PENINSULA BLACK-TAIL DEER SUFFER FROM 'HAIR SLIP SYNDROME'

A fawn with hair slip syndrome and a doe without the disease graze in a Sequim-Dungeness Valley yard. Photo by Ashley Oden

By ASHLEY ODEN
Staff writer

A majestic bald eagle circles the clear blue sky. Two robins frolic from bush to bush. A squirrel dashes across a perfectly manicured lawn before scurrying up a tall maple tree.

Then, there are the deer. Most are plump with sleek coats, ready to birth fawns if they haven’t already. But some are sick — their whitish or yellowish hair is scratched off in clumps over their rib cage, flanks, rump and neck. The deer appear lethargic and weak.

The condition, known as hair slip syndrome, affects about one-quarter of the North Olympic Peninsula black-tail deer population according to a recent study conducted by the Makah Tribe.

Black-tail deer populations on the North Olympic Peninsula have decreased in recent years, according to tribal studies, and Makah wildlife biologist Rob McCoy believes that hair slip syndrome is partially responsible.

Deer with hair slip syndrome have less hair, which reduces the animal’s ability to regulate body temperature during cold weather and leads to hypothermia, stress, exhaustion and even death, McCoy said. “It’s not that the disease kills them, but it makes them more susceptible to predation and secondary infections.”

According to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Web site, hair slip syndrome starts with a parasitic muscle worm that lays eggs in the animal’s bloodstream. Eggs hatch in the capillaries of the lungs and can cause low-grade pneumonia. With the immune system compromised, lice numbers increase drastically, causing deer to lick and rub themselves obsessively.

The condition, first documented in the Northwest in 1996, was introduced to the black-tail population from animals transported from overseas, McCoy hypothesized.

Hair slip syndrome primarily affects fawns and yearlings and is more common in females than males, the tribal study shows. Following breeding season, bucks generally become loners, while does and fawns congregate together, McCoy explained.

McCoy — with the help of another wildlife biologist — radio-collored 33 deer: seven males and 26 females. The collars help the biologists track the deer’s home ranges, habitat use and causes of death.

The project is part of a $340,000 federal grant to study black-tail deer, marbled murrelet and salmon populations on and off the reservation.

Part one of the black-tail deer study is available online at www.nwifc.wa.gov through the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. Click on “Wildlife” on the left-hand side of the page, select “Project Reports” and then “Factors Affecting the Survival of Black-tailed Deer Fawns on the Northwestern Olympic Peninsula, Washington – Makah Fawn Report 2008.”
Part two of the study is expected to be released next winter.

“We are trying to catch back the fawns that survived to follow through and see how the hair loss syndrome affects them as adults,” McCoy said. “Are they delayed in reproduction? Do the does that had hair loss have fawns that are more susceptible to the disease? These are questions we are trying to find answers to.”

McCoy isn’t, however, searching for a cure. “We aren’t looking at ways to get rid of the problem because it’s not biologically possible,” he said. “Animals from Washington to Oregon are affected and even if we get rid of the lice here, it will work its way back. We hope that the deer will develop a natural resistance instead.”

And though it’s not scientifically proven yet, that’s exactly what’s happening, according to McCoy. “Yearlings who’ve had hair loss syndrome are growing into healthy adults,” he said. “If they survive (the disease) it seems they develop immunity.”

Though the semi-bald deer aren’t aesthetically pleasing, the good news is that the deer affected by hair loss syndrome this season that are still alive probably will survive, McCoy predicted. “Their hair is starting to grow back now and the weather is getting warmer,” he said. “They have a good chance at survival now.”

Hair slip syndrome isn’t a threat to farm animals or household pets. “It hasn’t been shown to transfer to elk, horses, goats, cattle or other animals. But it can be transferred to mule deer and is starting to be seen in eastern Washington,” McCoy said.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, car accidents involving deer on roads kill nearly 100 people nationwide each year and cost millions of dollars in insurance claims. The average deer versus automobile collision results in about $2,000 per claim for repairs and injuries.

In 2003, drivers were expected to hit 1.8 million deer nationwide.

Here are some tips to avoid a crash:

• Stay aware, awake and sober.
• Wear safety belts; they are your best defense in any collision.
• Remember, car-deer crashes occur year-round, but be especially alert in spring and fall.
• Be especially aware during the morning and afternoon. Deer tend to be more active during the early morning and late afternoon hours when herds are moving between evening feeding areas and daytime bedding sites.
• Heed deer crossing and speed limit signs. Signs are placed at known deer crossing areas to alert you of the possible presence of deer.
• Deer are herd animals and frequently travel in single file. If you see one deer cross the road, chances are there are more waiting. A deer standing calmly in a field may suddenly jump into the road.
• Slow down to avoid hitting a deer but do not swerve. Swerving can cause you to lose control and strike another vehicle or to leave the highway and strike a tree or other object. Injuries to drivers and passengers increase when the vehicle swerves.
• If a crash is unavoidable, brake firmly, hold onto the steering wheel and bring the vehicle to a controlled stop. Pull off the road, turn on your emergency flashers and be cautious of other traffic.
• Don’t attempt to remove a deer from the roadway unless you are convinced it is dead. An injured deer’s sharp hooves can easily hurt a person.
• Report all collisions to law enforcement and your insurance company.