CWD Event Response in Florida
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has confirmed that a road-killed 4.5 year-old female white-tailed deer in Holmes County sampled during routine surveillance activities has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). It is the first known case of CWD in Florida. CWD is a contagious disease of the brain and central nervous system that is always fatal to deer.
Learn more about Chronic Wasting Disease
The FWC and its agency partners take CWD very seriously and have implemented a comprehensive response plan with the goal of containing the disease within the area it was detected. As part of the plan, the FWC will collect samples from specific established zones to further assess the spread of the disease. The results from this initial sampling effort will inform resource managers so they can react with appropriate management strategies.
CWD Management Zone
An executive order signed by FWC Executive Director Roger Young established a CWD Management Zone centered around the location of the positive sample. The CWD Management Zone includes the portions of Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties north of Interstate 10, east of State Road 81 and west of U.S. Highway 231. Heightened surveillance and regulations within the management zone are to help protect Florida’s white-tailed deer population by reducing the potential spread of CWD within the CWD Management Zone and to other parts of the state.
Learn more about management actions to protect against the possible spread of CWD.
See a more detailed CWD management zone map.
Latest News
- FWC, FDACS and partner agencies to conduct two additional public meetings to discuss new regulations to slow the spread of chronic wasting disease in north Florida (9/13/23)
- Recording of public meeting to discuss chronic wasting disease in north Florida (7/6/23)
- News Release - FWC, FDACS and partner agencies issue emergency order, implement management actions to monitor and protect against possible spread of CWD in North Florida (6/20/23)
- CWD Management Zone
- Executive Order 23-19
CWD in Florida
Receive CWD updates via email
The FWC uses GovDelivery to send email or text message updates on a variety of subjects. By signing up for this free service, you will automatically receive notifications about FWC news and website updates related to the topics of greatest interest to you. Visit the GovDelivery subscription page to sign up for this free service and choose “Chronic Wasting Disease Updates (CWD)” to receive information about CWD.