Bighorn sheep associations: understanding tradeoffs of sociality and implications for disease transmission

Research on bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) near the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park reveals that social behavior, particularly direct contact rates, is influenced by intrinsic factors like relatedness and age, as well as extrinsic factors such as land cover type and season. The study found that direct contacts were more frequent among same-sex dyads and groups with overlapping summer home ranges, peaking during winter-spring when movement speeds were low and sufficient collared individuals were present. Contact probabilities decreased with habitat quality, driven by variables related to survival, including terrain ruggedness, distance to escape terrain, and canopy cover. Additionally, the analysis identified population barriers corresponding with prior disease exposure metrics, suggesting that social contact patterns play a crucial role in disease transmission dynamics. This research provides valuable insights into the fitness tradeoffs of sociality and its implications for conservation strategies.

Tosa, M. I., Biel, M. J., & Graves, T. A. (2023). Bighorn sheep associations: understanding tradeoffs of sociality and implications for disease transmission. PeerJ, 11, e15625. Portico. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15625