Bighorns being released into the Catalinas

[JimmyLyding]

http://azstarnet.com/news/science/envir ... 0adb5.html

Very cool

----- links added from thread -----

Jun 7th 2013 'A taste for bighorn sheep': Mountain lions threaten wildlife project
http://www.jrn.com/kgun9/news/210658811.html

Jan 24th 2014 Game and Fish reports 3 more bighorn sheep deaths
http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/2454 ... eep-deaths

Jul 18th 2014 second transplant of bighorn sheep to the Catalina Mountains this fall, but no final decision has been made
http://tucson.com/news/local/bighorns-f ... deac1.html

Nov 18th Another Reintroduced Bighorn Sheep Dies Near Tucson
http://arizonahighways.com/blog/another ... ear-tucson

Nov 19th 14 bighorns captured, set for release in Catalinas
http://tucson.com/news/local/bighorns-c ... 7c41c.html

Nov 20th They killed 3 bighorns in the relocation process! No joke.
http://tucson.com/news/local/bighorns-r ... 59a8a.html

[azbackpackr]

You don't have a sense of Yuma when you're a sheep... :roll:

[trekkin_gecko]

@azbackpackr
that's b-a-a-a-a-a-d

[writelots]

I'm just curious, I know there are healthy herds (flocks?) elsewhere. I guess I haven't paid attention as to where they plan to get them. Anyone know?

There are populations in the Silverbell Mountains (though I think there's a worry with that weird eye illness there) as well as the Kofa WFR...Plus the ones you find around Hoover Dam, Black Canyon area are also probably good for relocating... If they're smart, they'll choose individuals from a couple of different areas so that they can expand the currently limited genetic diversity (IMHO).

[outdoor_lover]

Yep, here we go.....Apparently the Mountain Lion slaughter has already begun....This is going well..... http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/2454 ... eep-deaths

[rwstorm]

@Outdoor Lover
Yeah, leave the lions alone, and hey thanks for bringing them some food!

[PatrickL]

The bighorn sheep reintroduction program was created to help restore the herd and the ecosystem. It has received some criticism since officials have killed some of the mountain lions responsible for attacking the sheep.

This made my brain hurt.

[big_load]

The bighorn sheep reintroduction program was created to help restore the herd and the ecosystem. It has received some criticism since officials have killed some of the mountain lions responsible for attacking the sheep.

This made my brain hurt.

I don't get it. If they keep doing that, all we'll have left is irresponsible mountain lions.

[red_dog]

Current score:
Mountain lions vs Bighorn sheep = 10 (One of those may have been by bobcat)
AZGFD vs Mountain lions = 2
AZGFD vs Bighorn sheep = 1

So 11 of the original 31 Bighorns are gone.
There were 2 confirmed lamb sightings last week, but the math does not appear to be in favor of the Bighorns.

[chumley]

If those sheep are smart, they'll find some big fat cows to hide amongst. It's proven effective.
http://hikearizona.com/photo=375166

[red_dog]

Oh great...now the AZGFD will want to re-introduce cattle to the Catalinas

[big_load]

Oh great...now the AZGFD will want to re-introduce cattle to the Catalinas

You misspelled Cattleinas.

[Jim]

All this fuss over the sheep, but I have never heard anything about the FS using fire to maintain the habitat for them.

[JimmyLyding]

I did a little research, and it doesn't look like removing a lion here or there is not much of a big deal. Arizona Game & Fish Game Management Unit 33 encompasses the Catalinas and Rincons basically from Mammoth to I-10, and 22 lions were taken there in 2012. I have no idea if this is an unsustainable "harvest," but it looks like the Catalinas have a robust lion population.

However, perhaps the problem is that the reintroduced sheep are naive to lion predation with respect to their new environment? If that's the case then it doesn't make sense to kill lions in the Pusch Ridge area in order to reduce sheep mortality because the lions in other parts of the Catalinas will also take advantage of this naivete, and I've seen nothing about knocking off lions in Sabino Canyon in order to pave the way for sheep. I also wonder if the subsequent sheep releases will be in the same area as the first or other parts of the Catalinas. It might be something to think about because perhaps the sheep from one area that are fit enough to interact with populations in other parts of the range can impart the experience and genetics necessary to repeat the process.
I apologize, I've been reading too much

[ASUAviator]

Wish I got this pic. Safe to say its a disaster

http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/topic/46983-12/

*jk that pics not of the 13th! bighorn.

[Jim]

Saw 3 big horns today on Pusch Peak.

[neilends]

http://tucson.com/news/local/bighorns-f ... touch=true

[Jim]

According to the article, there is only one adult male. I am not sure, but I might have seen him on the ridge line. Too hard to tell, though. It probably was not him, but I noticed a good size horn. The mature female had a much smaller pair.

[outdoor_lover]

Huh! Imagine that.... Finally, they can't blame the Lions.... ;)

http://arizonahighways.com/blog/another ... ear-tucson

[azdesertfather]

Another batch being fed to the lions this week (not that I have an opinion on this, of course) ... :SB:
You can watch the video of them getting nabbed from their homes in the Supes, before being transported to the Catalinas.
My bet is that 1/3 of them will be dead by year end, although I HOPE I'm wrong. This might be like a fantasy football thing...how many bighorns do you think will actually survive??
http://tucson.com/news/local/bighorns-c ... 7c41c.html
Be warned, this video might anger some of you...

[rwstorm]

It angers me.