Body found in the Clark Fork identified as missing Missoula woman
Austin Amestoy | Montana Public Radio
Missoula police identified a body found in the Clark Fork River in mid-October as 43-year-old Eva Masin Prather. The Missoula resident and mother of three went missing last December, sparking a wide-ranging search and social media groups dedicated to the case. In a statement, authorities said her cause of death remains under investigation.
Prather’s husband in a Facebook post expressed thanks to the Missoula community for supporting the family, and said a celebration of life would be scheduled at a later date.
Chronic Wasting Disease identified in an elk in the Ruby Mountains
Elinor Smith | Montana Public Radio
Chronic Wasting Disease was detected for the first time in an elk in the Ruby Mountains.
CWD is a highly-contagious prion disease that spreads between deer, elk and moose. The disease is common among white-tailed and mule deer in the lower Ruby Valley, near where the infected elk was found. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks says the CWD detection is not likely to change elk hunting regulations in the area this season.
FWP urges hunters to test harvested animals for CWD. Testing helps wildlife officials monitor the spread of the disease. Resources on how to test harvested animals can be found on FWP’s website.
There is no known transmission of CWD from animals to humans, but the health officials still advise hunters not to consume any harvested animal that tests positive for CWD.
