Biologist’s Corner

by Kevin Hurley

Vice President of Conservation

WHAT THE HECK IS TEST-AND-REMOVE?

No doubt many WSF members and non-members have heard the term “Test-and-Remove” used frequently of late, whether in technical presentations, news items, press releases, coffee shop chats, on-line forums, or other venues. Knowing that wildlife biologists are often criticized for jargon or “agency-speak”, I thought it might be helpful to try explaining what that term means, in the context of wild sheep health and pathogen/disease management.

Based on veterinary principles of disease control and pioneering work in Hells Canyon, largely spearheaded by Dr. Frances Cassirer of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Dr. Tom Besser from Washington State University, and their ID/OR/WA state, federal, and tribal colleagues, repeat capture and sampling of individual bighorn sheep began

to demonstrate a clear pattern of respiratory bacteria presence or absence.

By capturing and sampling the same individual at least twice, and up to as many as seven or eight times, it was demonstrated that some bighorn sheep were always, or most always, positive for Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (MOVI), a respiratory bacterium involved as a trigger in pneumonia in bighorn sheep. Others were always, or most always, negative for MOVI, and yet another portion of Hells Canyon bighorns were intermittently positive. That’s still a head-scratcher!

Intensive sampling, combined with field assessment and diagnostic laboratory analysis, established that some bighorn sheep were chronic carriers (and, presumably, shedders) of MOVI bacteria. Several research/ management questions were raised, “…what if those chronic carriers were removed from a population? What effect might that have on MOVI carriage? How might that affect chronically-depressed lamb survival? How many chronic carriers must be removed, to improve lamb survival and recruitment?”

Additional questions were raised and discussed among wild sheep managers and researchers, wildlife veterinarians, and other wild sheep conservation stakeholders. Like most scientific breakthroughs, it was necessary to develop and test hypotheses, and conduct replicate trials. In the past few years, more and more western fish and game agencies, involving tribal/First Nation wildlife departments, private landowners, federal land managers, and academic researchers have modified and undertaken test-and-remove programs in their jurisdictions.

Another critical requirement to advance science is to share results obtained with your peers and colleagues. These data might be shared via published manuscripts in technical journals, presentations at scientific conferences, and other means of communicating and sharing data and inviting peer review and critique.

As I look back at the accomplishments made by the Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) Wild Sheep Working Group since inception in 2007, data-sharing and collaboration between geographically distant but every-bit-as-engaged wild sheep colleagues throughout North America, and beyond, may be one of the best outcomes that the WAFWA Wild Sheep Working Group has generated.

In June 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 200 wild sheep colleagues spent a very full day on ZOOM. They presented test-and-remove case studies, sharing and discussing preliminary results and findings, mapping out additional strategies, sharing resources and information across agency and jurisdictional boundaries, trying to advance our collective knowledge and understanding of the effects of respiratory bacteria on wild sheep herd health, lamb recruitment, and future management. In the intervening nearly 20 months since that June 2021 ZOOM workshop, numerous test-and-remove experiments have been initiated in multiple states and provinces, involving diverse collaborators and stakeholders.

Unlike the alleged story of Sir Isaac Newton sitting under a tree, and having an apple fall on his head, leading to the “discovery” and our understanding of gravity, scientific knowledge advances and retreats in fits and starts, with failures and setbacks, revised study designs, tweaking hypotheses, occasional flashes of brilliance and progress, writing and tracking grant requests and progress reports, and more. However, there is always a dogged determination to keep asking, keep probing, keep trying to untie the Gordian knot of pneumonia in wild sheep.

On January 11, 2023, the Wild Sheep Foundation will be hosting a Test-and-Remove Workshop 2.0 in Reno, immediately prior to the Sheep Show convention doors opening on Thursday January 12th. Details are being worked on by WSF and the WAFWA Wild Sheep Working Group as I write this column in late October 2022, but stay tuned for more information, details, and virtual options for viewing and participating in this important workshop.

The wild sheep conservation community is fortunate to have so many sharp-minded and dedicated wild sheep managers, wildlife veterinarians, academic researchers, diagnostic laboratory technicians, agency administrators, and committed conservation stakeholders all willing to work on these issues, ask these difficult questions, and work shoulder-to-shoulder in our seemingly “never-ending” attempts to uncover solutions, and move forward in conserving wild sheep populations, for those wild sheep and the conservation stakeholders coming after we’re long gone. Thank you all for your efforts! WS

MPS Reception - Reno, NV - 2022

The Marco Polo Society® (MPS) is the Wild Sheep Foundation’s premier major giving “society” whose members have given and/or pledged a minimum of $100,000 to the Foundation. Gifts are donor-directed, tax-deductible and can be made to the WSLF Endowment Fund, WSF Conservation Fund, or Area of Greatest Need. Additionally, funds may be allocated to specific grant-inaid, education or advocacy initiatives and programs. The $100,000 pledge can be contributed in annual installments up to a maximum of 10 years.

Since its inception in 2008, more than $8 million in MPS gifts/ pledges have been directed to WSF and mission programs. WSF’s objective is 100 Marco Polo Society members resulting in a $10 million major gift campaign.

WSF SALUTES OUR MARCO POLO SOCIETY® MEMBERS TO DATE - Alphabetical Order

Shane & Angela Alexander (TN) Lee & Penny Anderson (FL) Anonymous Anonymous Stanford & Pamela Atwood (CA) John & Jane Babler (MN) Scott & Erica Barry (MI) Brian & Debbie Benyo (OH) Gary Bogner (MI) Dan & Kathy Boone (TX) Jerry & Amy Brenner (NC) Steve & Jackie Bruggeman (MN) Peter & Wendy Burchfield (PA) Tony & Virginia Caligiuri (IA) Ron & Billi Carey (AB) Oscar & Valerie Carlson (MN) Walt & Joan Coram (TX) Guinn & Betsy Crousen (TX) Denis & Diane Dale (AB) Dean & Paige Darby (MI) Monty & Becky Davis (TX) Jeff & Jann Demaske (CO) Chris & Jaimie Dianda (NV) Mike & Julie Dianda (NV) Mark & Janice Dickson (CA) Billy Dunbar (AK) The Fiedeldey Family (OH) Tom Foss (AB) Ronald S. Gabriel, MD (CA) Kevin Gilbert (MT) Brian and Susan Ham (AZ) Marc & Cheryl Hansen (PA) Jim & Sue Hens (NY) Tom & Denise Hoffman (NY) Steve & Jill Hornady (NE) Larry & Jane Hunts (OR) Kevin Hurley (ID) Ross & Nicole Jackson (CO) Scott Jesseman (IL) Kaan & Nurgul Karakaya (TUR) G. Thomas & Patricia Lang (FL) George & Kelly Lawrence (WA) Doug & Dana Leech (WV) Thomas Lemmerholz (GER) Wayne & Denise Lennington (TN) Jeff Lindgren (MN) Paul Mattes (MI) Kyle & Joanne Meintzer (NV) Craig & Therese Mueller (ID) Richard & Linda Murphy (NM) The Olmstead Family (BC) Mark & Gabriela Peterson (MI) Ron & Vicki Pomeroy (WY) Larry & Brenda Potterfield (MO)

Rancho La Palmosa (MEX) Joni & Gary W. Raba (TX) Terry Rathert (TX) Gary & Yvonne Rigotti (OR) Christopher Ring (TX) Kevin & Janine Rinke (MI) Alan & Barbara Sackman (NY) Doug & Shelly Sayer (ID) Roger Segebrecht (WI) Kip & Sue Slaugh (UT) Kevin & Tuesdy Small (CA) J. Alain Smith (WA) Mike Snider (MI) Daryll & Shauna Southwick (CO) Brandon & Kristi Stokes (OR) Jelindo & Sandee Tiberti (NV) Matt Tomseth (OR) Tim & Ruth Van Der Weide (IA) Ken & Anna Vorisek (AK) Craig West (NC) Steven & Ardyce Whisler (MT) Clayton & Modesta Williams (TX) Lyle & Jennifer Wood (AB) Russ & Debi Young (TX) Gary & Penny Young (WV) Alan Young (YT)

Paige Culver - Development Manager 406.404.8758 or pculver@wildsheepfoundation.org

Gray N. Thornton - President & CEO 406.404.8750 or gthornton@wildsheepfoundation.org

RACE TO THE SUMMIT

In 2008 the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) set out to bring $10,000,000 in Mission and Program funding through a single giving society. That year, the Marco Polo Society was born. This premier giving society, comprised of donors who have generously pledged a cash gift of $100,000, just welcomed member #80. To date this incredible group has committed $8 Million to our Purpose of Putting and Keeping Wild Sheep on The Mountain. We are on the final countdown to our 100-member goal! Wild sheep need your help today as the WSF board along with the Professional Resource Advisory Board and knowledgeable WSF Conservation Directors have carefully reviewed and approved a record $1.2 Million dollars in Grant in Aid projects for the 2022-2023 Fiscal Year.

Come and join this special group of conservation heroes and help ensure the future of wild sheep and wild places with your pledge. I promise you will be in good company. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87.

Lyle and Jennifer Wood (AB)

G. Thomas & Patricia Lang (FL)

88. 89. Wayne & Denise Lennington (TN) 90. Kevin Gilbert (MT) 91. Tom Foss (AB) 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100.