Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
SpringerLink
Log in

The Influence of Landscape Scale on the Management of Desert Bighorn Sheep

  • Chapter
Wildlife and Landscape Ecology

Abstract

Historically, there were more desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis californiana O.c. mexicana O.c. nelsoni O.c. cremnobates) inhabiting desert mountain ranges of the southwestern United States than there are today. Seton (1929) estimated there were approximately 2,000,000 bighorn sheep in the contiguous United States in pristine times; about half were desert bighorn sheep (Buechner 1960 Cooperrider 1985). However, Valdez (1988) doubted that wild sheep numbers ever exceeded 500,000 in North America. Bighorn sheep are highly selective in their habitat preference and were not distributed uniformly throughout the mountains of western North America. However, in recent times, numbers are down; drastic habitat alteration and destruction by humans eliminated or reduced desert bighorn herds, and in 1991 approximately 25,000 desert bighorn sheep existed in isolated populations scattered throughout their former range (Valdez and Krausman, in press). Desert bighorn sheep populations of the western United States and Mexico have suffered severe declines due to human impacts. Desert bighorns have become one of the rarest ungulates in North America and have been eliminated in Texas and the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Coahuila. Transplant programs have been successful in reestablishing populations in localized areas in many American states where they were extirpated (Buechner 1960 Trefethen 1975).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Alderman, J.A., P.R. Krausman, and B.D. Leopold. 1989. Diel activity of female desert bighorn sheep in western Arizona. Journal of Wildlife Management 53:264–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous. 1978. The 95th Congress: big gains for the wilderness system. Wilderness Report 15:3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berger, J. 1990. Persistence of different sized populations: an empirical assessment of rapid extinctions in bighorn sheep. Conservation Biology 4:91–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berger, J. 1993. Persistence of mountain sheep: methods and statistics. Conservation Biology 7:219–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bleich, V.C., J.D. Wehausen, and S.A. Holl. 1990. Desert-dwelling mountain sheep: conservation implications of a naturally fragmented distribution. Conservation Biology 4:383–390.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bleich, V.C., J.D. Wehausen, R.R. Ramey II, and J.L. Rechel. 1996. Pp. 353–373 in D.R. McCullough, editor. Metapopulations and wildlife conservation. Island Press, Covelo, California, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blumer, J.C. 1909. On the plant geography of the Chiricura Mountains. Science 32:72–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyce, W.M., P.W. Hedrick, N.E. Muggli-Cockett, S. Kalinowski, M.C.T. Penedo, and R.R. Ramey II. (In review). Genetic variation of major histocompatibility complex and microsatellite loci; a comparison in bighorn sheep.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buechner, H.K. 1960. The bighorn sheep in the United States, its past, present and future. Wildlife Monograph 4:1–174.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bureau of Land Management. 1995. Mountain sheep ecosystem management strategy in the 11 western states and Alaska. BLM/SC/PL-95/001 + 6600. Colorado: Bureau of Land Management.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, R.K., D.A. Jessup, M.D. Kock, and R.A. Weaver. 1985. Survey of desert bighorn sheep in California for exposure to selected infectious disease. Journal of the American Veterinarian Medical Association 187:1175–1179.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cochran, M.H., and E.L. Smith. 1983. Intermountain movements by a desert bighorn ram in western Arizona. Transactions of the Desert Bighorn Council 27:12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooperrider, A.Y. 1985. The desert bighorn. Pp. 473–485 in T.L. Di Silvestro, editor. Audubon Wildlife Report 1985. National Audubon Society, New York, New York, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • deVos, J.C., Jr. 1983. Desert bighorn sheep in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness area. Final Report R381151. U.S. Forest Service, Coronado National Forest, Tucson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elenowitz, A. 1982. Preliminary results of a desert bighorn transplant in the Peloncillo Mountains, New Mexico. Transactions of the Desert Bighorn Council. 26:8–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Etchberger, R.C., P.R. Krausman, and R. Mazika. 1989. Mountain sheep habitat characteristics in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness, Arizona. Journal of Wildlife Management 53:902–907.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Etchberger, R.C., P.R. Krausman, and R. Mazaika. 1990. Pp. 53–57 in P.R. Krausman and N.S. Smith, editors. Effects of fire on desert bighorn sheep habitat: Managing Wildlife in the Southwest symposium. Arizona Chapter of The Wildlife Society, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frankel, O.H. 1983. The place of management in conservation. Pp. 1–14 in C.M. Schonewald-Cox, editor. Genetics and conservation. Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Menlo Park, California, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geist, V. 1971. Mountain sheep, a study in behavior and evolution. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geist, V. 1975. On the management of mountain sheep: theoretical considerations. Pp. 77–98 in J.B. Trefethen, editor. The wild sheep in modern North America. Winchester Press, New York, New York, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gionfriddo, J.P., and P.R. Krausman. 1986. Summer habitat use by bighorn sheep. Journal of Wildlife Management 50:331–336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodson, N.J. 1994. Persistence and population size in mountain sheep: why different interpretations? Conservation Biology 8:617–618.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanski, I. 1991a. Single-species metapopulation dynamics: concepts, models and observations. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 42:17–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanski, I., and M. Gilpin. 1991. Metapopulation dynamics: Brief history and conceptual domain. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 42:3–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanski, I., A. Moilanen, T. Pakkala, and M. Kuussaari. 1996. The quantitative incidence function model and persistence of an endangered butterfly meta-population. Conservation Biology 10:578–590.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, L.K., and W.W. Shaw. 1993. Conserving mountain sheep habitat near an urban environment. Transactions of the Desert Bighorn Council 37:16–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris, L.K., P.R. Krausman, and W.W. Shaw. 1995. Human attitudes and mountain sheep in a wilderness setting. Wildlife Society Bulletin 23:66–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, S. 1994. Metapopulations and conservation. Pp. 111–128 in P.J. Edwards, R.M. May, and N.R. Webb, editors. Large-scale ecology and conservation biology. Blackwell Scientific Publication, London, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, M.M., and G.W. Workman. 1983. Preliminary report on desert bighorn movements on public lands in southeastern Utah. Transactions of the Desert Bighorn Council 27:4–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, D.A., D.J. Bugarsky, and W.W. Shaw. 1986. Contingent valuation: an application to wildlife. International Union of Foresty Research Organizations World Congress 18:1–11.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • King, D.A., D.J. Flynn, and W.W. Shaw. 1988. Pp. 243–264 in J.B. Loomis, compiler. Total and existence values of a herd of desert bighorn sheep. Western Regional Research Publication W-133. University of California, Davis, California, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krausman, P.R. 1993. The exit of the last wild mountain sheep. Pp. 241–250 in G.P. Nabhan, editor. Counting sheep. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, Arizona, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krausman, P.R. 1996. Problems facing bighorn sheep in and near domestic sheep allotments. Pp. 59–64 in W.D. Edge and S.L. Olson-Edge, editors. Sustaining rangeland ecosystems. Special Report 953. Oregon State University Extension Service, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krausman, P.R., W.W. Shaw, and J.L. Stair. 1979. Bighorn sheep in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness area, Arizona. Transactions of the Desert Bighorn Council 23:40–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krausman, P.R., and B.D. Leopold. 1986. The importance of small populations of desert bighorn sheep. Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resource Conference 51:52–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krausman, P.R., B.D. Leopold, R.F. Seegmiller, and S.G. Torres. 1989. Relationships between desert bighorn sheep and habitat in western Arizona. Wildlife Monograph 102:1–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krausman, P.R., R.C. Etchberger, and R.M. Lee. 1993. Persistence of mountain sheep. Conservation Biology 7:219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krausman, P.R., W.W. Shaw, R.C. Etchberger, and L.K. Harris. 1994. The decline of bighorn sheep in the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona. Pp. 245–250 in P.F. Ffolliott and A. Ortega-Rubio, editors. Biodiversity and management of the Madrean Archipelago: the sky islands of southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. USDA Forest Service Report Number RM-GTR-264. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krausman, P.R., R. Valdez, and J.A. Bissonette. 1996. Bighorn sheep and livestock. Pp. 237–243 in P.R. Krausman, editor. Rangeland wildlife. Society for Range Management, Denver, Colorado, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krausman, P.R., R.C. Etchberger, and R.M. Lee. 1996. Persistence of mountain sheep populations in Arizona. Southwestern Naturalist 41: In Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krausman, P.R., G. Long, and L. Tarango. 1996. Desert bighorn sheep and fire, Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona. Pp. 162–168 in P.F. Ffolliott, L. De Bono, M.B. Baker Jr., G.J. Gottfried, G. Solis-Garza, C.B. Edminster, D.G. Neary, L.S. Allen, and R.H. Hamre, Technical Coordinators. Effects of fire on Madrean Province ecosystems. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report RMGTR-289, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leopold, A. 1933. Game management. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, New York, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levins, R. 1970. Extinction. Pp. 75–107 in Some mathemathical qustions in Biology, American Mathemathical Society, Volume 2, Providence, Rhode Island. Lecture on mathematics in the life sciences.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowe, C.H., Jr. 1961. Biotic communities in the Sub-Mogollon region of the island. Southwestern Arizona Academy of Science Journal 2:40–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, W.P., and J.E. Fletcher. 1943. Vertical zonation of great soil groups on Mt. Graham, Arizona, as correlated with climate, vegetation, and profile characteristics. University of Arizona Agricultural Experimental Station Technical Bulletin 99:89–153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazaika, R., P.R. Krausman, and R.C. Etchberger. 1992. Forage availability for mountain sheep in Pusch Ridge Wilderness, Arizona. The Southwestern Naturalist 37:372–378.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monson, G. 1980. Distribution and abundance. Pp. 40–51 in G. Monson, and L. Sumner, editors. The desert bighorn. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, Arizona, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Nichol, A.A. 1952. The natural vegetation of Arizona. The University of Arizona Agricultural Experimental Station Technical Bulletin 1271:189–230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noss, R.F. 1987. Corridors in real landscapes: a reply to Simberloff and Cox. Conservation Biology 1:159–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ough, W.D., and J.C. deVos, Jr. 1984. Intermountain travel corridors and their management implications for bighorn sheep. Transactions of the Desert Bighorn Council 28:32–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Purdy, K.G., and W.W. Shaw. 1981. An analysis of recreational use patterns in desert bighorn habitat: the Pusch Ridge Wilderness case. Transactions of the Desert Bighorn Council 25:1–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schoener, T.W. 1991. Extinction and the nature of the metapopulation. Acta Oecologica 12:53–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, O.A., V.C. Bleich, and S.A. Holl. 1986. Genetics and the conservation of mountain sheepOvis canadensis nelsoni.Conservation Biology 37:179–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seton, E.T. 1926. Lives of game animals. Vol 3, Part 2. Doubleday Page and Company. New York, New York, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simberloff, D., and J. Cox. 1987. Consequences and costs of conservation corridors. Conservation Biology 1:63–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simberloff, D., J.A. Farr, J. Cox, and D.W. Mehlman. 1992. Movement corridors: conservation bargains or poor investments? Conservation Biology 6:493–504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soulé, M.E., and B.A. Wilcox. editors. 1980. Conservation Biology. Sinauer Associates. Sunderland, Massachusetts, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Technical Staff of the Desert Bighorn Council. 1990. Guidelines for management of domestic sheep in the vicinity of desert bighorn habitat. Transactions of the Desert Bighorn Council 34:33–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trefethen, J.B. 1975. The wild sheep in modern North America. Boone and Crockett Club and Winchester Press. New York, New York, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Valdez, R. 1988. Wild sheep and wild sheep hunters of the New World. Wild Sheep and Goat International. Mesilla, New Mexico, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Valdez R., and P.R. Krausman. Mountain sheep in North America. University of Arizona Press, Turrson, Arizona. In Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallmo, O.C. 1955. Vegetation of the Huachuca Mountains, Arizona. American Midland Naturalist. 54:466–480.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warrick, G.D., and P.R. Krausman. Barrel cacti consumption by desert bighorn sheep. The Southwestern Naturalist. 34:483–486; 19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weaver, R.A. 1975. Status of the bighorn sheep in California. Pp. 58–64 in J.B. Trefethen, editor. The wild sheep in modern North America. The Boone and Crockett Club and Winchester Press. New York, New York, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wehausen, J.D. 1987. Some probabilities associated with sampling for diseases in bighorn sheep. Transactions of the Desert Bighorn Council 31:8–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittaker, R.H., and W.A. Niering. 1964. Vegetation of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona. 1. Ecological classification of distribution of species. Journal of the Arizona Academy of Science 8:9–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whittaker, R.H., and W.A. Niering. 1965. Vegetation of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona: a gradient analysis of the south slope. Ecology 46:429–452.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilcox, B.A., and D.D. Murphy. 1985. Conservation strategy: the effects of fragmentation on extinction. American Naturalist 125:879–887.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, L.O. 1979. North American wild sheep: some management choices. Wild Sheep International 1:8–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Witham, J.H., and E.L. Smith. 1979. Desert bighorn movements in a southwestern Arizona mountain complex. Transactions of the Desert Bighorn Council 23:20–23.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Paul R. Krausman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Utah Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (U.S. Geological Survey—Biological Resources Devision) Department of Fisheries and Wildlife College of Natural Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT, 84322-5290, USA

    John A. Bissonette

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1997 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Krausman, P.R. (1997). The Influence of Landscape Scale on the Management of Desert Bighorn Sheep. In: Bissonette, J.A. (eds) Wildlife and Landscape Ecology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-1918-7_14

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-1918-7_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-7338-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-1918-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation