Bozeman, Montana – The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) congratulates the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR), KUIU, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, WSF Chapter Utah Wild Sheep Foundation and WSF Affiliate Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society on a successful transplant of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep onto Utah’s Antelope Island State Park.
“This is what collaborative conservation looks like,” explained Gray N. Thornton, President and CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation. “Wild sheep enthusiasts from industry, national and state conservation groups, and state wildlife agencies all pulling on the same rope to get good work done.”
Twenty-seven bighorn sheep were captured near Morenci, Arizona using helicopter netguns and darting. The sheep were then transported by horse trailers to Antelope Island for release. The wild sheep near Morenci were chosen for this relocation because of the high risk of vehicle collisions. In recent years more sheep living near Morenci began frequenting its urban areas with high traffic. Tranquilizer darting was used to capture those sheep that were closer to town.
Antelope Island is a natural paradise within the Great Salt Lake spanning 42 miles2. The island is home to a rich biodiversity of wildlife including pronghorn antelope, bison, mule deer, and now, once again bighorn sheep.
“More than 25 years ago, the State of Utah transplanted bighorn sheep onto Antelope Island”, explained Kevin Hurley, WSF’s VP for Conservation. “For nearly two decades, Antelope Island was THE source herd for establishing several new bighorn herds in Utah.
In 2018 the island’s bighorn population suffered a pneumonia die-off, and what few animals remained were removed. After eliminating the risk of future disease transmission, UDWR stated its intent to reintroduce a healthy population of bighorn sheep back to Antelope Island.
“This transplant is a supplement to a transplant completed in 2020 and will significantly expand the bighorn sheep numbers on Antelope Island,” explained Travis Jenson president of UT WSF. “Antelope Island is the primary source or nursery herd for bighorn sheep in Utah. We anticipate looking to transplant out of this population to establish new herds in addition to supplementing existing herds in as little as two years!”
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The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF), based in Bozeman, Mont., was founded in 1977 by wild sheep conservationists and enthusiasts. With a membership of more than 10,400 worldwide, WSF is the premier advocate for wild sheep and other mountain wildlife and their habitats. WSF has raised and expended more than $140 million on wild sheep habitat and population enhancements, education, and conservation advocacy programs in North America, Europe, and Asia to “Put and Keep Wild Sheep On the Mountain”®. These and other efforts have increased bighorn sheep populations in North America from historic lows in the 1950-60s of 25,000 to more than 85,000 today. www.wildsheepfoundation.org.
