Helping reverse the "significant" population decline of bighorn sheep is the driving force behind a new agreement between the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) and Wild Sheep Society of BC.

The collaboration was formalized with a ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 24, in front of bighorn sheep pens on Penticton Indian Band (PIB) land that will host the upcoming Psoroptic Mange Drug Trials.

"Today was a historic moment, as we've entered into this landmark agreement with the Okanagan Nation Alliance to support wild sheep on the landscape," said Kyle Stelter, chief executive officer at the Wild Sheep Society of BC.

Although wildlife drug trials at the site have commenced in the past, notably in 2017, the new agreement will address the current challenges that face bighorn sheep across the Okanagan and even south of the border, the society's CEO said.

Bighorn sheep are currently on the blue list in B.C., meaning they are at risk but are not yet extirpated, endangered or threatened.

Joined at Thursday's ceremony by representatives from the ONA and PIB, Stelter added that the partnership was developed in response to a pair of diseases that are putting local bighorn sheep at risk: Psoroptes Mange and mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (MOE). 

"These two diseases have caused a lot of problems," Stelter said. "The California bighorns in the Okanagan are really struggling right now and we're seeing significant population declines."

As recently as September 2024, three California bighorn sheep were euthanized after interacting with domestic sheep in the Similkameen. They contracted what is believed to be MOE. 

Mackenzie Clarke, a wildlife biologist at ONA, said Thursday's ceremony was about paying homage to the work that the ONA and Wild Sheep Society are set to complete.

"We want to document that we're going to keep working together to try and help the wild sheep out on the land," Clarke said, moments before a Memorandum of
Understanding between the two groups was signed.

With the ONA having a long history of supporting healthy wildlife in the Okanagan, Stelter says the Wild Sheep Society is excited to "do our part" and aid those ongoing efforts.

"We've been working with ONA for several decades, but this is the first time we've formalized an agreement," Stelter said.

"This sends a signal that we're serious about looking after wild sheep and working collectively with First Nations in the Okanagan to do so."