COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Colorado Parks and Wildlife shared some new details about an effort to help a large herd of bighorn sheep in the Pikes Peak Region.
According to wildlife officers, the Rampart Range herd is in lambing season, meaning the sheep are moving into rockier areas of the Pikeview Quarry to give birth.
They said the quarry serves as an important nursery area for the Rampart Range Bighorn Sheep herd. According to CPW, this is one of the most important sheep herds in the state of Colorado.
“So this herd happened by accident. A truck that was moving sheep to somewhere else broke down,“ Colorado Parks and Wildlife officer Travis Sauder said. “And to make sure that the animals didn’t overheat, they released them, assuming that they would go up to Pikes Peak.”
Instead, he said the sheep chose to head to the Pikeview Quarry area.
CPW said they use the herd to trap and translocate animals across the state and into other surrounding states. The Rampart Range herd, according to officials, has been a part of 14 translocations to help re-establish sheep populations and create new populations.
While the Pikeview Quarry is currently closed to the public, community members could possibly encounter them if they are out hiking or camping, and wildlife officials want to ensure that the sheep and the public are safe during this time. Hikers should exercise extra caution through July.
“And it’s a very sensitive time for these sheep. And so what we want to do is really ask for the public’s help to make sure that we’re protecting these iconic animals as they’re in this very important time in their life cycle,” Sauder said.
CPW advises hikers and campers to keep a safe distance away from any bighorn sheep they may see and always keep pets on a leash.
“While you may think that your dog is very well behaved and has great recall, just that little bit of stress can make the difference for these sheep,” Sauder said.
They said that dogs can be considered a predator, and that stress and running, even for a short time, with a young lamb at their side, is a lot of calorie expenditure.
“And so it can really decimate the herd just by having a short chase,” Sauder said.
If you run into or want to view the sheep, you are asked to leave them be and view from a distance using binoculars or spotting scopes.
“They are awesome, beautiful animals, and we want people to enjoy them,“ Sauder said. ”But we also want to balance that recreation with making sure that this herd’s long-term health is paramount and kept in the front of our minds as we’re doing that.”
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