Restoring bighorn sheep won’t require wholesale slaughter of lions – This article attempts to address some of the concerns that have (I assume from the tone/title/content of this article) been expressed by people about translocating Bighorn Sheep into the Santa Catalina Mountains. As with previous articles the return of fire to the Santa Catalina Mountains (and anticipated Firescape Project), existing restrictions on travel and dogs in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness to help reduce human disturbance (which they claim will be enforced) and the killing of Mountain Lions to keep initial deaths due to predation low are all cited as positive changes/conditions that will help this project succeed. However the article does not have any interesting information about Urban Encroachment (sited as a ‘likely factor’ in their decline – which has only increased over time, about disease or about current water/drought conditions (this may not be a factor in the Santa Catalinas (?) but I believe is a factor in other areas). First mention I have seen of the Catalina Bighorn Advisory Committee Website and Facebook Page.

Tim Steller: More questions on reintroducing bighorns – In a somewhat refreshing article Tim Stellar brings up some interesting points about the re-introduction of Bighorn Sheep – the Mountain Lion part of the plan, whether the Bighorns are critical to the environment and how the plan is going to be funded (“by license sales, grants and other sources”).

Bighorn sheep could return to Catalinas by fall 2013 – An article from KOLD/Tucson News Now, the reintroduction project apparently continues to move forward with and an Advisory Committee (est. Dec 2012 apparently) of organizations including the Sky Island Alliance. Essentially the same article from the Arizona Daily Star. The AZ Game and Fish version.

Bighorns could be moved to Catalinas – Arizona Daily Star article from 2/10/2013, no new information but this article seem nicely balanced with some concern expressed about reintroduction into the same range they died out and a few ‘positive’ points from Game and Fish.