LA GRANDE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A pneumonia outbreak was detected in bighorn sheep in northern Hells Canyon in mid-December and is ongoing, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said Wednesday. Potentially affected bighorn sheep populations are located along the Snake River and its tributaries.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and ODFW are working together to monitor and address this situation. You’re urged to please contact state fish and wildlife agencies to report observations of dead or sick bighorn sheep.
The bacterium responsible for the pneumonia outbreak is Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae , commonly referred to as “Movi.”
Exposure of bighorn sheep populations to Movi is usually followed by a die-off. The severity of these die-offs can vary, with population declines ranging from 5 to 100 percent. On average, about 50 percent of the population survives the initial die-off. More information is being gathered to understand the severity of the die-off.