built on the successes of:

  • Alberta Institute for Agriculture
  • Forestry and the Environment
  • Alberta Agricultural Research Institute
  • Alberta Forestry Research Institute
  • Alberta Life Sciences Institute
  • Alberta Ingenuity
  • Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research
  • Alberta Research Council
  • iCORE
  • nanoAlberta
  • Alberta Water Research Institute (AWRI)
  • Alberta Energy Research Institute (AERI)
  • Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority (AOSTRA).

 

Program Date: 2017-06-08