Colorado Parks and Wildlife managers successfully captured and placed radio collars on 10 bighorn sheep rams last week. The operation was the start of a new, cooperative study with the U.S. Forest Service to monitor the movements and distribution of rams from three herds located within the Maroon Bells -- Snowmass Wilderness near the border of southern Pitkin and northern Gunnison counties.

Over the previous 10-15 years, respiratory disease possibly caused by bacterial pneumonia may have contributed to bighorn population declines in two of the three herds that occupy the wilderness area, wildlife managers say.

"These are iconic animals in Colorado and it's important that we do what we can to ensure that these herds continue to exist," said Julie Mao, terrestrial biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife in Glenwood Springs. "The study will provide invaluable information about these herds -- more than we have ever known -- including whether the three herds interact with each other and whether they cross areas allotted for domestic sheep."

According to wildlife managers, rams are the focus of the study because they generally travel further than ewes. If infected, the rams could transmit the disease to uninfected wild sheep when they return to their herds.

Information gathered from this study may help agency officials and livestock managers minimize the amount of inter-species contact, keeping potential disease transmission to a minimum.