Carcasses large grazers in nature is hardly a risk to public and animal health

Leaving carcasses of large grazers such as cattle and horses in nature is hardly a risk to public and animal health. In the Netherlands, carcasses of large herbivores (cattle, horses) in the wild have to be removed. Carcasses in nature are a part of the "circle of life, therefore Dutch nature conservationists want to leave carcasses of large grazers in the large nature areas Oostvaardersplassen and the Veluwezoom. This would contribute substantially to the public debate about nature values.

Confrontation with dead cattle and horses

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (VWA) sees little risk to public and animal health as dead cattle and horses occur in nature. Leaving carcasses contributes to biodiversity. Because more food will be available to scavenging mammals such as foxes are attracted. The risk to human health by the fox tapeworm would thus ultimately increase. In addition, stray dogs have a chance of gastroenteritis if they eat meat from an old carcass. The VWA Office of Risk Assessment indicates that visitors are not accustomed to the confrontation with dead cattle and horses in nature. Especially for small children it can be daunting.

Experience in a controlled way

The Risk Office advises the responsible ministry to allow carcasses of large herbivores in the large nature areas such as Oostvaardersplassen and Veluwezoom. The Veluwezoom freely accessible to the public is advised to leave the carcasses as yet in places where public contact is not immediately obvious. After a period of 2 to 3 years can be seen whether the policy should be adjusted.

Pathogens carefully monitor

It is necessary now to work on an integrated system of disease surveillance in wild animals. Information from such a system is essential to any changes in risk and early detection. This applies to both live for the living animals and for carcasses left in the wild.

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About the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (VWA)

The task of the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority is to protect human and animal health. It monitors food and consumer products to safeguard public health and animal health and welfare. The Authority controls the whole production chain, from raw materials and processing aids to end products and consumption.
The Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority is an independent agency in the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) and a delivery agency for the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.
The three main tasks of the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority are: supervision, risk assessment and risk communication. Other important activities are incident and crisis management and policy advice for the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. A significant part of its work involves liaising with other ministries. Maintaining international contacts is also of vital importance.

(abbreviated and translated press release, 19-01-2010))