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USGS Publications Warehouse

Neutron scattering reveals fractionation of natural gas mixtures in unconventional petroleum reservoir pores: Perspectives on energy resource recovery and storage Summaries of goals, actions, and information needs by management entity Spawning habitat suitability models for Lake Erie cisco (Coregonus artedi) during the historical period of pre- and post-population declines 1877–1957 Inland recreational fisheries harvest far exceeds reported inland harvest in the United States Abundance and movement patterns of fish accessing a reconnected Lake Erie coastal wetland: Insights from high-resolution sonar data Ecology of Lake Erie – Wetlands and lake-wide planktonic communities: A synthesis The WOAH global wildlife health collaborating centre network (WOAH-WildNet): A coordinated and transformative approach to global wildlife health challenges Tsunami hazards posed by sublacustrine landslides in Lake Quinault, Washington State Detecting bumble bees in the wild using environmental DNA: Development and validation of a qPCR assay for the endangered Franklin’s bumble bee (Bombus franklini) Critical minerals in zinc ore—An update on Earth Mapping Resources Initiative Research in the Boulder Batholith region, Montana Computation of regional groundwater budgets for the Virginia Coastal Plain aquifer system Historical ice jams and associated environmental conditions on Osoyoos Lake A roadmap for implementing the Emergency Recovery Plan for freshwater biodiversity Arsenic and isotope concentrations in the lower Platte River valley of eastern Nebraska, early 1970s to 2023 Geochemical disequilibrium at the brittle-ductile transition Seabed maps showing topography, ruggedness, backscatter intensity, sediment mobility, and the distribution of geologic substrates in quadrangle 3 of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region offshore of Boston, Massachusetts Co-occurrence of pesticides and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) across Zostera marina (common eelgrass) communities Range-wide relative abundance of the Appalachian grizzled skipper (<i>Pyrgus centaureae wyandot</i>) in the Eastern United States Geochemical, mineralogical, and isotopic evidence for multi-stage genesis of the Hicks Dome REE + Y-HFSE-fluorite deposit, Illinois, USA Status and trends of pelagic and benthic prey fish populations in Lake Michigan, 2025 Continuous and high-resolution longitudinal profiles of the water surface and riverbed elevation for 282 miles of the Colorado River from Lees Ferry to Pearce Ferry, Arizona, 2021 Biochar modulates the dynamics of legacy nutrients in enhancing soil health and crop productivity Tracking toxins: A pilot investigation of cyanotoxins in north-central Tennessee’s surface waters and wells Waves, watersheds, and sediment in a coral reef embayment: Towards parsimonious models of accumulation and composition High-resolution transboundary vegetation community maps of the Sonoran and Mojave Desert ecoregion to support critical landscape conservation planning and habitat management needs Rearing method has limited effect on post-release movement of reintroduced age-0 Lake Sturgeon Critical minerals memory match game Indicators of mercury concentration in Lake Trout: Can fish location and appearance provide information to anglers to reduce their exposure? Modeling the seasonality of wind-driven hydrocarbon waves in Titan’s polar lakes The Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Coalition—Working collaboratively to understand the geology of the Great Lakes Region
Ecology of reintroduced Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in D...
Tabitha A. Graves · 2026-01-01 · via USGS Publications Warehouse

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Abstract

Translocations have been widely used to restore and conserve bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations in North America. Some translocations have been successful, but many populations remain small and genetically isolated. Population structure can influence the viability and long-term success of reintroductions. Social ungulates often function as interconnected subpopulations (metapopulations); however, few studies evaluate subpopulation sizes, connectivity, and genetic diversity within metapopulations. To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive study of a reintroduced Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) population in Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and Utah, USA, between 2006–2020. We analyzed global positioning system (GPS) radio-collar data, genetic samples, and results of health testing to evaluate abundance, distribution, genetic structure and diversity, habitat use, movement and connectivity, and presence of or exposure to respiratory pathogens. We integrated these analyses to evaluate the outcomes of a reintroduction effort that began in 1952, over 70 years ago, and to inform management decisions in Dinosaur National Monument. We also provide a framework for evaluating metapopulation processes, including a non-invasive approach that links genetic structure with Bayesian spatial capture-recapture analyses to estimate subpopulation sizes. Despite models indicating continuous suitable habitat, we found a spatially structured population with at least 4 subpopulations with constrained connectivity. Evidence from step selection and density analyses suggested that movement among subpopulations may be limited by semi-permeable barriers including rivers and human disturbance, which could contribute to maintenance of spatial structure over time. In 2006, antibody to Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae was detected in all geographically and genetically distinct subpopulations. Widespread clinical signs of disease and a confirmed exposure to M. ovipneumoniae in 2019 indicate a long-term disease challenge. Proximity to domestic sheep creates repeated opportunities for introduction of new M. ovipneumoniae strains. We estimated abundance in 2019 at 109 (95% CrI = 87–133), composed of subpopulations ranging from 18–39 animals (95% CrIs from 11–50). Genetic diversity was relatively high compared to other reintroduced and native Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep populations, which is likely a consequence of multiple translocations from different sources. Three of 4 subpopulation centers generally aligned with the locations of original translocation release sites. Persistence in the presence of pathogens may be facilitated by metapopulation structure and moderately high genetic diversity. Conversely, metapopulation structure can also facilitate pathogen persistence. Our approach offers a path to advance understanding of the population ecology of reintroduced bighorn sheep and can inform effective conservation and management of their populations.

Suggested Citation

Carroll, S., Flesch, E.P., Scoresby, S., Spencer, E., Crowhurst, R.S., Epps, C.W., Galloway, N., Janousek, W.M., and Graves, T., 2026, Ecology of reintroduced Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Dinosaur National Monument: Wildlife Monographs, https://doi.org/10.1002/wmon.70011.

Study Area

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Ecology of reintroduced Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Dinosaur National Monument
Series title Wildlife Monographs
DOI 10.1002/wmon.70011
Edition Online First
Publication Date May 21, 2026
Year Published 2026
Language English
Publisher The Wildlife Society
Contributing office(s) Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
Country United States
State Colorado, Wyoming
Other Geospatial Dinosaur National Monument
Additional publication details