New research, titled "Bighorn sheep associations: understanding tradeoffs of sociality and implications for disease transmission," has been published in PeerJ Life & Environment. The study, conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service and led by Marie Tosa, now with Oregon State University, explores the intricate relationship between social behavior, disease transmission, and survival rates among bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis).

The research focused on understanding the factors influencing direct contact rates among bighorn sheep in the vicinity of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. The study incorporated both intrinsic factors, such as relatedness and age, and extrinsic factors like land cover type and season. During the period of 2002 to 2012, male and female bighorn sheep were equipped with GPS collars to monitor their movements and interactions.

Through the analysis of direct contact networks, the researchers identified significant barriers in the bighorn sheep population, which corresponded with prior disease exposure metrics. Interestingly, more direct contacts were observed between same-sex dyads compared to female-male dyads. Additionally, bighorn groups with overlapping summer home ranges were found to have higher direct contact rates.