It’s important to protect yourself from diseases that can infect wildlife and humans.

Field dressing, transporting and preparing game

Meat from wild game is not government inspected. Hunters are responsible for proper field dressing, transportation and processing of wild game to ensure it is as safe as possible for human consumption. Learn more at field dressing, transporting and preparing wild game.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (bird flu)

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a highly contagious virus that can infect all bird species and some mammals. Anyone in close contact with infected wildlife is at increased risk. Spring and fall are high-risk periods because of wild bird migration. Learn more at avian influenza (bird flu).

Ticks

Tick-borne diseases can cause potentially serious infections in people who are bitten (such as Lyme disease). Detections of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a tick-borne disease that can be fatal if not treated quickly, have been increasing in Ontario. Learn more at Tick-borne diseases

Cadmium and lead

Lower your risk of consuming toxic cadmium and lead in game meat. Learn more at cadmium and lead.

Fish and wildlife health

Learn more about diseases that impact fish and wildlife health in Ontario, including epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) at Fish and wildlife health.