Ever since bighorns died out in Texas, the state’s been trying to bring them back. But it’s been a slow process. It’s taken 80 years to restore their population to what it was before the wool industry moved in. And there’s still a long way to go – state wildlife officials’ goal is to repopulate their entire historic range with about 3,000 animals. Right now, they’re halfway there – which is why relocation events like the one at Elephant Mountain (about 20 minutes south of the Sierra La Rana front gate) are so important. Manually spreading bighorns throughout West Texas gives them a better chance at long-term survival. Individual herds get room to grow, and insulation from transmittable diseases like pneumonia – which has decimated bighorns in other states.
https://marfapublicradio.org/blog/protecting-texas-bighorn-sheep-requires-a-hands-on-approach/
