Bighorn east of Missoulia are dying like flies

January 27, 2010 — Ralph Maughan

Pneumonia in bighorn has now spread to Rock Creek-

It just keeps getting worse for the bighorn hit by the pneumonia outbreak near Missoula. Bighorn sheep in Rock Creek latest hit by fatal pneumonia outbreak. By Rob Chaney. Missoulian.

Posted in Bighorn sheep, wildlife disease. Tags: , . 8 Comments »

8 Responses to “Bighorn east of Missoulia are dying like flies”

  1. Larry Thorngren Says:
    January 27, 2010 at 10:52 AM

    Fish and Game Departments need to take another look at what is killing the sheep. Mycoplasmas have been implicated in some of the Hell’s Canyon die-offs. Mycoplasmas that cause mastitis and pneumonia in cattle can be spread by dairy workers. If these sheep have been handled lately by researchers, someone should be looking at the possibility of disease tranmission by sloppy sanitation procedures by research personnel. The possibility that humans can be infected and transmit these diseases without getting sick themselves is a distinct possibility. Don’t let these people, that are handling the sick sheep they are shooting, near a healthly herd.

  2. Tom Woodbury Says:
    January 27, 2010 at 11:58 AM

    Is it really a mystery why these sheep are dying? 3 herds affected. I know that with the E. Bitterroot and Bonner herds, there are private sheep ranches very close to their habitat. We’re talking no safe buffer zones here. I’m not sure at this point about disease vectors for the Rock Creek herd, but I’m willing to bet its the same situation. Of course, as the Woolgrowers are involved in all press communications, as required by the new conservation strategy, it is portrayed as a big mystery. In spite of the close proximity of BHS and domestic sheep ranch on Marshall Mountain and in the EFBR, we’re told there is no evidence that livestock have played any role in either of the die-offs. In fact, according to FWP, the “biggest factors” in the Bonner herd die-offs are “the attraction bignorns had to the fertilized grass, pet food and salt blocks they found in the neighborhood.” Can someone please explain to me which of those is a disease vector for pneumonia?

  3. kt Says:
    January 27, 2010 at 2:30 PM

    Has the Forest or other land agency (state lands?) authorized any domestic sheep or goat “weed control” grazing in this Rock Creek area?

  4. Mike Says:
    January 27, 2010 at 3:00 PM

    This is awful. I spent some time with the Rock Creek herd this fall. Their habitat is perfect *except* for the fact that on lower Rock Creek road there are a few sheep ranches. I’ve seen the bighorn eating from the same grass that sheep were just the day before.

  5. Ken Cole Says:
    January 27, 2010 at 3:12 PM

    “We’re wondering if there’s some perfect storm – some ideal set of environmental circumstances favoring the pathogens”

    I think the “environmental circumstances favoring the pathogens” are called domestic sheep.

  6. Tom Woodbury Says:
    January 27, 2010 at 3:26 PM

    Exactly, Ken. KT, as far as I am aware, we are talking about private ranches, not public leaseholds. Unfortunately, at the time these herds were re-introduced, people were still in the dark about the role of domestic sheep in wiping out BHS.

  7. Nathan Hobbs Says:
    January 28, 2010 at 1:14 AM

    This is very sad news indeed 😦

  8. Montana: Rock Creek bighorn herd hit by deadly pneumonia outbreak Says:
    January 28, 2010 at 2:50 PM

    […] More discussion of this can be found over at Ralph Maughan’s Wildlife Blog. […]


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