Health and Behaviour of B.C.’s Southernmost Stone’s Sheep Year 5
This project to assess health of Stone’s sheep will focus on the two southernmost functionally viable herds of the species: the Dunlevy and Schooler herds. Due to their proximity to domestic farms and overlap with elk, these wild sheep are at high risk.
In this final year, the project will compare monitoring results, including health assessments and population demographics, from 2020-2023 with data collected in the same area from 1999-2005. The results will help guide habitat enhancement approaches to increase habitat quality and encourage greater separation between Stone’s sheep, elk, and domestic animals to mitigate population decline resulting from disease transmission.
Update: 24 health assessments completed
Twenty-four Stone’s sheep were captured – 17 were already collared – and health assessments were completed. The assessments showed no significant evidence of major pathogens, though one ewe tested positive for Parainfluenza virus antibodies and another for Toxoplasmosis. Low to severe hair loss was common among sheep at lower elevations but did not significantly affect survival or reproduction. Seven mortalities were recorded, with causes ranging from capture-related trauma to predation and birth complications.
The annual survival rate and recruitment indicate a stable Dunlevy Herd while the Schooler Herd appears to have undergone a significant decline to just seven sheep, only one of which is a female. Movement analysis showed migratory behavior among low-elevation ewes and resident behavior in high-elevation sheep, with one ram demonstrating significant long-distance movement, highlighting connectivity and potential disease transmission between ranges. Compared to the historical data, little has changed in movement.