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SALT LAKE CITY — Utahns will have the opportunity to see Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep up close along the Green River Saturday.
The Division of Wildlife Resources will host the annual Bighorn Sheep Watch Saturday. The event is free to the public and gives people an opportunity to view bighorn sheep. In past years, participants have gotten within 50 yards of the animals, according to a DWR news release.
It is currently breeding season for the bighorns and so they are less wary of people, allowing participants to get closer to the wildlife than usual, the news release said. Participants will be able to view the animals from an eight-mile stretch of road along the Green River.
Participants are encouraged to bring a camera, binoculars or a spotting scope to the event. Individuals should also dress warmly and bring water. However, because the animals are wild, DWR officials don’t guarantee that participants will see bighorn sheep at the event.
Anyone interested in participating can meet at 8 a.m. at the John Wesley Powell Museum in Green River and caravan with DWR officials to the viewing area.
Other bighorn sheep around the state were recently transported to different areas by helicopter, providing another interesting spectacle for participants. On Nov. 23, DWR biologists captured dozens of bighorn sheep in the Barracks area outside Zion National Park and relocated them to the Nokai Dome in San Juan County, the news release said.
The animals were captured and transported by helicopter to receive health checkups from DWR biologists. After being deemed healthy, the sheep were relocated by trailer to join the bighorn population in San Juan County. DWR officials help maintain the herd sizes to create healthier environments for the sheep.
In the 1960s, because of overhunting, disease and predation, Utah’s sheep population was down to a few desert bighorn in the San Juan area. However, through an intense rebuilding program by the DWR and supporting hunting groups, the sheep numbers have recovered. The current total Utah sheep population — desert, Rocky Mountain and California bighorn — is estimated to be around 4,500 animals, according to a KSL article.
