Images by Bill Kaufman
Desert bighorn sheep had been documented in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson for over a hundred years before disappearing in the late 1990’s. Now the Desert Bighorn Sheep Society is working with the Arizona Game and Fish Department to reintroduce the bighorn sheep in a multi-year project. Thirty bighorn sheep were released November 18, 2013 in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness area of the Santa Catalina Mountains; an additional 30 next year, and 30 more the following year. As part of the restoration process, each sheep has been fitted with a GPS satellite collar for monitoring.Â
One of our Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalist, Bill Kaufman, was invited to be at the release this past Monday and graciously provided the photos in this posting.
Click here to listen to an NPR story done on Monday’s release.
kenne
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- Pusch Ridge: new home to bighorns (azstarnet.com)
- Bighorn sheep released in Catalinas (azstarnet.com)
- Bighorn Sheep to Once Again Roam the Catalinas (publicnewsservice.org)
- Bighorns will be reintroduced to Tucson-area ridge ()
- Bighorn sheep relocated to Tucson-area mountains (azdailysun.com)
Kenne, this is totally awesome! I heard about it but seeing it, wow. Thanks for sharing Judy
I’m looking forward to the day we might see them while hiking in the Cantalina’s
Freedom!!!
They were taken from mountains around Yuma a couple of days before being released in the Catalina’s.