Bozeman, Montana — This past week, 77 desert bighorn sheep were captured from the Elephant Mountains Wildlife Management Areas in the Trans-Peco Region of west Texas and safely released into the Franklin Mountains to establish a new wild sheep population.
“The Wild Sheep Foundation was thrilled to partner with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Bighorn Society (TBS) as catalysts and funding partners for the establishment of a new disease-free population of desert bighorn sheep,” stated Gray N. Thornton, WSF President and CEO.
Franklin Mountains State Park is mainly within the El Paso metro area. It’s popular with hikers, campers, and photographers, which created a high-profile and safe release location for the sheep. More than 600 people attended to watch the historic release of desert bighorn sheep.