Bambistew
Well-known member
Bad new from ADFG yesterday. They found a pathogen that is linked to mass die-offs of sheep in the L48 here in AK. Found in 4 samples of sheep and 2 from live mountain goat captures. Some of you may have seen this already, but this is terrible news. They have been testing and monitoring for the last 4-5 years and haven't detected anything before now.
Two years ago a proposal was submitted by the Wild Sheep Foundation to remove domestic sheep and goats from the "clean list" in Alaska and require testing and quarantine/fencing to prevent interaction with wild sheep. Of course it was met with severe resistance because we have never detected the disease in AK, and why should the gobm't tell us how to live! Well we're screwed now.. Hopefully this will be enough for the state Veterinarian to pull his head out of his ass.
The source of the samples comes from the heart of the Talkeetna sheep population. I would estimate that about 1/3 of the population is found in the area where the tests were positive. From here, it will take nothing for it to spread to the Chugach, throughout the rest of the Talkeetnas, and into the Alaska Range. Its just a matter of time now that its here.
I can't wait to hear the arguments that state to prove that it was from domestic sheep. I say if you're so sure, prove that it isn't. The pathogen is not endemic to the western hemisphere, so it came from domestic animals. The foremost experts in the field are confidant that it came from domestic sheep/goats. There is no cure, and there is no vaccine for either domestic or wild sheep. The majority of domestic sheep/goats are carriers of the disease, but its rarely fatal for them. I'm so glad that fewer than 1000 domestic pest owners are holding the state hostage over their "right" to have goat milk, meat, and wool, all while the rest of us and future hunters/wildlife enthusiast will lose our sheep herds.
I foresee similar findings in the near future. There are idiots with domestic pests located in virtually every mountain range very near wild sheep habitat.
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=pressreleases.pr&release=2018_03_13
Two years ago a proposal was submitted by the Wild Sheep Foundation to remove domestic sheep and goats from the "clean list" in Alaska and require testing and quarantine/fencing to prevent interaction with wild sheep. Of course it was met with severe resistance because we have never detected the disease in AK, and why should the gobm't tell us how to live! Well we're screwed now.. Hopefully this will be enough for the state Veterinarian to pull his head out of his ass.
The source of the samples comes from the heart of the Talkeetna sheep population. I would estimate that about 1/3 of the population is found in the area where the tests were positive. From here, it will take nothing for it to spread to the Chugach, throughout the rest of the Talkeetnas, and into the Alaska Range. Its just a matter of time now that its here.
I can't wait to hear the arguments that state to prove that it was from domestic sheep. I say if you're so sure, prove that it isn't. The pathogen is not endemic to the western hemisphere, so it came from domestic animals. The foremost experts in the field are confidant that it came from domestic sheep/goats. There is no cure, and there is no vaccine for either domestic or wild sheep. The majority of domestic sheep/goats are carriers of the disease, but its rarely fatal for them. I'm so glad that fewer than 1000 domestic pest owners are holding the state hostage over their "right" to have goat milk, meat, and wool, all while the rest of us and future hunters/wildlife enthusiast will lose our sheep herds.
I foresee similar findings in the near future. There are idiots with domestic pests located in virtually every mountain range very near wild sheep habitat.
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=pressreleases.pr&release=2018_03_13
