Evaluating Impacts of a Pneumonia Epizootic and Potential for Disease Transmission Among Desert Bighorn Sheep Herds in and near Mojave National Preserve
Project ID: P14AC01636
Federal Agency: National Park Service
Partner Institution: Oregon State University
Fiscal Year: 2014
Initial Funding: $157,625
Total Funding: $177,627
Project Type: Research
Project Disciplines: Biological
National Park: Mojave National Preserve
Principal Investigator: Epps, Clinton
Agreement Technical Representative: Wild, Margaret
Abstract: Bighorn sheep are highly susceptible to pneumonia epizootics that can reduce bighorn population size by 50 to 100% and have lingering, adverse effects on lamb survival for years after the initial onset of disease. Desert bighorn sheep in and near Mojave National Preserve represent some of the largest, naturally persisting (never reintroduced) desert bighorn herds in the southwestern U.S. due in part to the apparent absence of pneumonia epizootics in the larger bighorn metapopulation. Recently, a relatively large number of mortalities (>30
adults) due to pneumonia were confirmed in one desert bighorn population during the summer of 2013, and sick animals were observed in at least one other population in late summer. Interagency cooperation has allowed for some initial population and disease assessments in the region, but additional in-depth, cooperative research is needed to determine the impact and extent of disease. This is a collaborative project between the National Park Service (NPS) and Oregon State University (OSU) to: 1) determine how many desert bighom sheep herds and over what geographic range are infected with pathogens of concern, and 2) quantify the survival and productivity of affected and non-affected herds. These results will be used to inform current and future management decisions for bighorn sheep conservation across the U.S. The remote nature of this work, harsh environment of the study sites, and requisite field and lab work will require a high level of cooperation between NPS and OSU. Some of this collaboration, such as development of the general study design, is already underway. NPS personnel have already carried out significant capture, radio-collaring, and sample collection efforts; and academic researchers have and will continue to use the collar data to examine disease spread, movements, and survival, and use samples to analyze strains of pneumonia. This Task Agreement will maximize the existing and future data collected for disease-related purposes. All results from this project will be published in journals and/or websites, allowing for easy public and professional access to these new scientific findings.