Hoosiers Can Report Sick or Dead Wildlife on New DNR Website

PRESS RELEASE

STATEWIDE -- Indiana DNR has launched a new website for public reporting of sick or dead wildlife.

The new online tool is designed to collect information about Indiana wildlife that appears sick or has died without an apparent cause. Reports are added to an active database that helps DNR track wildlife health over time and detect disease outbreaks.

The form can be found at on.IN.gov/sickwildlife.

Individuals are encouraged to report fish or wildlife displaying odd behavior or signs of disease. The information gathered from this website allows biologists to monitor diseases that may be affecting fish or wildlife in the state, including epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), avian cholera, and white-nose syndrome, among others. A biologist may contact the reporter if a sample for disease testing is needed.

The DNR is especially interested in:

• Incidents involving the death of five or more animals.
• Recurring deaths of animals in the same location over a period of time.
• Deer with signs that may indicate chronic wasting disease (CWD) such as emaciation, staggering or standing with poor posture, salivating excessively, or carrying their head and ears lower than normal. More information about CWD can be found at IN.gov/cwd.
• Deer with signs that may indicate EHD such as death in or near water, loss of appetite and wariness, swelling around the head and neck, increased respiration rate, excessive salivation, rosy or bluish color of mouth and tongue. Learn more about EHD at IN.gov/8541.htm.
• Incidents involving threatened or endangered species, regardless of the cause of death or the number of animals involved.

“Indiana DNR is excited to offer this reporting tool to Hoosiers,” said Mitch Marcus, DNR fish & wildlife health supervisor. “This online system of reporting sick or dead wild animals will be critical for early detection of fish or wildlife health concerns.”   

To view all DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.