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Bighorn Sheep: Yosemite and Sequoia National Park
#42056 03/30/15 06:07 PM
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From a SEKI news release today:

Endangered Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Restored to Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks

For Immediate Release: March 30, 2015
Media Contacts:
Dana Dierkes (Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks) 559-565-3131
Scott Gediman, Kari Cobb, and Ashley Mayer (Yosemite National Park) 209-372-0248
Andrew Hughan (California Department of Fish and Wildlife) 916-322-8944
Deb Schweizer (Inyo National Forest) 760-873-2427
Pete Bartelme (Yosemite Conservancy) 415-664-1503

Recently Completed Cooperative Effort Included California Department of Fish and Wildlife, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Quote:
A multiagency operation was recently concluded that returned two herds of endangered bighorn sheep to locations in Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks, Inyo National Forest, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, worked together on the complex operation in the Sierra Nevada.

Between March 26 and March 29, 2015, nine ewes (females) and three rams (males) were moved from the Inyo National Forest and Sequoia National Park to the Cathedral Range in Yosemite National Park. In addition, seven ewes were moved to the Laurel Creek area of Sequoia National Park; the CDFW will attempt to move an additional 3 rams to that area on March 30.

The Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep is the only federally endangered mammal in Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon. This animal was listed in 2000 after the population plunged to a low of about 100 individuals. The population has since increased to over 600, which marks an important milestone towards their recovery. Prior to the arrival of western settlers, which brought unregulated hunting and diseases in their livestock, bighorn sheep populations likely numbered in the thousands.

This latest chapter in the multi-year recovery effort involved the capture of Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep in wilderness areas on these federally managed lands. CDFW staff and volunteers, as well as veterinarians, biologists, and staff from other agencies, assessed the health and safety of the animals throughout the entire process. Each animal was fitted with a radio collar and a Global Positioning System (GPS) collar in order to track its movements over the next several years.

The newly released bighorn sheep are expected to thrive in their new homes because both of these historically occupied areas have superb summer habitat with adequate forage, are close enough to other Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep to provide the potential for connectivity among herds, and are far enough from most domestic sheep grazing areas to provide a buffer from potential disease transmission.

“This is a legacy event for Yosemite National Park and the bighorn sheep,” said Don Neubacher, Yosemite National Park Superintendent. “Additionally, this is one of the Signature Centennial projects for the National Park Service and we are ecstatic to see bighorn sheep in the Cathedral Range for the first time in more than 100 years.”

“This project would not have been possible without the leadership of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and strong interagency cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” said Woody Smeck, Superintendent of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

“With this week’s reintroductions, we now have bighorn distributed throughout all geographic areas identified as critical habitat in the Recovery Plan,” said Tom Stephenson, leader of the Recovery Program with CDFW.

Yosemite Conservancy funded equipment and experts to bring the new herd into Yosemite National Park, as well as the GPS collars to track the animals’ movement and location. Over the past 20 years, Yosemite Conservancy has funded nearly $630,000 to help protect bighorn sheep by supporting research, translocation efforts, radio and GPS collars. The Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Foundation and the Wild Sheep Foundation funded the translocation into Sequoia National Park.

“Bighorn sheep are a true symbol of wilderness and represent the need to protect wild lands,” said Frank Dean, Yosemite Conservancy President. “With the reintroduction, visitors will experience a wilderness similar to that found in the days of John Muir, when large alpine wildlife was abundant.”

Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep are well known for their large size, strength, and ability to negotiate precipitous terrain. Adult males, called rams, stand over three feet tall at the shoulder and weigh up to 220 pounds; females, called ewes, weigh up to 155 pounds. Both rams and ewes have permanent horns; rams’ horns are massive and coiled, whereas ewes’ horns are shorter with less curvature. Bighorn sheep display a range of body coloration, from dark brown to almost white, and have a large white rump patch and a short, dark tail. Rams live to be 10 to 12 years old, and ewes live to be 12 to 17 years old. During breeding season (rut), bighorn rams compete for their right to mate with ewes. Dominance behavior includes kicking, butting, neck wrestling, and dramatic horn clashes that sound like thunder. Breeding generally takes place in November. Starting at two years old, ewes give birth to one lamb between late April and mid-June. Mothers typically wean their lambs by five months of age. The lambs become independent of their mothers when they are about one year old.

- NPS -

Re: Bighorn Sheep: Yosemite and Sequoia National Park
Steve C #42058 03/30/15 11:57 PM
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Pictures accompanying the above news release:

Sheep arriving at Horseshoe Meadows parking lot.


Carrying a sheep after helicopter trip:


Delivering sheep to new location, near Yosemite:


Sheep release...


Off to a new home

Re: Bighorn Sheep: Yosemite and Sequoia National Park
Steve C #42059 03/31/15 07:28 AM
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Thanks for the info, Steve.

A couple of additional points:

If a Sierra Nevada hiker or climber sees a Big Horn Sheep, they should note their location and report it to California Fish and Wildlife. Many trailheads now have notices regarding reporting. This can be important to biologists, since the sheep are highly mobile and can and do leave their usual areas on occasion.

If you see Big Horns, DO NOT APPROACH them. They are not dangerous, but are very easily frightened by the presence of humans. This especially important if lambs are present.

Re: Bighorn Sheep: Yosemite and Sequoia National Park
Bob West #42061 03/31/15 09:13 AM
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More good news: Capital Public Radio reported eight of the transplanted ewes are pregnant and will give birth this spring.

The article refers back to "John Muir's time." Back then, there were 10s of thousands of domestic sheep grazing in Yosemite in the summers, doing massive damage to meadows and interbreeding with the wild sheep. It was illegal, but there were no penalties in place, so it took creativity to stop it. According to Farquhar's "History of the Sierra Nevada," when shepherds were caught, the army escorted them for days to a far corner of the park before ejecting them. It took several more days for the shepherds to get back to their herd on the other side of the park. Meanwhile their sheep roamed wild and were decimated. Cruel and unusual perhaps (for the sheep), but it worked until proper authority was enacted to manage the park.

Edited typos

Last edited by SierraNevada; 03/31/15 09:23 AM.
Re: Bighorn Sheep: Yosemite and Sequoia National Park
Bob West #42062 03/31/15 11:52 AM
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Haha! I love sheeps.

They are my favorite bit of mountain wildlife. I certainly hope to run into a Sierra herd someday. I'm glad for the efforts to repopulate the area.

I've had a number of great run-ins with the San Gabriel herds (on one instance spotting 16 ewes and lambs in a herd roving over Harwood's S. face).

I also spied my first bighorn as I came up the S. ridge of Iron Mountain (formerly called Sheep Mountain) in the Sheep Mountain Wilderness, it was a solitary ram perched on a low crag in the morning light. He was looking west over the steep upper ramparts of Allison Gulch, and he turned to look at me. I looked at him. He licked his lips and cut off east. I licked mine and kept heading up.


@jjoshuagregory (Instagram) for mainly landscape and mountain pics
Re: Bighorn Sheep: Yosemite and Sequoia National Park
Snacking Bear #42063 03/31/15 12:26 PM
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Yep these guys are fun to find. I was on a hike very close to Anchorage with a group and ended up more closer to this herd then I felt comfortable with. These are goats instead of sheep.








Re: Bighorn Sheep: Yosemite and Sequoia National Park
Chicagocwright #42065 03/31/15 01:04 PM
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Yes Sir, three bags full!!


Wherever you go, there you are.
SPOTMe!
Re: Bighorn Sheep: Yosemite and Sequoia National Park
saltydog #42066 03/31/15 06:11 PM
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2007 Mono Pass (the northern one, ie Yosemite)

Re: Bighorn Sheep: Yosemite and Sequoia National Park
Harvey Lankford #42155 04/10/15 10:21 PM
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OK, these are from Yellowstone, not so rare there, but what a pair.




Re: Bighorn Sheep: Yosemite and Sequoia National Park
SierraNevada #45055 12/23/15 12:06 AM
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This video published on Dec 16, 2015, on YouTube   by Yosemite Nature Notes

Bighorn Sheep - Yosemite Nature Notes - Episode 27

Quote:
Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep are the rarest mountain sheep in North America. After the population dropped to around 100 animals in 1995, this unique sub-species was listed as an endangered species. In the spring of 2015, these charismatic animals were released into the heart of Yosemite for the first time in over 100 years.



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