Bighorn Sheep
How Idaho Conservation League works to recover bighorn sheep.
Bighorn sheep are one of Idaho's most famous wildlife species. These majestic animals are valued by wildlife enthusiasts, tourists and sportsman. Bighorns roam the rugged terrain in the Middle Fork and Main Salmon River region, in Hells Canyon, and in the Owyhee canyonlands.
Unfortunately, bighorn sheep populations are seriously declining. In central Idaho, numbers of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep have decreased from 10,000 to less than 1,600. Many of the remaining sheep exist in isolated herds consisting of fewer than 100.
The Idaho Conservation League works with the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to recover bighorn sheep numbers. We are also seeking to work with ranchers on finding places where domestic sheep can graze without harming bighorn sheep.
