Avian Flu:

Is it safe to hunt, handle and eat healthy game birds?

Hunters have been shooting and eating wild birds, including waterfowl species known to be reservoirs for avian influenza, for centuries without ill effects. Severely ill wild birds are rarely healthy enough to fly and are more likely to die of natural causes (disease, exposure, or predation) than to be shot by hunters. Cooking will kill the vast majority of pathogens, including avian influenza. Chances are the hunter will be fine, especially if the following precautions are observed when preparing and cooking the
birds.

• Do not handle or consume sick birds, or birds that have died from unknown causes.
• Avoid direct contact (skin or mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth) with blood, feces, and respiratory secretions of all wild birds.
• Do not eat, drink, or smoke while cleaning game.
• Ideally, wear dish gloves or latex gloves when cleaning game.
• Wash gloves, hands, and clothing with soap and warm water immediately once you have finished processing game.
• Wash tools and work surfaces with soap and warm water, followed by a 10% solution of chlorine bleach – just the same as you would after handling raw chicken.
• Cook game meat thoroughly, to an internal temperature of approximately 160 F.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD):

Notice to Yukoners hunting deer and elk outside the territory

Environment Yukon staff track the emergence and transmission of wildlife diseases in North America. We recognize that animal carcasses and offal transported by hunters from region to region can pose significant risks to local wildlife by transmitting disease and disease-causing agents.

Chronic Wasting Disease is a new and growing threat to wildlife populations–particularly deer and elk. Although the possibility of importing this disease to the Yukon is remote, hunters are asked to ensure:

• that the brain, tonsils (throat) and eyes, spinal cord/backbone and all offal are removed and disposed of prior to returning to the Yukon. (The best practice would be to bring only the cleaned skull cap and antlers and edible meat and organs.)
  
  
• that all butchering scraps and bones be properly disposed of (in a secure Yukon landfill). Domestic and wild animals should have no access to these scraps.
  
  

For additional information on either of these issues, please contact Philip Merchant at Environment Yukon at (867) 667-5285.