Bighorn Sheep pneumonia epidemic: hundreds dead

March 2, 2010 · Posted by in Environment 

 

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep | flickr user Rennett Stowe

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep | flickr user ingridtaylar

 

 

Sounds like the worst of it is outside Colorado, but it’s still sad.

Via the AP:

Pneumonia outbreaks that have killed hundreds of bighorn sheep this winter in several Western states have wildlife officials grappling with how to minimize the impact.Wildlife officials say the disease shows up sporadically in wild herds, but its unusual to have so many outbreaks in so many states. More than 400 bighorn sheep in Nevada, Montana, Utah and Washington have died – or been killed by wildlife officials – this winter, and the death toll is expected to rise in coming weeks.

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2 Responses to “Bighorn Sheep pneumonia epidemic: hundreds dead”

  1. taylen2404 on March 2nd, 2010 4:49 pm

    sad news… :(
    is there anything they can do to stop the spread?

  2. Dave Burdick on March 2nd, 2010 5:22 pm

    From what I can tell, no, not really. Here's some more information from a great little piece on bighorn sheep pneumonia in the Missoulian:

    "We're wondering if there's some perfect storm – some ideal set of environmental circumstances favoring the pathogens," Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks regional wildlife manager Mike Thompson said. "These organisms are in the environment and in the sheep all the time. But with three different herds like this (having pneumonia outbreaks), are there just circumstances that increase the probability?"

    A Rock Creek resident reported seeing a sick bighorn ram in the drainage about 30 miles east of Missoula last week. That was the same time FWP crews were trying to control a disease outbreak above West Riverside, and two months after pneumonia ravaged a herd south of Darby.

    There's no vaccine or effective treatment for pneumonia in wild sheep. Between 70 percent and 90 percent of sick sheep die within weeks of infection.