This past week, 77 desert bighorn sheep were captured from the Elephant Mountains Wildlife Management Areas in the Trans-Peco Region of west Texas and safely released into the Franklin Mountains to establish a new wild sheep population.
“The Wild Sheep Foundation was thrilled to partner with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Bighorn Society (TBS) as catalysts and funding partners for the establishment of a new disease-free population of desert bighorn sheep,” stated Gray N. Thornton, WSF President and CEO.
Franklin Mountains State Park is mainly within the El Paso metro area. It’s popular with hikers, campers, and photographers, which created a high-profile and safe release location for the sheep. More than 600 people attended to watch the historic release of desert bighorn sheep.
“The vision and years of work by TPWD with support from TBS became a reality this week,” said WSF COO and Executive Vice President of Conservation Corey Mason. “WSF and our members are proud and privileged to participate in the effort and provide the financial support needed. We applaud all that contributed, both over the past years and through this week.”
Historically, desert bighorn sheep were native to Texas. With the settlement of the Trans-Pecos Region of Texas, native wild sheep populations declined rapidly, becoming extirpated by 1960. Through hard work and dedication, TPWD), the TBS, private landowners, and dedicated sportsmen and women successfully collaborated to restore desert bighorns to many historic mountain ranges.
By 2019, the Texas desert bighorn population stood at between 1,200 and 1,500 animals. That is until the dreaded pathogen Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Movi) struck a herd at Black Gap WMA and eventually spread to most of the state’s populations. It eventually decreased the state’s population by more than half. However, unlike most outbreaks, which are caused by contact with domestic sheep, this one came through interactions with aoudad (Barbary sheep), a native of northern Africa that was brought to Texas for hunting in the 1950s.
According to Dr. Sam Cunningham, WSF board member and TBS President, the discovery of the disease in aoudad has taken the concern to a new level. “Aoudad complicate things for our desert bighorns in Texas in a major way, and the situation inspires us to do even more to conserve our Texas desert bighorn populations,” Cunningham said.
Because of these tragic losses, this translocation will have a far-reaching effect. The Elephant Mountain population was the only herd in the state available to move wild sheep from to establish other populations. Now, the state has a second disease-free source population where, hopefully, a surplus number of bighorns will support future translocations of desert sheep to suitable habitats in the Trans-Pecos.
Led by TPWD and TBS, this Franklin Mountains State Park desert bighorn sheep restoration was supported by many conservation partners. Funding for the transplant was provided by the Wild Sheep Foundation, Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, WSF Midwest Chapter, CampFire Club Conservation Fund, WSF Eastern Chapter, and the Houston Safari Club Foundation. TBS, The Panhandle Chapter of Dallas Safari Club, Idaho WSF, Oregon WSF, Washington WSF, and the Water for Wildlife Foundation funded two water guzzlers.
The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF), based in Bozeman, Mont., was founded in 1977 by sportsmen and other wild sheep conservationists. WSF is the premier advocate for wild sheep, having raised and expended more than $145 million, positively impacting these species through population and habitat enhancements, research and education, and conservation advocacy programs in North America, Europe, and Asia to “Put and Keep Wild Sheep On the Mountain”®. In North America, these and other efforts have increased bighorn sheep populations from historic lows in the 1950s-60s of 25,000 to more than 85,000 today. WSF has a membership of more than 11,000 worldwide. www.wildsheepfoundation.org
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