EL PASO, TEXAS (KTSM) — For the first time in nearly a century, bighorn sheep are returning to the Franklin Mountains, marking a significant milestone in conservation efforts for the region.
Texas Parks and Wildlife, in partnership with organizations such as the Texas Bighorn Society and the Wild Sheep Foundation, is leading the restoration project to reintroduce desert bighorn sheep to Franklin Mountains State Park.
“This will be the second state park in Texas where we’ve successfully reintroduced bighorn sheep,” said Froylan Hernandez, Bighorn Sheep Program leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife. “It’s an important step in restoring this iconic species.”
Efforts decades in the making
Bighorn sheep were once abundant in West Texas but disappeared from the Franklin Mountains nearly a century ago due to overhunting and diseases introduced by domestic livestock.
Conservation measures began as early as 1903 with a ban on hunting, but unregulated hunting and livestock issues continued to threaten the species.
The current initiative aims to translocate approximately 80 bighorn sheep from Elephant Mountain wildlife management, located about 26 miles south of Alpine, Texas.
Each bighorn is fitted with GPS collars to monitor their movement and survival.
Despite the rugged terrain providing a natural refuge, Hernandez anticipates a 40 to 50% mortality rate as the sheep acclimate to their new habitat.
Aoudad sheep
The reintroduction team has carefully selected the Franklin Mountains because they remain one of the few habitats in Texas without the presence of aoudad sheep — an animal in the sheep and goat family.
The invasive aoudad sheep population poses risks to bighorn sheep through competition for resources and the transmission of the fatal bacteria M.Ovi.
“Aoudad numbers have exploded in the Trans-Pecos region, posing a major problem not just for bighorns but for other wildlife species,” said Samuel Cunningham, president of the Texas Bighorn Society.
That is also the same bacteria that was carried by “Bob, the Goat” who died during an attempt to relocate him from the Franklins back in September.
‘Bob the Goat’ dies during attempt to relocate him from Franklin Mountains | KTSM 9 News
Monitoring and community impact
GPS collars and trail cameras will help researchers track the sheep’s migration and survival rates. Live feeds from the cameras will be available on the Texas Bighorn Society website, offering El Paso residents a rare opportunity to observe the animals.
More than just sheep, this is a project for the community as well.
“El Pasoans will have the unique opportunity to see bighorns in their backyard, boosting tourism and benefiting the park,” Hernandez said.
Addressing human-wildlife conflicts
Another challenge is vehicle traffic and the lack of wildlife crossings in the region.
Hernandez said that conversations with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will begin once GPS data identifies critical hotspots for safe crossings.
“The thing about TxDOT is they require data because it’s a multimillion-dollar project (to build a potential wildlife crossing). So, this is a first step in having collared animals in the Franklins to identify those potential hotspots or identify those potential corridors,” Hernandez said.
We have reached out to TxDOT for a statement. They have not gotten back to us.
Looking ahead
The return of bighorn sheep to the Franklin Mountains symbolizes more than just a conservation victory. It’s a chance for El Paso to showcase its natural beauty and inspire future conservation efforts.
“I get goosebumps just thinking about it,” Hernandez said. “It’s going to be an incredible opportunity for El Paso.”
The reintroduction project is expected to have a lasting impact, not only for the species but also for the community and the local environment.
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