Pneumonia outbreak hits Lower Rock Creek
FWP
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) announced that a pneumonia outbreak is underway in another bighorn sheep population in west-central Montana.
The latest occurrence of the nearly always-fatal respiratory disease was confirmed in two young rams that FWP’s wildlife veterinarian and biologists collected Tuesday afternoon from the Lower Rock Creek population. Other recent pneumonia outbreaks affected bighorn populations in the East Fork Bitterroot late last year and in the Bonner area earlier this month.
Once bighorns contract pneumonia, they usually die within a few weeks. 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.
FWP undertook aggressive campaigns to cull diseased animals from the East Fork and Bonner populations to protect healthy animals from exposure to the fatal disease. A survey of the East Fork range last week revealed at least 71 healthy-looking sheep, and no sick-appearing sheep, where FWP had killed 76 diseased or exposed individuals earlier. Intensive removals are winding down near Bonner, totaling 79 diseased sheep taken since January 5th.
The situation is different in Lower Rock Creek, according to state wildlife officials.
"At this time of year the sheep are tucked away in small groups in rocky canyons from Gilbert Creek to Babcock to Brewster and beyond," said Mike Thompson, Regional Wildlife Manager. "And, it appears from the observations we’ve made this week that the disease is likely widely spread across the lower portion of Rock Creek.”
Thompson said that there’s not a separate unit of healthy sheep to protect in Lower Rock Creek at this point.
"For now we intend to let the disease run its course in Lower Rock Creek and count on geographic barriers to contain it. We can't improve upon that by removing the sick sheep, and we stand to get people hurt out there if we try it in that terrain," said Thompson.
FWP will collect 10-20 more diseased sheep in Lower Rock Creek for analysis to identify the disease organism, and investigate whether the three pneumonia outbreaks might be related.
A report from the public late last week of a sick ram prompted FWP to dispatch a field crew to the scene. FWP had received earlier reports of coughing sheep in Lower Rock Creek, but had been unable to confirm pneumonia.
"Reports from the public were responsible for the first detections of pneumonia in all three recent outbreaks," said Vivaca Crowser, Regional Information Manager. "These reports from the public saved sheep in the East Fork, and hopefully so near Bonner, and we need the public's help to alert us to any possible outbreaks in other herds."
The Rock Creek bighorn sheep herd was established in 1979 when 25 sheep were transplanted there. The herd is now estimated to have just over 200 sheep.
The Lower Rock Creek population is separated from the adjoining population in Upper Rock Creek by rugged terrain, but not great distance. Bighorns thought to be associated with Lower Rock Creek have been known to occupy range within only a few miles of Upper Rock Creek sheep. FWP is stepping up its surveillance of Upper Rock Creek sheep, hoping for early detection of any symptomatic sheep there.
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.
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