Anthrax detected in a moose near Elk Mountain

CHEYENNE — On Sept. 3, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, through the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, confirmed a case of anthrax in a dead moose in Carbon County. The Wyoming Livestock Board recently informed Game and Fish that cattle near Elk Mountain have tested positive for anthrax.

Anthrax is a naturally occurring bacterial disease that can be transmitted between livestock, wildlife and humans. It is most commonly seen in herbivores, including cattle, deer and bison (elk, moose and pronghorn are also susceptible). Carnivores tend to be less at risk and may display higher resilience to the disease. The spores can persist in the ground for decades and emerge when the ground is disturbed or flooded. Disturbance is common in summer months when conditions may alternate between rain and hot, dry weather, allowing spores to be released from contaminated soil and ingested by livestock or wildlife.  

This recent detection in a moose is the only documented case reported in wildlife at this time. The last confirmed case of anthrax in wildlife in Wyoming was in 1956 in Sublette County. 

Game and Fish is advising hunters and the public to take the following precautions:

1. If you encounter dead cattle or wildlife, do not approach, handle or move carcasses.
2. Do not harvest an animal that looks sick. Early signs of anthrax can include respiratory difficulty and disorientation. After death, infected animals tend to bloat very quickly and you may see black, tarry blood coming out of natural body openings (e.g., nose, mouth, anus).
3. It is always recommended to wear gloves while field dressing or handling harvested animals.
4. Do not pick up roadkill or fresh deadheads in the Elk Mountain area.
5. Keep dogs, horses and other pets away from animal carcasses you come across in the field.
6. If hunters encounter deceased wildlife, note the location or take a GPS pin and report findings to Game and Fish. You can report a wildlife disease incident online or by calling the Game and Fish Wildlife Health Laboratory at 307-745-5865.
7. Human cases are rare but precautions are warranted. If you have concerns that you may have come into contact with an anthrax-infected animal, please contact the Wyoming Department of Health and seek medical attention.

Game and Fish will continue to monitor the situation and assess impacts to wildlife. If changes occur that require further action, hunters will receive updates through emails and posts on the Game and Fish website. 

For questions, please consult the following list of resources:

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department manages and conserves more than 800 species of fish and wildlife across Wyoming.  For nearly 120 years, we’ve carried out our mission to conserve wildlife and serve people. Through these efforts, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department ensures the public continues to enjoy Wyoming’s vast fish and wildlife resource  through  hunting, fishing, trapping, wildlife watching and other forms of outdoor recreation. Hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers contribute over a billion dollars to Wyoming’s economy each year.