3-WAY DIAGNOSTICS: Nebraska’s Bighorns Benefit From Collaring, New Testing Method

The rugged buttes, mesas, and canyons in Nebraska’s Panhandle dramatically contrast with the plains and sandhills of most of the state. Along with mule deer, prairie rattlesnakes, and coyotes here, live Rocky Mountain bighorns

This population of around 300 lives on the eastern fringe of their range and is the subject of a FY 2022-23 $50,000 Grant-In-Aid from the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF). To help support this project, Iowa FNAWS provided $50,000, while the above-listed dozen WSF Chapters & Affiliates contributed another $60,000 in a great “crowd-funding” demonstration of collaboration for wild sheep conservation. The objective was to catch, test, and collar sheep for potential translocation to other suitable habitats in the Cornhusker State and to compare disease detection methods.

“Bighorns in Nebraska are like herds found everywhere else. They have been through a lot with disease and other problems, but they are still here, and there is potential to expand their range within the state,” said Todd Nordeen, Big Game Disease and Research Program Manager with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC).

In February 2023, NGPC officials captured 36 bighorns in the Wildcat Hills area. Using a 3-way diagnostic comparison of disease detection involving the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab in Pullman, WA, on the campus of WSU, Biomeme Field PCR, and Working Dogs for Conservation’s (WD4C) trained canines, the goal was to find ways to quicken the disease detection process on captures. 
Of particular interest is WD4C.

The crew with the Working Dogs for Conservation waited in the wings to have sheep fecal samples brought to them for testing so the dogs’ presence wouldn’t stress the captured bighorns.

WSF has contributed $105,618 since 2021 to support its testing efforts and has facilitated testing samples from federal, state, and tribal agencies.

“We’ve been working hard to train these dogs to detect Movi, and it was exciting to be part of the Nebraska capture,” said WD4C field specialist Michelle Lovara. Lovara and her team set the dogs up in an area several hundred yards from the main site so the sheep wouldn’t stress at the presence of dogs. “There were varying results among the testing methods, but we’re still working on it and will be attending other captures shortly,” she said.

Lovara said Movi was detected, and officials decided to collar and release on site instead of moving the sheep.

“Getting an idea of what’s going on early can save stress on the sheep we’re working with and save a lot of time on what is very labor-intensive jobs,” she said. Studying disease and its origins, however, is not limited to testing but also involves monitoring herd movements.

“Collaring is such an important part of management, and we are so grateful to WSF and WSF chapters and affiliates for helping us over the years on projects like this. Knowing which herds are interacting and how far their range is important for any species, especially bighorns, considering the huge role of disease,” Nordeen said.

Most of Nebraska’s sheep stay within the state’s boundaries, but some venture out.

“Occasionally, a rogue ram will wander into Wyoming, but we expect that to happen. After all, sheep don’t recognize our borders,” Nordeen said. He said the impact of WSF Grant-In-Aid funding in Nebraska is that researchers are gaining more information on the state’s small herd and are finding new ways to tackle the disease.

“We have some challenges here, but the WSF Grant-In-Aid and their willingness to support new methods and technology is a win for Nebraska’s bighorns and wild sheep throughout North America.”