Domestic sheep and goats can pose a threat to the health of Bighorn sheep.
Anne Hubbs, senior wildlife biologist with the Alberta government, says domestic sheep and goats can commonly carry a bacterium that can cause pneumonia and large-scale population die-offs of Bighorn sheep following close contact with an infected animal.
“There are no vaccines or treatments for wild sheep, so maintaining physical separation from domestic sheep and goats is very important,” Hubbs says.
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