One of the consequences of the 2011 fire is the steepest part of the burn scar is now ideal for bighorn sheep.
The herd up in the northern part of the state was becoming too large for its food supply, so the Department of Game and Fish relocated 45 of them to the area just southeast of our land.
Sheep Being Transported in Bags Below a Helicopter
(Click on link for article and video.)
Each sheep was given a radio collar for tracking, and Andy actually met a Game and Fish fellow trying to find one that was presumed dead — it hadn’t moved for quite a while. The fellow phoned Andy a few days later saying the collar had come off and presumably the sheep was fine. Andy had let him through a gate so he could find the collar, but even so we thought it was friendly of him to phone.
Anyway, being caught and transported must have been traumatic for the sheep, but it’s no doubt better than starving. And it does make the area up there even more interesting.
February 21, 2015
Who knows. something startling may just happen like it did here -http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140128-how-wolves-saved-a-famous-park
Thanks for the great link!
how wonderful!
instead of just going in and shooting them to pieces like they have ever done with certain animals in the past. maybe we are learning we can find a better way.
and if people say… it’s so expensive! a waste of money! or whatever other feeble excuse for it… i would say i’d rather money be spent doing that than the billions supporting these wind bags we call politicians. now THERE is wasted money.
i have always loved the big horned sheep. so majestic!
and YES! how wonderfully friendly and caring was it for him to call andy.
i’m so glad the collar was only lost! xo?
Apparently sheep used to be here until they were wiped about over a hundred years ago. A combination of hunting and disease they think — one reason for the collars is to protect the herd. I do feel sorry for them on the trip. I would have been terrified if I had been netted, stuck in a bag, and hauled off dangling from a helicopter! I’m glad they have a new home.
I’m glad Andrew 😀 found out the sheep was fine. Nice to know about restoring what the 2011 Fire destroyed.
Jean is my Hard Times Friend as opposed to Fair Weather Friend. Everything going as planned now.
It is fun to see the way things are recovering. That’s one reason we decided to stay instead of move.
😀
the real friend is one for all weathers and times!
Jean’s & my life are about as opposite as they can get. And we are opposite with nothing in common.
There’s some past connection between Cornell & physics.
Whoa, that helicopter ride, while hanging in mid-air, must have been very very scary for those sheep.
Our wildlife officials always call before going onto or across our land. I’m glad that yours did the right thing!
Apparently he was about to give up for the day when Andy came by. I assume he drove up the road Andy gave him access to. It’s a road we used to take to get to our land — now we go up a different route, partly by a new road/driveway we built.
some species, especially birds are re-homed here in NZ. Particularly where their lives are endangered from other predators… including the human 🙂
sometimes though culls are made in the best interests because of the danger of having them adapt to a new place of residence.
microchipping or collars/tags are used as well. I think it would be fascinating to know the movements of certain animals as long as the data keeps coming and the system doesn’t become disengaged with the animal.
However, it would interesting to know why the collar came off and where the animal roams now…maybe they will find a large animal trotting back to his birthplace!
Apparently when they first left the truck they roamed around for miles, then came back to the general location. It’s about the only place that’s steep and rocky enough to protect them from mountain lions.
I agree, it is interesting.