Go Big! Central Colorado Bighorn Sheep Survey

This project engages citizen scientists in collecting data to inform strategies to conserve Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Central Colorado. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are an iconic species across the West. They are one of the most popular watchable wildlife species in Colorado, and provide sought after hunting opportunities for roughly 300 hunters annually.

Public land in Central Colorado, managed by the BLM’s Royal Gorge Field Office, supports roughly 58% of the statewide population of bighorn sheep. In the early 1900’s, bighorn sheep declined to very low numbers in Colorado.

Reintroduction of large herds into Colorado, combined with improved management practices, have made it possible for bighorn sheep populations to rebound substantially since 1950. However, despite continued conservation efforts, population growth has stagnated since the 1990’s as a result of periodic outbreaks of disease.

Bighorn sheep are at risk of developing respiratory disease from pathogens spread by domestic sheep and goats because bighorn sheep have not evolved resistance to diseases like bacterial pnuemonia. This makes bighorn sheep highly susceptible to disease and death following direct contact with domestic sheep (with experiments indicating up to a 90% mortality rate within two months of exposure). Effective separation of domestic sheep and goats from wild sheep is critical to prevent or minimize disease transmission.

However, data on where bighorn sheep and domestic sheep and goats are likely to come into contact is limited. Increasing development, traffic and demand for recreation access in Colorado, may also result in loss of habitat and migration corridors that bighorn sheep need to thrive in Colorado. Through this project, citizen scientists contribute to informing management strategies to address these issues by recording observations of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and domestic sheep and goats in Central Colorado.

Photo credits: Top - https://pixabay.com/photos/bighorn-sheep-wildlife-mountain-1531883/, Inset - Wayne Lewis, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Image Database less ↑