Abstract for: Adapting a Model of Chronic Wasting Disease to New Outbreaks Implications for Implementing Systems Dynamics at Scale

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal prion disease of cervids, which has continued to expand in intensity and spatial extent across North America despite extensive disease control efforts. Beginning in 2021, a partnership between the U.S. Geological Survey, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Ventana Systems, Inc. and the Wisconsin (WI) Department of Natural Resources developed a holistic model to understand the system and associated dynamics and interactions across the major complex ecological, epidemiological and socio-political processes affecting CWD and its management. We parameterized our CWD systems model using deer population and CWD surveillance data as well as hunter license numbers in WI and used the fitted model to explore the feasibility and efficacy of management options available to WI. Given the utility of our approach for CWD in WI, we are now expanding our focus to other states. Specifically, this project is intended to examine (1) the impacts of Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) management and landscape factors at a township level, (2) how best to utilize resources in the future and (3) how to communicate about CWD and management to MDC and external stakeholders.