A West Virginia wildlife official says nearly one-third of the elk herd transported from Arizona two years ago have died from a parasite.
White-tailed deer carry but apparently are unaffected by brain worms, which can be deadly to other antlered animals.
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources' elk project leader Randy Kelley told the Charleston Gazette-Mail that during grazing, the elk accidentally consumed snails that had eaten brain worm eggs.
There were 46 elk transported from Arizona in March 2018 to Logan County, West Virginia.
The elk underwent a 120-day quarantine period mandated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture which included an additional disease test.
Kelley said the quarantine weakened the elk physically.
