Following the relocation of two rams and 22 ewes from just outside the eastern park gate, North Dakota鈥檚 bighorn sheep population grew by 24 animals last month.
The transfer from Luscar Mine, located about three kilometres from Jasper National Park, was organized by Alberta Fish and Wildlife, as well as North Dakota Game and Fish, in order to help rehabilitate the bighorn sheep population in the United States.
According to Carrie Sancartier, a spokesperson for Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, this kind of animal transfer is quite common.
鈥淸We have] a stable, healthy population of about 6,500 bighorn sheep living outside our national parks,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his has allowed us to provide about 700 of these animals to other jurisdictions over the last little bit; that includes British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, South Dakota, Washington state, New Mexico, Nevada and Nebraska.
鈥淭he reason we do this is that it helps to ensure the long-term sustainability of bighorn sheep in North America.鈥�
Without these transfers, many places in the United States wouldn鈥檛 have bighorn sheep today, said Brett Wiedmann, a bighorn sheep biologist with the North Dakota Fish and Game Department.
The animals, although native to many parts of the country, were eradicated in the 1900s by a disease introduced by domestic sheep.
According to Wiedmann, the last known bighorn sheep in North Dakota died in 1905. It wasn鈥檛 until 50 years later that the Game and Fish Department decided to reintroduce the animals, bringing in sheep from British Columbia, and later Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Alberta.
Wiedmann learned of the sheep at Luscar Mine from his colleagues in Nebraska, who had 41 transferred from there in 2012.
鈥淭hose sheep have done remarkably well,鈥� he said of the ones now calling Nebraska home. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e had about 80 per cent lamb recruitment, which is phenomenal for bighorn sheep.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what got us thinking, 鈥榤aybe these sheep would do well in North Dakota, as well.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e really excited and grateful that we were approved to receive them because they鈥檙e really large-bodied stock. We have pretty severe winters here鈥攚e鈥檙e right in the middle of the continent鈥攂ut these animals should be able to handle our severe winters quite easily.鈥�
The sheep were captured Feb. 11, after being lured with alfalfa and snagged with a drop net, and that day they were transported in a 30-foot trailer in a marathon 16-hour trip. They were released Feb. 12.
In total, 25 sheep were captured: two males and 23 females. But, during the trip, one animal was injured.
鈥淲hen we released the sheep, we discovered one female had an injury to one of her hind legs. We had veterinarians on staff to assess her situation and they determined she probably had no chance of survival, so we unfortunately had to put her down,鈥� said Wiedmann.
鈥淭he good news is the remaining 24 were in excellent shape and came out of the trailer and have basically stayed right near the release site in one group. I checked them every day for about two weeks and I鈥檇 find them every day鈥擨鈥檇 climb on top of a hill, so I could see them all鈥攁nd they鈥檙e gobbling up grass. They look like they鈥檝e lived there their whole lives. They鈥檝e really acclimated remarkably well. They seem to have taken to their home quite readily.鈥�
Following the relocation, North Dakota鈥檚 bighorn sheep population is up to about 350 animals鈥攏ot including the 19 babies that are expected from the new herd.
鈥淥ur goal would be somewhere around 500 total,鈥� said Wiedmann, who thanked his colleagues in Canada, and specifically Alberta, for organizing and approving the relocation.
鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful to everyone in Alberta Fish and Wildlife, Teck Coal, who runs the mine, and Bighorn Wildlife Technologies.
鈥淓veryone in Canada and Alberta was just very helpful and friendly and we鈥檙e thrilled to be able to release these sheep into North Dakota.鈥�
Nicole Veerman
[email protected]
