Bighorn sheep update, lambing season, Canyonlands and vicinity

Sloan WB. 1993. Bighorn sheep update, lambing season, Canyonlands and vicinity. National Park Service, Southeast Utah Group. Moab, UT

Bighorn sheep herds were observed by the author, largely on foot using radio telemetry, in May and June, 1993, in the Island in the Sky and Needles Districts of Canyonlands National Park, and in the Potash herd north of the park. Sloan describes movements and behavior of ewes, rams, and lambs. A continuation of a disturbance study along the White Rim road in the Island in the Sky District showed, in general, that sheep reacted most to foot traffic, often fleeing. Sheep usually startled to passing bicycles and vehicles. During lambing season, foot approaches caused both ewes and lambs to flee great distances, and some ewes were sensitive to all types of traffic, even at relatively great distances. June, when traffic decreases, finds the sheep farther from the road anyway, near watering holes.

Type
Published Report
Authors
Sloan, William
Date of Issue
1993-07-06
Publisher
National Park Service, Southeast Utah Group
Units
CANY
Keywords
Animal Studies, Animals, Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis), Human Impact, Inventory, lambs, Mammals, Management, Monitoring, Radio Telemetry, Reproduction, Threatened-Endangered-Sensitive Animals, Visitor Impacts

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