MADISON — The state will primarily manage the bighorn sheep herd in the Black Hills and Badlands for disease and population, according to the recently approved management plan.
“Obviously, with males, the ones with bigger horns are more likely to win male fights and then get access to the females to reproduce,” said Deakin. “But no one’s really looked at the females and how horn size affects their reproductive success.”
Study finds link between female bighorn sheep horn size, reproductive fitness okotokstoday.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from okotokstoday.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Since 2017, the California bighorn sheep on Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge have declined by almost 70%. Refuge biologists counted just 48 sheep during aerial surveys conducted in 2020, a trend that puts the population at risk of extirpation.
To address the decline, Refuge staff, in coordination with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and USDA-Wildlife Services, developed a Bighorn Sheep Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS is focused on evaluating and managing factors influencing the bighorn sheep population including habitat and causes of mortality. In the EIS, we analyzed existing data and identified alternatives that represent a range of reasonable management approaches that reflect the urgency to implement short-term management actions in combination with mid- to long-term management and monitoring. The goal is to restore the herd to a healthy, sustainab