1. Fish and Game Commission Meeting December 12, 2012 Randy Botta South Coast Region/Wildlife Program Bighorn Sheep in the Peninsular Mountains Photo by J. Colby

2. Presentation Purpose and Overview California Sheep Populations State and federal listing Department recovery activities Population status Purpose: Summarize the Department’s role in Peninsular Sheep Recovery Recovery defined: Reversal of species decline, where threats to survival are neutralized, to ensure long-term survival

3. Sheep Locations Peninsular Ranges lie within San Diego, Riverside, and Imperial Counties Habitat occurs along east-facing slopes below 4,600 feet elev. ----------------------- Orange = SNB Brown = ODB GOLD = PB

4. State and Federal Listing 1971 - Sheep listed as state threatened 1998 - Sheep listed as federally endangered 2000 - Federal recovery plan developed The Department is lead for field recovery Photo by J. Colby

5. Recovery Partners U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2000 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service California Department of Parks and Recreation Bureau of Land Management U.S. Forest Service Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Bighorn Institute

6. RECOVERY OBJECTIVE and CRITERIA Recovery Objective: Protect and maintain sufficient bighorn individuals and habitat to allow delisting Downlisting (reclassification to threatened status):  25 adult females in 9 Recovery Regions  For six consecutive years Delisting (removal of threatened status):  25 adult females in 9 Recovery Regions  For 12 consecutive years  Rangewide population must average 750 sheep  For 12 consecutive years 2025 - Anticipated delisting date

7. Reasons for Listing Habitat loss Habitat fragmentation URBAN THREATS Increased exposure to predators Increased exposure to parasites Drowning and poisoning Photo by J. Colby

8. Reasons for Listing Disease Vehicle collisions Predation Photo by J. Young Photo by J. Colby

9. Recovery Program Capture and radio-collar bighorn sheep Helicopter surveys to estimate population and track trends Track and monitor sheep movements, health, survivorship, and mortality

10. Helicopter Population Surveys

11. Population Trend Surveys conducted every other year Estimates generated for 9 Recovery Regions Population increase from 334 (1998) to 955 (2010) Population Trends Recovery Region

12. Presentation Summary Reasons for listing: habitat loss, fragmentation, disease, vehicle collisions, and predation Federal recovery plan designated Department as lead agency for field recovery activities Management strategies: radio-collar and surveys to monitor health, mortality, movement, and abundance Recovery efforts have resulted in population increase from 334 (1998) to 955 (2010)

13. Questions  Thank You Randy Botta Staff Environmental Scientist Department of Fish and Game/South Coast Region Email: rbotta@dfg.ca.gov Photo by Jeff Young