| Year |
Event |
| Late 1960s |
First recognition of a clinical syndrome termed "chronic wasting disease" in captive mule deer in Colorado |
| 1977/1978a |
Diagnosis of CWD in mule deer as a spongiform encephalopathy |
| 1978/1979a |
Diagnosis of CWD in captive mule deer and black-tailed deer in Wyoming |
| 1979 |
Diagnosis of CWD in captive Rocky Mountain elk |
| late 1970s |
Diagnosis of spongiform encephalopathy in captive mule deer in a zoo in Ontario (CWD did not persist in this location) |
| 1980 |
First published report of CWD in captive mule deer |
| 1981 |
Diagnosis of CWD in free-ranging Rocky Mountain elk in Colorado |
| 1982 |
First published report of CWD in Rocky Mountain elk |
| 1983 |
Start of hunter-harvest surveillance for CWD |
| 1985 |
Diagnosis of CWD in free-ranging mule deer |
| 1990 |
Diagnosis of CWD in free-ranging white-tailed deer |
| 1992 |
First published report of CWD in free-ranging cervids |
| 1996 |
Diagnosis of CWD in game farm elk in Saskatchewan |
| 1997 |
Diagnosis of CWD in game farm elk in South Dakota |
| 2000/2001a |
Diagnosis of CWD in free-ranging mule deer in Saskatchewan, possibly associated with CWD affected elk farm |
| 2000/2001a |
Diagnosis of CWD in free-ranging mule deer in Nebraska contiguous with the CWD endemic area of Colorado and Wyoming |
| 2001 |
Extensive depopulation of game farm elk in Saskatchewan due to CWD |
| 2001 |
Diagnosis of CWD in an elk imported from Canada to Korea in 1997 |
| 2001 |
Declaration of a USDA animal emergency because of CWD in game farm elk |
| 2002 |
Diagnosis of CWD in free-ranging deer associated with an affected game farm in Nebraska |
| 2002 |
Diagnosis of CWD in free-ranging white-tailed deer in Wisconsin |
| 2002 |
Diagnosis of CWD in a free-ranging mule deer in New Mexico |
Adapted from Williams, E.S., M.W. Miller and E.T. Thorne, 2002.
Chronic Wasting Disease: Implications and Challenges for Wildlife Management
Presented at the 67th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference
