Pneumonia confirmed in bighorn sheep near Bonner
State wildlife officials said Wednesday tests confirmed pneumonia in two bighorn sheep from the Bonner herd just east of Missoula.
The nearly always-fatal respiratory disease was first suspected when a resident in West Riverside, between East Missoula and Bonner, reported three coughing sheep in the neighborhood on Tuesday, Jan. 12.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) biologists investigated that afternoon and shot and removed two sheep from a small group that appeared sick. Those sheep tested positive for pneumonia at FWP's wildlife laboratory in Bozeman.
"We know these sheep had pneumonia, but at this point we're not sure how widespread the disease is within the herd," said Vickie Edwards, FWP wildlife biologist in Missoula. "Our next step is to survey the area to find out if the sick sheep are isolated from other sheep and what the chances are that we can remove infected sheep before they interact with other members of the herd."
Jennifer Ramsey, FWP's wildlife veterinarian in Bozeman said that additional laboratory tests will determine the specific strain of the bacteria, and removing sick animals could help slow the spread of the disease. "The two animals tested showed significant damage to the lungs, but the disease was not at its most advanced stage, and we'll continue monitoring and removing infected animals with the hopes that we might have caught this early."
Once bighorns contract pneumonia, however, they die within a few days. There are no known vaccines to prevent pneumonia in wild sheep, or medications that can be practically applied to prevent the death of sick individuals.
As FWP works to survey and remove infected sheep, part of the immediate area will be closed to public access beginning Friday, Jan. 15 until work with the sheep is completed. The temporary closure applies to some Forest Service and Nature Conservancy lands between Johnson Creek and Mittower Gulch, just east of Bonner and north of Highway 200. The closure will minimize sheep disturbance and intermingling between infected and potentially disease-free sheep.
The Bonner bighorn sheep herd was established in 1987 when 14 sheep were transplanted there. The herd includes four separate groups of sheep, and the two cases of confirmed pneumonia were found in sheep that are a part of the group most habituated to humans, often spotted in neighborhoods in West Riverside. The herd's other groups inhabit more remote and undeveloped areas to the east, between Bonner and Rainbow Bend Drive, just off Highway 200, and in the Rattlesnake Wilderness.
The Bonner herd is estimated to have 160-180 sheep, and an aerial survey conducted last spring showed no indication for disease concern. Approximately 45-50 sheep commonly inhabit the West Riverside area where the disease was detected, although more sheep have been reported in the area at certain times.
There have been no known cases of humans or pets contracting pneumonia from wild sheep, but FWP cautions anyone who finds dead or sick bighorn sheep to leave the animal alone and call FWP in Missoula at 406-542-5500.
In extreme cases, pneumonia-related outbreaks among bighorn sheep can result in herd "die-offs." A pneumonia outbreak in the East Fork Bitterroot herd, south of Darby, last November resulted in the death of 77 of the estimated 225 sheep in this herd. Because the disease was detected early in the East Fork herd, efforts to remove sick and dying sheep have helped to control the spread of the disease, but disease monitoring efforts continue.
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State wildlife officials said Wednesday tests confirmed pneumonia in two bighorn sheep from the Bonner herd just east of Missoula.
The nearly always-fatal respiratory disease was first suspected when a resident in West Riverside, between East Missoula and Bonner, reported three coughing sheep in the neighborhood on Tuesday, Jan. 12.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) biologists investigated that afternoon and shot and removed two sheep from a small group that appeared sick. Those sheep tested positive for pneumonia at FWP's wildlife laboratory in Bozeman.
"We know these sheep had pneumonia, but at this point we're not sure how widespread the disease is within the herd," said Vickie Edwards, FWP wildlife biologist in Missoula. "Our next step is to survey the area to find out if the sick sheep are isolated from other sheep and what the chances are that we can remove infected sheep before they interact with other members of the herd."
Jennifer Ramsey, FWP's wildlife veterinarian in Bozeman said that additional laboratory tests will determine the specific strain of the bacteria, and removing sick animals could help slow the spread of the disease. "The two animals tested showed significant damage to the lungs, but the disease was not at its most advanced stage, and we'll continue monitoring and removing infected animals with the hopes that we might have caught this early."
Once bighorns contract pneumonia, however, they die within a few days. There are no known vaccines to prevent pneumonia in wild sheep, or medications that can be practically applied to prevent the death of sick individuals.
As FWP works to survey and remove infected sheep, part of the immediate area will be closed to public access beginning Friday, Jan. 15 until work with the sheep is completed. The temporary closure applies to some Forest Service and Nature Conservancy lands between Johnson Creek and Mittower Gulch, just east of Bonner and north of Highway 200. The closure will minimize sheep disturbance and intermingling between infected and potentially disease-free sheep.
The Bonner bighorn sheep herd was established in 1987 when 14 sheep were transplanted there. The herd includes four separate groups of sheep, and the two cases of confirmed pneumonia were found in sheep that are a part of the group most habituated to humans, often spotted in neighborhoods in West Riverside. The herd's other groups inhabit more remote and undeveloped areas to the east, between Bonner and Rainbow Bend Drive, just off Highway 200, and in the Rattlesnake Wilderness.
The Bonner herd is estimated to have 160-180 sheep, and an aerial survey conducted last spring showed no indication for disease concern. Approximately 45-50 sheep commonly inhabit the West Riverside area where the disease was detected, although more sheep have been reported in the area at certain times.
There have been no known cases of humans or pets contracting pneumonia from wild sheep, but FWP cautions anyone who finds dead or sick bighorn sheep to leave the animal alone and call FWP in Missoula at 406-542-5500.
In extreme cases, pneumonia-related outbreaks among bighorn sheep can result in herd "die-offs." A pneumonia outbreak in the East Fork Bitterroot herd, south of Darby, last November resulted in the death of 77 of the estimated 225 sheep in this herd. Because the disease was detected early in the East Fork herd, efforts to remove sick and dying sheep have helped to control the spread of the disease, but disease monitoring efforts continue.
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