New Fact Sheet: Impact of Disease on Bighorn Sheep

TWS members can now access the most current science, management tools, and federal action regarding conservation of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) through a new fact sheet developed and released by the Society.

Bighorn sheep are being impacted by pneumonia and other respiratory diseases introduced by domestic sheep grazing on rangelands. The diseases cause large mortality events and reduce recruitment of bighorn lambs, impacting population growth and conservation efforts. Managers are developing methods to temporally and spatially separate domestic sheep from wild sheep herds in order to prevent spread of disease.

TWS Government Affairs staff worked with Society members, the Wild Sheep Foundation, and the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Wild Sheep Working Group to create the fact sheet. The bighorn fact sheet, along with other policy resources, can be accessed at wildlife.org/policy.