Restoration of Bighorn Sheep to Hells Canyon: The Hells Canyon Initiative

摘要

The Hells Canyon Initiative is a state, federal, and private partnership torestore Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) in the Hells Canyon area of Oregon, Idaho, and Washington. This plan describes project goals and objectives, the background, and current condition of bighorn sheep and bighorn sheep management in Hells Canyon, and actions to be accomplished under the initiative. Over 1.3 million acres of the project area is potential bighorn sheep habitat on both public land and private land. Bighorn sheep were historically abundant, but were eliminated from the area by 1945 by combination of competition for forage with domestic livestock, diseases, and over-hunting. Reintroduction of the species has been underway since 1971. Three hundred fifty seven sheep have been released into the area over time, resulting in a current population of about 700 bighorn sheep in 14 herds.