Seeking to gain a better grasp on the bacterial disease Brucellosis as well as its prevalence and movement among elk herds, biologists are capturing elk in southwest Montana.
According to the Montana Standard, crews hope to capture and test 100 cow elk and place radio collars on 30 of them near Dillon and on 40 more in the Madison Valley. Biologists will then track the animals’ movement for approximately three years.
Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Brucella abortus that infects cattle, bison, and elk. It typically results in an abortion during the first pregnancy after infection, although it can also cause abortions during subsequent pregnancies or the birth of weak calves with high mortality.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is providing funding for the study.
(Photo Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks)