The Santa Catalina Bighorn Sheep Reintroduction Project update for the period ending March 23rd was released this evening:
- 22 lambs have been observed this season!
- Ewe #37454 died on March 17 – the cause of death was mountain lion predation and state of the carcass indicated that multiple mountain lions fed on the ewe. The mountain lions were pursued and a subadult mountain lion was killed – a female and another subadult mountain lion were subsequently unsuccessfully pursued.
- The update mentions that “The last mountain lion removal occurred just over two years ago, and this was the fourth lion removed as part of this bighorn sheep reintroduction effort.” (Note that
- The update puts the “total potential population” at 89 bighorn sheep, but obviously with just under half the population without collars it is difficult to know the exact number.