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Habitat use by desert bighorn sheep during lambing

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Abstract

Habitat used for predator escape may be a factor limiting restoration of desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana) in small mountain ranges in New Mexico. Female bighorn sheep seek isolation in discrete areas for parturition. Although parturition sites are used only for <3 days they play an important role in neonate survival. We compared habitat characteristics at pre-parturition (n = 21), parturition (n = 38), random (n = 38), and post-parturition sites (n = 21). At each site we calculated distance to steep terrain, elevation, ruggedness, slope, and visibility. Parturition and post-parturition sites were higher in elevation and more rugged than sites used during pre-parturition. Post-parturition sites were closer to terrain with 100% slope than the pre-parturition or parturition sites. Post-parturition sites had higher visibility and steeper slopes than the pre-parturition sites. Parturition sites were steeper, higher in elevation, more rugged, and had lower visibility than the random sites. Fidelity to parturition sites was observed on 1 of 38 occasions. Because lambing sites are used for short periods they are poorly understood and often ignored by land managers. Additional research is recommended in other desert bighorn sheep populations to understand better and predict habitat use during the lambing period.

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Acknowledgements

We thank M. Sappington for providing GIS support and advice. We appreciate the field assistance of H. Provencio, K. Eulinger, D. Klinka, D. Verhelst, and A. Wright. We thank T. Waddell, D. Wayne, H. Whitlow, M. Phillips, E. Rominger,and other personnel of the Armendaris Ranch and NMDGF for logistical and finacial support. R. Steidl, M. Phillips, and R. Mannan reviewed an earlier draft of this paper and provided valuable advice. We obtained approval of the research protocol by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, The University of Arizona (no. 00–175). This study was funded by the Turner Endangered Species Fund, the School of Natural Resources, and the Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wildlife Conservation and Management, School of Natural Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721, USA

    Peter D. Bangs & Paul R. Krausman

  2. Turner Endangered Species Fund, Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA

    Kyron E. Kunkel

  3. Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA

    Zachary D. Parsons

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  1. Peter D. Bangs
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  2. Paul R. Krausman
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  3. Kyron E. Kunkel
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  4. Zachary D. Parsons
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Correspondence to Paul R. Krausman.

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Bangs, P.D., Krausman, P.R., Kunkel, K.E. et al. Habitat use by desert bighorn sheep during lambing. Eur J Wildl Res 51, 178–184 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-005-0098-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-005-0098-8

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