Bighorn sheep in the southern Okanagan have steadily declined in recent years. There are ongoing health issues affecting California bighorn sheep in the Okanagan Valley known as Psoroptic (“sore-op-tic”) Mange and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovi). This decline is theorized to be due in part to infection by pneumonia and Psoroptes mites as contributing factors to poor yilíkʷlxkn – Bighorn Sheep health. Since the 2011 discovery of the first psoroptic mange case in the Okanagan, the yilíkʷlxkn – Bighorn Sheep population has declined by around 60%. The majority of this decline, around 40%, was seen between 2011 and 2015. Other strains of this Psoroptes parasite have caused the decline and even collapse in yilíkʷlxkn – Bighorn Sheep populations in the United States.

Live Screening: Transmission

A film by the Wild Sheep Society of BC. The Wild Sheep Society of BC is one of BC’s leading conservation organizations. One of their action items is to continue the study of a pandemic happening amongst wild sheep. The infectious bacteria known as mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (movi) is a bacteria that is passed from domestic sheep to wild sheep. Wild sheep do not have the immune systems to fight the bacteria, thus leaving them susceptible to pneumonia which, in most cases, leads to death.

Transmission: A story of Mycoplasma Ovipneumoniae and Sheep – Official Trailer

Presentation: Okanagan Bighorn

A presentation about the current state of Okanagan bighorn sheep (yilíkʷlxkn). In recent years, bighorn sheep in the southern Okanagan have steadily declined. There is are ongoing health issues affecting California bighorn sheep in the Okanagan Valley known as Psoroptic (“sore-op-tic”) Mange and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovi).