Wildlife

Reindeer Cull in Serbia

Thousands of reindeer won’t get to see in Christmas this year after officials demanded a huge slaughter of a quarter of a million festive deer. Serbian officials have demanded a huge cull of a 250,000 reindeer by Christmas over the risk of an anthrax outbreak.

Currently 730,000 animals are being kept in the Yamal Peninsula and the rest of the Yamalo-Nenets region. But numbers are “unsustainable” according to officials, who have claimed the vast amount could risk disease spreading and chronic overgrazing.

This year’s cull, however, comes after reindeer herds suffered from an outbreak of the deadly disease anthrax this summer. The disease killed 2,349 deer and a young boy during the hot summer weather in three spirit outbreaks.

Anthrax Found in Texas Deer, USA

Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) officials confirmed Anthrax in white-tailed deer in Kinney County on September 16, 2016. The affected premises is located approximately 12 miles east of Brackettville. The premises has been quarantined and TAHC rules require proper disposal of affected carcasses and vaccination of livestock on the premises prior to release of the quarantine.