Another pneumonia outbreak in Montana's bighorn sheep

Herd lives close to site of previous die-offs

Bighorn Sheep lambs © Ken Cole
Bighorn Sheep lambs © Ken Cole

After last winter’s disastrous die-off of bighorn sheep in Montana, Utah, Nevada, and Washington State it seemed the news couldn’t get any worse for bighorn sheep. Well, today comes news of another outbreak of pneumonia in a heard of 100 bighorn sheep east of Hamilton, Montana. Officials have shot 8 of the sheep and have found at least 5 were suffering from pneumonia.

Pneumonia found in 5 bighorn sheep near Hamilton.
KULR-8 News

More Pneumonia Discovered in Montana’s Bighorn Sheep Population
New West

Comments

  1. bigsky777 Avatar
    bigsky777

    Charismatic megafauna?

    With numbers and distribution reduced as much as they are for bighorns, why don’t people get as upset about their conservation as wolves and griz?

  2. ProWolf in WY Avatar
    ProWolf in WY

    Is this all spread by domestic sheep? Why is that bighorn sheep are so prone to pneumonia but you never hear about other ungulates with it?

Author

Ken Cole is a 5th generation Idahoan, an avid fly fisherman, wildlife enthusiast, and photographer. He is the interim Idaho Director for Western Watersheds Project.

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