Desert Bighorn Sheep Restoration Media Kit

TPWD News
(512) 389-8030
news@tpwd.texas.gov

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Desert bighorn sheep once roamed the Trans-Pecos mountains in healthy numbers in the late 1800’s. However, by the early 1960’s, due to unregulated hunting, resource competition from domestic sheep/goats, and disease, native desert bighorns were eradicated from the West TX landscape.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Wildlife Division aims to extend desert bighorn restoration efforts in West Texas by introducing a new herd of sheep to Franklin Mountains State Park in El Paso.

Disease Concerns

Through years of aggressive restoration efforts, populations were brought back, and the overall statewide population was estimated around 1,500 animals but disease issues once again threaten desert bighorn. Unlike the past, this time the competition and disease threat come from barbary sheep, an exotic hoofed mammal also known as aoudad.

Aoudad are found in most Texas mountain ranges, including areas like Elephant Mountain which is considered prime bighorn habitat, and are known carriers of a bacteria known as Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovi), which causes deadly pneumonia infections in desert bighorns.

Next Steps for Desert Bighorn

Since aoudad are found in all areas surrounding Elephant Mountain, which currently considered the only healthy broodstock (a group of mature animals used for breeding to enhance populations) source for desert bighorn restoration efforts, it is imperative to protect that herd, and thereby the future of desert bighorns in Texas.

To help with that, the Wildlife Division teamed up with the Texas State Parks Division to see if one of a West Texas park could successfully host a herd of desert bighorn sheep. After due consideration, Franklin Mountains State Park in El Paso was selected.

The Franklin Mountains have been identified as not only pristine bighorn habit but are also void of aoudad making them a prime candidate to become a desert bighorn restoration area. Due to being nestled in the center of El Paso, the Franklin Mountains are currently void of aoudad and its location will limit the potential for aoudad migrating into the area as well, which reduces disease transmission risk. This, in essence, makes the Franklins a sanctuary for desert bighorns.

TPWD’s goal is to create another healthy and productive free-ranging broodstock source, much like Elephant Mountain, to ensure we have healthy desert bighorns to continue future restoration efforts in Texas.

Media Invited to Event Discussing the Upcoming Translocation of Desert Bighorn Sheep to Franklin Mountains State Park

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