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What’s going on with this deer?

Steuben Jerry

By Steuben Jerry,
in Trail Camera Pictures

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Steuben Jerry Proficient

Steuben Jerry

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I watched her through the binoculars last evening and there doesn’t seem to be anything different about her behavior. She was with two other does and three fawns. Just browsing around. When they moved on she was kind of in the lead. I sent the pics to a DEC biologist and received the following reply;

Hi Jerry,

Demodectic (or other) mange could be a possible culprit, but we do not see many mangey deer submitted for necropsy….maybe one every three years or so. Another, more common, potential cause could be dermatophilosis a bacterial infection of the skin that prefers warm moist weather and can cause hair loss and crusty skin lesions, I do not see any definitive crusty lesions in these photos though. We see a few cases of dermatophilosis every year; in adult deer the infection is often self-limiting and eventually resolves but it is often fatal for small fawns. Other possibilities include molting anomalies (caused by any number of conditions that we have a hard time elucidating), lice, dietary deficiencies, or genetics. Bald patches can also occur from trauma; “road rash”, fences, or over-grooming. It appears most of the summer guard hairs are missing where she can easily reach with her mouth. It seems very early for molting into winter hair, but that is a possibility. I would suggest keeping an eye on her to see what develops over the next few weeks. She appears to be in decent body condition. What Town are you in?

 

Thank you for the report and your concern. If you get some more photos please feel free to send it to me.

Thanks

-Kevin

Kevin Hynes

Wildlife Health Unit, Division of Fish and Wildlife

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Wildlife Resources Center

108 Game Farm Road Delmar, NY 12054

P: (518) 478-3034  |  F: (518) 478-3035  |  [email protected]

www.dec.ny.gov |  |  | 

 

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Steuben Jerry Proficient

Steuben Jerry

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So I replied to that email and sent him a pic of that bear I posted on the other thread (reposted here). He answered quickly and was pretty certain of the cause. @G-Man called it.

Hi Jerry,

The bear hair loss is most likely due to sarcoptic mange. We have seen a marked increase in bear mange over the last 10-15 years, PA is seeing similar cases. This is the same  mite that is common in red fox (where it is usually fatal). The jury is out on whether of not bears can recover from infection, I think I have seen some resolved cases but I can’t prove it. There are multiple studies underway assessing the epidemiology and impact of mange in black bears in the northeast. Thanks for sharing the photo.

-Kevin

 

200630Bear.JPG

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