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DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE
Approximately 30 per cent of the bison in the Mackenzie Bison Range have been killed this year by the worst recorded outbreak of anthrax in 50 years, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

A bison carcass is incinerated along Highway 3 as part of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources' response to the anthrax outbreak in the Mackenzie Bison Range. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

As of Aug. 9, 431 bison had died of the disease. Previously, the largest outbreak of anthrax in the territory was in 1964 when 303 bison were found dead in the Slave River Lowlands, said Judy McLinton, the manager of public affairs and communications with the department.

McLinton said the death toll could still rise.

The first signs of this outbreak were 128 carcasses found 30 kilometres northwest of Fort Providence in the Mills Lake area on July 3, during a routine anthrax surveillance flight. More were later found at Mink Lake as well as some along Highway 3 as far as North Arm Park.

The outbreak is showing signs of abating. The majority of the carcasses found this month were old, said McLinton.

The size of the response team is also being reduced.

At the beginning of the outbreak, approximately 100 people, including 50 emergency firefighters, were mobilized to respond to the incident. As of Aug. 9, approximately 20 people were still in the field.

All of the known carcasses, except for three or four, have been incinerated to kill the anthrax spores they contain and those in the surrounding soil. Crews are currently returning to check all of the carcasses and burn them a second time if necessary.

Approximately 55 people from Fort Providence have been employed as a result of the outbreak, said McLinton, adding the cost of the response has not been determined.

The department is looking to learn from the anthrax outbreak. Normally the disease only kill bulls. However McLinton said the carcasses discovered were of cows and calves as well.

"More research will be done on this," she said.

The department has also been testing a new disposal method. Three to four carcasses in isolated areas have been treated, covered with tarps and left to decompose.

As long as the carcasses stay intact, the heat from the decomposition should kills the spores, said McLinton. The soil around the animals has been tested and further tests will be taken in September to gauge the results. The carcasses will then be burned.

Deh Cho MLA Michael Nadli said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources responded to the outbreak well.

The department has worked with the community of Fort Providence providing information about areas to avoid and has also provided employment that has helped the local economy, said Nadli. The department has also been proficient at disposing of the carcasses.

Nadli said although there have been disruptions to hunting, many hunters looking for moose have gone to the south side of the Mackenzie River away from the infected area. Nadli said he chose to hunt near Morrissey Creek and the Redknife area.

"People just kind of adapt their hunting patterns," he said.

There was also some concern from people who harvest berries about possible contamination because bison frequent the best place to pick berries along the riverbank.

Nadli said as a result of the outbreak more public education will be needed. When bison were first introduced to the area there was a public education campaign about how residents could use bison as a valuable source of meat.

Anthrax will cause people to reconsider if they want to eat bison, Nadli said.

A survey conducted this March found 1,440 bison in the Mackenzie Bison Range.

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