Responses of Desert Bighorn Sheep to Removal of Water Sources

Abstract

Abstract In arid regions of the southwestern United States, water is often considered a primary factor limiting distribution and productivity of desert ungulates, including desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana). Thus, wildlife management agencies and sportsmen's organizations have invested substantial time and resources in the construction and maintenance of water catchments. Although the availability of freestanding water sources is believed to influence many aspects of the ecology of desert bighorn sheep, the efficacy of these water sources has been questioned and has not been examined experimentally. We used a before-after–control-impact study design to determine if removal of water catchments changed diet, characteristics of foraging areas used by female desert bighorn sheep, home-range size, movement rates, distance to catchments, adult mortality, productivity, or juvenile recruitment in 2 mountain ranges on the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, USA. During pretreatment (2002...