Struggling to save Okanagan bighorns: Public invited to free showing of film documenting efforts to protect wild bighorn population from devastating disease

Photo: Mike Biden

Bighorn sheep in the Okanagan.

The Wild Sheep Society of BC is hoping to raise awareness about ongoing disease issues with Okanagan bighorn sheep populations through a free film showing in Oliver.

On Monday, Feb. 27, the public is invited to attend the Oliver Theatre to watch "Transmission," a film chronicling the state of local wild bighorn sheep populations in the valley and a devastating illness that is decimating the population.

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovi) is a bacterial species that is commonly found in the nasal cavity and sinuses of apparently healthy domestic sheep and goats, but when transmitted through nose-to-nose touch to wild bighorns and mountain goats, it can lead to mass deaths due to pneumonia and years of lower lamb birth and survival rates.

The film is being presented by the Wild Sheep Society in partnership with the Okanagan Nation Alliance, Province of British Columbia and Filter Studios.

It features breathtaking close-up footage of the wild animals, and intimate, in-depth conversations with local farmers, conservationists, scientists and more who are grappling to find solutions to the issue.

Watch the film for free in Oliver on Feb. 27, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and the film slated to start at 7 p.m.

Check out the trailer below:

Transmission | Official Trailer from Filter Studios on Vimeo.