Bighorns Captured, Taken to Research Facility in South Dakota

Eight bighorn sheep ewes exposed to a new strain of pneumonia were recently captured and moved from Heller Bar southwest of Lewiston to prevent spread of the disease to other nearby herds. The herd had long suffered from pneumonia which has led to high lamb mortality rates. This summer, the ewe sub-group was found to be carrying a new strain of the disease that has killed both adults and lambs. Wildlife managers from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game used a helicopter to remove all eight bighorn sheep prior to the onset of the bighorn mating period, which begins later this month. Rams travel beyond their normal home ranges while looking for mates, leaving open the possibility that a ram could mate with the ewes and then carry the new strain to other herds. The captured ewes were transported to a research facility at South Dakota State University, where scientists are studying pneumonia, a disease that has serious impacts on free-ranging bighorn sheep. The disease is typically initially introduced from domestic sheep or goats, but once infected bighorn sheep populations can carry it for years or even decades. Lambs are highly susceptible to pneumonia and 50 to 100 percent may die annually in infected populations. The sheep have joined six Hells Canyon ewes already at the facility. In collaboration with the wildlife agencies of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Nevada, the university is investigating how pneumonia persists in bighorn sheep populations and what can be done about it. Cooperators also include the National Wildlife Health Center, Washington State University and Tri-state Chapters of the Wild Sheep Foundation. View a 2-minute video of the capture efforts, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwhcubgEKOE&list=UUUdrx_nZUNlfrGVsc2cj9….