Blue tongue takes toll on deer

An outbreak of Blue Tongue disease is taking a toll on deer in the Whitman County area.

According to Washing-ton Department of Fish and Wildlife officer, Doug King, the disease is transmitted by a type of gnat which lives in puddles. When deer walk across these puddles to get to drinking water, the gnats fly up from the puddle and bite the deer, transmitting the virus.

King has heard reports that indicate the disease has taken a larger than normal toll on deer before the start of hunting season. The dry fall weather could be one of the factors in the loss.

King said the virus goes in cycles and recent rains will help get rid of the gnats. King also said the virus is more prevalent in white-tail deer.

Blue tongue, also known as epizoodic hemorrhagic disease or EHD, is a virus that is transmitted from deer to deer by gnats.

Blue tongue spreads more quickly when it’s dry because deer come to water more often as they don’t get much moisture from the vegetation they consume.

In some areas, entire herds were wiped out.