DEATH VALLEY, Calif. (KTNV) — Researchers at Oregon State University are collaborating with the National Park Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to study the movement and genetics of bighorn sheep in Death Valley National Park to understand their susceptibility to disease.
In November and early December, 60 bighorn sheep were captured and transported to level ground by helicopter, where they had genetic, disease, immune, and microbiome samples collected and were fitted with GPS tracking collars.
According to a release, these collars will provide real-time monitoring of the sheep's response to challenges such as disease, human activities, and climate change, as well as create the most accurate picture to date of the location, movement, and size of desert bighorn herds in the park.
The researchers hope to discover why some bighorn sheep are more resistant to certain diseases than others and how this information can be used to protect these animals in the West.
