A team of researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences has found that aoudad, a species in the sheep and goat family, can catch and spread many of the same respiratory pathogens that can impact desert bighorn sheep, a native species in Texas. This discovery, recently published in the journal PLOS ONE, will help wildlife conservationists better understand the relationship between these two species and promote their management. The project was funded by the Wild Sheep Foundation and supported by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Aoudad, originally from North Africa, was introduced to Texas for hunting opportunities in the late 1950s, with an estimated population of 40,000 in the state.
Dr. Logan Thomas, a former postdoctoral researcher under Dr. Walter Cook at Texas A&M, emphasized the importance of studying disease transmission between Texas aoudad and native species like bighorn sheep to monitor diseases and preserve animal populations effectively. By analyzing samples from both kinds of animals, the researchers were able to determine that they too can carry and transmit the same respiratory illnesses. Both species are vital for Texas wildlife conservation and the state’s economy, particularly in West Texas where they are hunted as game animals, with some landowners generating income by charging hunting fees for access to their land.
While aoudad are economically valuable for hunting opportunities due to their non-native status with no season or bag limits, bighorn sheep require intensive management efforts in Texas to maintain sustainable population numbers. The respiratory diseases that both species can share, including pneumonia, have already had devastating effects on bighorn populations, raising concerns about the impact on aoudad in addition to worsening the situation for bighorns. Outbreaks of these diseases in bighorn sheep typically result in two waves of population decline, affecting all age groups initially and leading to high mortality rates for the lambs born after the outbreak.
Adult bighorns can carry the disease for several years after an outbreak, hindering population recovery efforts. While this cycle has been well-documented in bighorn sheep, researchers had not previously studied whether it could occur in aoudad or if the two species could spread pathogens back and forth. Disease monitoring within and between aoudad and bighorn sheep populations is now essential, as there is a possibility that these pathogens could also spread to mule deer, complicating the situation further. Further research is needed to understand how these diseases affect aoudad populations, as they have not received as much attention in this regard as native species.
The researchers aim to ensure the thriving of all animal populations within a well-managed balance in Texas, with disease monitoring playing a crucial role in achieving this goal. Understanding disease transmission dynamics between aoudad, bighorn sheep, and potentially other species like mule deer will help conservation efforts protect wildlife populations effectively. By studying the impact of respiratory pathogens on aoudad populations and their potential role in disease spread, researchers hope to implement strategies that promote the health and sustainability of all wildlife species in the region.
