OCR Text |
Show '- $- ' r . .... Division of Wildlife Resources biologist Norm McKee and Harry Barber, wildlife biologist with the Bureau of Land Management work to fit this bighorn sheep with a radio transmitter to monitor the Bighorn, Pronghorn EA On National Monument Completed The Grand Staircase-Escalante Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM) office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has signed an Environmental Assessment (EA) allowing for more releases of bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope. The EA allows GSENM biologists the opportunity to work with other State and Federal agencies as well as wildlife groups including the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep (FNAWS) to reintroduce native mammal species to Kane and Garfield Counties over the next 10 years. In 1999, 21 desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) were trapped along the shore of Lake Mead, Ariz. Using aerial net guns, the sheep were trapped animals and learn more about them. The biologists fitted a total of 20 sheep with the transmitters with the help of these two volunteers. vol-unteers. The new EA will allow for further releases. from a helicopter and transported transport-ed to the GSENM. In 2000, 20 more sheep were caught at Lake Mead and released in the GSENM. A total of 20 bighorn sheep have been fitted with radio transmitters to assist in monitoring the animals the animals ani-mals and learning more about their behavior, habits and fate. A graduate student from Brigham Young University (BYU)has monitored their movements and has found what water sources they are frequenting and their reproductive success: at least 10 lambs have been born. Capture and release efforts both years were accomplished through partnerships and cooperative coop-erative projects between the FNAWS, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and the GSENM. Both the FNAWS and the DWR have expressed interest in expanding the current range of bighorn in the GSENM. Monitoring work has been carried out largely by graduate grad-uate students from BYU who have collected two years of data. GSENM biologists continue to work towards bringing more native species into the area and continuing their important work with the FNAWS and the DWR. In 1999, approximately 100 pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra .americana) were trapped on Parker Mountain near Loa In Wayne County. A helicopter was used to capture the antelope by herding them (See BIGHORNS on page 6-A) Bighorns From Front Page into a holding pen. All the animals ani-mals were tagged and fitted with radio transmitters. The animals then transported in horse trailers. trail-ers. Of the 100 pronghorn taken to Kane County for release, approximately 25 were released onto State of Utah lands while the remainder were released on the GSENM. Approximately 60 pronghorn antelope were taken from Parker Mountain, Arizona in 2000 using the same herding and capture cap-ture technique and were again released on State and GSENM lands in Kane County. The pronghorn reintroduction effort was a cooperative project between the Utah DWR and the GSENM. Future releases in the GSENM for bighorn and pronghorn prong-horn are anticipated. |