Overview of the Bighorn Project
Pusch Ridge: new home to bighorns – Decently balanced overview article, perhaps nothing technically new but still interesting.
bighorn
Shutdown, Bighorn Sheep Meeting
Coronado National Forest managed recreation sites closed till further notice – another article about closures, but this one is notable because it has the clearest list of sites closed that I have seen!
Public meeting set for information on bighorn sheep – “A public information meeting will be held Wednesday, October 9 about the reintroduction of bighorn sheep to the Santa Catalina Mountains” featuring “a panel discussion by members of the advisory committee”.
Meeting on the Bighorn Reintroduction
Meeting to be held on bighorn reintroduction – A short note in the Arizona Daily Star about a meeting where “State and federal officials will host a public meeting Thursday to provide information on a plan to reintroduce bighorn sheep to the Catalina Mountains.” I assume from the date of the article that by Thursday they mean 9/12/2013…
Opinions Opposing the Bighorn Reintroduction
Transplanting bighorn sheep to Pusch Ridge is cruel and futile – An article criticizing the reintroduction effort saying that it “smacks of environmental politics and wishful thinking more than sound conservation science”. Several points that this article makes –
- Since the 1970s 100,000 additional people in the area the author looked at and an estimate of 50,000+ additional cars on Oracle Road
- “Forty years ago, you could hike the two main Pusch Ridge Wilderness trails – Pima Canyon and Romero Pools – and rarely encounter another hiker. Today, both trails are hiker highways, especially on weekends.”
- “Their studies admit human encroachment played a part in the decline but it’s played down as a primary reason (they also readily admit they’re not really sure why the bighorn population suddenly died off).”
Bighorns and Hunting
Tim Steller: Bighorns’ proposed return to Catalinas raises hunting debate – An article questioning the role of hunting in the reintroduction plans. There is some interesting information in this article but I thought it was not direct/clear enough in stating that hunting Bighorn Sheep in the Santa Catalina Mountains – assuming the population becomes large/healthy enough – is a Project Objective in the AZGF Reintroduction of Desert Bighorn Sheep into the Santa Catalina Mountains – 2012 – document.