Sixteen more bighorn sheep — 12 ewes and four rams — were released in the Catalina Mountains north of Tucson on Friday, and they appeared to be heading toward 14 bighorns released in the range Thursday, a state wildlife official said.
“They looked great,” said Joe Sacco, wildlife manager supervisor for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “It was pretty neat because they seemed to follow the same line as the ones released Thursday. It was almost as if they were following a scent.”
The 30 newly released animals bring the total number of bighorns in the Catalinas to at least 42, including 12 surviving animals from a group of 31 released last November. Lambs born in the range this year would increase the total if they have survived, but their status isn’t known.
“We hope they stay in that (Pusch Ridge) area because it has proven to be good habitat” for the 12 survivors from last year, Sacco said. The other animals released last year have died. Most of them were the victims of mountain lions, and three lions have been killed for preying on sheep.
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Sacco said GPS collars on the newly released bighorns, brought from herds elsewhere in the state, appear to be functioning — providing a way for wildlife officers to keep track of the animals.
This month’s transplant was marred by the deaths of three bighorn rams during capture operations. One suffered a broken leg and was euthanized. The other deaths are under investigation but could have been related to the stress of being captured, officials said.
“It’s really unfortunate,” Sacco said of the deaths. “We want to keep them alive.”
