Hunting group upset about elk farm reopening

The Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation is worried about therecent reopening of an elk farm that was closed this year after an outbreak of chronic wasting disease.

The hunting and conservation group saysCWD could spread towildlife if any elk escape.

The farm, in the White Fox area in the province's northeast, was closedthis spring after an outbreak of the infectious brain disease, which is almost always fatal to elk.

All the animals were killed and the farm was left empty for months. Now, newelk have been brought in and the farm is back in operation as a hunt farm for trophy hunters.

The farm has received a clean bill of health from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

According to CFIA veterinarian Greg Douglas, fences will be closely monitored to make sure noanimals escape.

As well, every animal on the farm will be tested for CWD. By the end of the year, all those remainingwill be killed.

That means the new elkwill have been on the farm for only six months, far less timethan it takes for animals to develop CWD, Douglas said.

Farm empty by end of year

"They'll be hunted off and the whole farm will be empty by Dec. 31. So, in terms of amplification of the disease, that isn't possible," Douglas said.

But Darrell Crabbe, the wildlife federation's executive director,says reopening the farm isirresponsible.

He's worried that elkwill escapeand spread the disease to the wild.

"If an animal gets away from there and has already contracted CWD or has been exposed to it, then their incubation period in the wild is it any better or any worse?" he said.

The CFIA and provincial officials said they'll review the project next spring.

Since CWDwas foundat a Saskatchewan game farm in 1996, dozens of other farms in the province have been hit. The disease has also shown up inwild deer.