Restoring a Heritage of Wildlife

By Frances Cassirer - Senior Wildlife Research Biologist, Idaho Fish and Game Nearly two hundred years ago, traveling up the Missouri River, Meriwether Lewis observed: "[O]n the Mountains great number of goat and a kind of anamale with circular horns, this animale is nearly the size of a Small Elk". Later he recorded "a large herd of the bighorned animals on the immencely high and nearly perpendicular clift opposite to us: on the fase of this clift they walked about and bounded from rock to rock with apparent unconcern where it appared to me that no quadruped could have stood, and from which had they made one false step they must have been precipitated at least a 500 feet." Bighorn sheep rarely fail to impress. In fact, a bighorn sheep is half the size of an elk or less, but many people would probably agree with Lewis that they look larger than life. Although wild sheep also occur in Europe and Asia, the North American species are most closely linked to precipitous, rocky, terrain. Stocky, nimble, and sure-footed they are well adapted to their hazardous environment. They also have tremendous vision, and are adept at detecting danger. Unlike deer and elk, the young are active "followers" practically from birth. Young lambs scramble fearlessly in rugged cliffs to stay close to their mother, no matter where she goes. During fall, rams spar and use various displays, including spectacular clashes, to establish and maintain dominance. This time of year can be hazardous to a ram's health, and a shove in the wrong direction can spell injury or death. One hundred years after the Lewis and Clark expedition, this hardy animal had disappeared from the Missouri River and much of Idaho and Montana. Today, bighorns are back on the breaks of the Missouri and, closer to home, in Hells Canyon, the Blue Mountains, and the Wallowa Mountains, thanks to the efforts of hunters and conservationists working together with wildlife and land management agencies. Restoration has included releasing animals into historic but currently vacant or sparsely occupied habitat. Habitat conservation and protection through hunting closures or restrictions complement releases. Other species that have been restored locally in this manner include the peregrine falcon, elk, and of course the controversial wolf. Efforts are also underway regionally to restore birds such as sharp-tailed grouse and mountain quail. Although bighorn sheep have benefited from significant and ongoing restoration efforts, they still face a precarious future, and it doesn't have to do with steep cliffs and sheer drop-offs. Bighorn sheep are sensitive to diseases transmitted from livestock, especially domestic sheep and goats. Many restored and native populations continue to struggle with high rates of mortality caused by disease. However, although bighorns face some stiff odds, they have a significant place in our history and culture and it is unlikely that we will let this legacy vanish again. Frances Cassirer is a senior wildlife research biologist working in the Clearwater Region. She has worked for several years on site in the Hells Canyon bighorn restoration effort. Editors: a jpg is available on request.