Two bighorn sheep euthanized near Challis

Two bighorn sheep rams were euthanized by Idaho Fish and Game officers Thursday. Officers said they took the action to prevent the sheep from potentially carrying disease back to the wild herd. They were found on a hillside adjacent to a small flock of domestic sheep on the outskirts of Challis. One ram was five years old, the second was a six-year-old. Attempts to dart and radio collar the animals failed Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. The department’s 2010 Bighorn Sheep Management Plan directs officers to remove bighorns in a timely manner when they come in contact with domestic herds. The policy is intended to prevent transmission of disease to other bighorn sheep. Domestic sheep and goats often carry pathogens that wild sheep may be susceptible to and that can result in fatal pneumonia or other diseases. The greatest risk occurs when a wild sheep mixes with domestic sheep or goats and then returns to a wild herd, potentially spreading the pathogens to other wild sheep. In some cases, this can result in large-scale die-offs in wild sheep. “In a few cases, we’ve lost entire wild sheep herds,” said Tom Curet, Salmon regional supervisor for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. “More often we see 50 to 70 percent losses, followed by many years of low lamb survival.”