Wild Sheep Pneumonia - Lamb Die Off

[Bushcraft]

I have it on good account that lambs may already be succumbing to pneumonia.

If you happen to see a sickly looking lamb that looks like it's about dead, or one that died very recently, please notify a local WDFW bio immediately so nasal swabs or tissue samples can be taken and given to WSU for analysis.

Thank you!

Regards,

Allen

[bobcat]

Which part of the state?

[bearpaw]

wow, bummer 

[X-Force]

I wonder what is to blame?
Domestic livestock?

[mfswallace]

I have it on good account that lambs may already be succumbing to pneumonia.

If you happen to see a sickly looking lamb that looks like it's about dead, or one that died very recently, please notify a local WDFW bio immediately so nasal swabs or tissue samples can be taken and given to WSU for analysis.

Thank you!

Regards,

Allen

Yeah let's leave it up to the 2 worst bio departments in the state   

Hoof Rot, Cougar pops, Wolf lies....etc

[Bushcraft]

Which part of the state?

Yakima canyon just north of milepost 4.

[Bushcraft]

I wonder what is to blame?
Domestic livestock?

The latest theory is that their are probably so-called "super carriers" of the Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae bug that shed the disease.  It's all but certain it was picked up from domestic animals.

Here's an interesting white paper on the topic:

http://emwh.org/pdf/wildlife%20disease/bighorn/Bighorn%20sheep%20pneumonia-%20Sorting%20out%20the%20cause.pdf

Regards,

Allen

[Bushcraft]

I have it on good account that lambs may already be succumbing to pneumonia.

If you happen to see a sickly looking lamb that looks like it's about dead, or one that died very recently, please notify a local WDFW bio immediately so nasal swabs or tissue samples can be taken and given to WSU for analysis.

Thank you!

Regards,

Allen

Yeah let's leave it up to the 2 worst bio departments in the state   

Hoof Rot, Cougar pops, Wolf lies....etc

Mfswallace,

Do you have another agency or entity that's better equipped to try and determine A) the cause of death, and B) if it is Movi how to get rid of it in our state's wild sheep populations?  Scratch that...ALL sheep and goat populations.

If so, we're all ears.

Regards,

Allen

[mfswallace]

I'll  agree Dr Sri and Besser are great sheep bio's but hope that wdfw let's WSF run the study. Not much trust for wdfw and its political agendas that seem to override science... I was too quick to distrust all involved due to the issues with other species that they have imo seriously mishandled for political reasons.

[jackelope]

We were supposed to go survey those sheep last week but didn't end up making it over. Sad to hear it's still there.

[Bushcraft]

Josh,

I'm hoping to spend some time behind glass in the canyon this weekend looking things over.  Carpool maybe? It's a pretty relaxing way to enjoy a cup or two of coffee on a Saturday or Sunday morning.  The pic below is one my wife nabbed of me when I wasn't looking when I drug her over there once last year.  I'll have my lab so hopefully the snakes won't be bad.  Are you still on for the goat count?

Regards,

Allen

[Bushcraft]

I'll  agree Dr Sri and Besser are great sheep bio's but hope that wdfw let's WSF run the study. Not much trust for wdfw and its political agendas that seem to override science... I was too quick to distrust all involved due to the issues with other species that they have imo seriously mishandled for political reasons.

All the more reason to work with them (WDFW) whenever possible AND hold their feet to the fire when necessary.  If "we" aren't pushing them, you can't bet your bottom dollar the birds and butterfly crowd is!

[Naches Sportsman]

I think the clemans herd is at risk of something happening sometime soon with the big numbers. It ain't good when you have sheep half-way between the feeding station and rainier national park boundary. The state needs to build a big game fence on the forest boundary to keep them from where they shouldn't be. Taking away usfs grazing allotments isn't the issue.

On another note, lots of little ones running around this year.

[HUNTaHOLIC5]

Dang  . I'll be on the lookout

[Bushcraft]

I think the clemans herd is at risk of something happening sometime soon with the big numbers. It ain't good when you have sheep half-way between the feeding station and rainier national park boundary. The state needs to build a big game fence on the forest boundary to keep them from where they shouldn't be. Taking away usfs grazing allotments isn't the issue.

On another note, lots of little ones running around this year.

Ty,

The science indicates otherwise in some cases.  Juvenile rams wander off great distances and happily intermingle with domestic sheep, contracting the disease and then bring it back to introduce it in the wild sheep populations. it only takes one carrier to wipe out a huge percentage of a wild sheep population.  To the extent that we can determine beyond a shadow of a doubt that the domestic sheep (and goats) are the primary carrier/distribution host problem and then mandate that domestic sheep and goats that may come in contact with wild sheep be somehow certified Movi free (through some kind of inoculation), so much the better for the long term prospects of wild sheep population.  We can put sheep on the mountain all we want, but it doesn't do a damn bit of good if they keep bumping into domestic carriers (or wild carriers) of the disease that flares up from time to time and kills 'em off.

And, like you say, making sure there are hard barriers to safeguard intermingling are an important in the mean time.

Regards,

Allen