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SAN GABRIEL BIGHORN SHEEP RESTORATION EFFORT

The California Department of Fish and Game has been monitoring bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) in the San Gabriel Mountains since 1976. In 1980 the population was estimated at approximately 740 individuals, making this the largest population of mountain sheep in California. Drastic declines in this population over the past two decades has led the DFG (in conjunction with the Angeles and San Bernardino National Forests) to initiate actions aimed at the restoration of this bighorn sheep population.

San Gabriel Mountains Bighorn Sheep Restoration Reports
2006 Restoration Report Click here (400 KB PDF)	2004 Implementation Strategy Click here (5.7 meg PDF)

Volunteers Sought For Bighorn Sheep Survey

Volunteers are needed on February 23 and 24, 2007 (Friday evening and all day Saturday) to assist in the annual survey of bighorn sheep in the San Gabriel Mountains.

The California Department of Fish and Game, U. S. Forest Service, and the Society for Conservation of Bighorn Sheep have been conducting annual surveys for bighorn sheep in the San Gabriel range since 1979.

Complimentary campsites available on a first-come basis at the Applewhite campground in Lytle Creek.

Click Here For More Details

Printable Poster (pdf file)

No Survey Experience Necessary!

Environmentally Friendly Wildlife LiveCam Developed

Camouflaged scheme was
carefully matched to local viewscape.

Most monitoring efforts are currently undertaken by volunteers, using personal resources. Tracking sheep movement is very time consuming and in many instances it's less than accurate.

When Wrightwood volunteers decided to develop a portable wildlife livecam emphasis was placed on building a unit with a low environmental impact.

For more details Click Here

Capture & Radio - Telemetry Study

In skilled, experienced hands, the use of a net gun from a helicopter has been shown to be a safe method of capture. Due to the steep, rough terrain and the scattered distribution of bighorn sheep found in the San Gabriel Mountains, net gun capture is the most practical and cost-effective capture technique.

10/15/04 Capture

Road Dragging, Tracking and Photography

Research methods including surveys by foot and vehicle are being used for population characteristics, distribution, reproductive success, nutrition, movements and general ecology of bighorn sheep and their predators.