Desert Bighorn Sheep Red Rock Trap

Witness a desert bighorn sheep trap and release in southwestern New Mexico. November 16, 2009: DESERT BIGHORN WILD HERD POPULATIONS INCREASE OVER WEEKEND LORDSBURG 28 desert bighorn sheep are now calling three mountain ranges in southern New Mexico home after a successful net-gun capture and release over the weekend. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish captured the sheep using a helicopter net-gun technique. The sheep were captured one at a time at the Departments Red Rock Breeding facility for desert bighorn sheep near Lordsburg. The sheep, including both ewes and rams, were then flown to a nearby processing area where the sheep were checked out by veterinarians; radio collared, and placed into trailers for transport to be released into the Caballos, Peloncillos, and Ladrones Mountains. The purpose for the releases is to bolster existing herds in the three mountain ranges to help bring back this species that was once on the endangered species list. The desert bighorn sheep were downlisted from endangered to threatened in New Mexico in December of 2008 by approval of the New Mexico State Game Commission because of an increase in population. For more information, visit: http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/conservation/bighorn/documents/WhatsNew.htm