Abstract
Abstract Desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) are known for their climbing skills in rugged and steep terrain. Occasionally sheep die from climbing accidents. Between 1979 and 1995, the Arizona Game and Fish Department reintroduced desert bighorn sheep to areas within their historic distribution: northwest, southwest, southeast, and central Arizona. Because at least half of reintroduced sheep (n = 412) were fitted with radiocollars and monitored monthly, we documented mortalities by climbing accidents. None of 54 mortalities in the southeastern region and 53 mortalities in the southwestern region was identified as climbing accidents. However, climbing accidents caused 5 of 42 sheep mortalities in the northwestern region and 4 out of 54 mortalities in the central region. Most climbing accidents (7 out of 9) happened <9 months after sheep were translocated. Our data suggest that translocated desert bighorn sheep can be vulnerable to climbing accidents due to lack of familiarity with local terrain. Differe...
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