FOX Weather, PINEDALE, Wyo. – Wildlife officials have determined the likely cause of a rare disease outbreak that has killed hundreds of pronghorn in a matter of weeks in western Wyoming.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department estimated that approximately 200 so-called American antelope have died since mid-February, centered around the southern end of the Mesa south of Pinedale.
The pathogen causing the deaths is Mycoplasma bovis (not be to confused with Mycobacterium bovids, which affects cattle) , according to preliminary lab results.
The source of infection and the ability to predict the duration and geographic distribution of the outbreak is currently unknown.
“While reported M. bovis outbreaks causing mortality in wildlife are rare, this is not the first occurrence of M. bovis being linked to pronghorn mortalities in Wyoming,” Wyoming Game and Fish wildlife disease specialist Hank Edwards said.
The first reported cases of pneumonia in pronghorn occurred during the winters of 2019 and 2020 near Gillette, Wyoming, involving at least 460 animals …
