Fish and Game Commission Meeting December 12, 2012 Randy Botta South Coast Region/Wildlife Program Bighorn Sheep in the Peninsular Mountains Photo by J. Colby
Presentation Purpose and Overview California Sheep Populations State and federal listing Department recovery activities Population status Purpose: Summarize the Department’s role in Peninsular Sheep Recovery Recovery defined: Reversal of species decline, where threats to survival are neutralized, to ensure long-term survival
Sheep Locations Peninsular Ranges lie within San Diego, Riverside, and Imperial Counties Habitat occurs along east-facing slopes below 4,600 feet elev Orange = SNB Brown = ODB GOLD = PB
State and Federal Listing Sheep listed as state threatened Sheep listed as federally endangered Federal recovery plan developed The Department is lead for field recovery Photo by J. Colby
Recovery Partners U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2000 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service California Department of Parks and Recreation Bureau of Land Management U.S. Forest Service Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Bighorn Institute
RECOVERY OBJECTIVE and CRITERIA Recovery Objective: Protect and maintain sufficient bighorn individuals and habitat to allow delisting Downlisting (reclassification to threatened status): 25 adult females in 9 Recovery Regions For six consecutive years Delisting (removal of threatened status): 25 adult females in 9 Recovery Regions For 12 consecutive years Rangewide population must average 750 sheep For 12 consecutive years Anticipated delisting date
Reasons for Listing Habitat loss Habitat fragmentation URBAN THREATS Increased exposure to predators Increased exposure to parasites Drowning and poisoning Photo by J. Colby
Reasons for Listing Disease Vehicle collisions Predation Photo by J. Young Photo by J. Colby
Recovery Program Capture and radio-collar bighorn sheep Helicopter surveys to estimate population and track trends Track and monitor sheep movements, health, survivorship, and mortality
Helicopter Population Surveys
Population Trend Surveys conducted every other year Estimates generated for 9 Recovery Regions Population increase from 334 (1998) to 955 (2010) Population Trends Recovery Region
Presentation Summary Reasons for listing: habitat loss, fragmentation, disease, vehicle collisions, and predation Federal recovery plan designated Department as lead agency for field recovery activities Management strategies: radio-collar and surveys to monitor health, mortality, movement, and abundance Recovery efforts have resulted in population increase from 334 (1998) to 955 (2010)
Questions Thank You Randy Botta Staff Environmental Scientist Department of Fish and Game/South Coast Region Photo by Jeff Young