Challenges for Mountain Sheep Management and Conservation in North America

Managing any wild animal is challenging; it becomes even more challenging when conflicting opinions arise regarding the use of landscapes shared by that animal. As humans encroach on the habitats of mountain sheep (bighorn sheep [ Ovis canadensis ], thinhorn sheep [ Ovis dalli ]) across North America, the challenges for management become increasingly important. Throughout this book, the authors of the chapters have emphasized the importance of cooperation between the various managers of mountain sheep and the public. In this chapter we highlight the importance of understanding nutrition, water requirements, body and horn size, habitat, population modeling, taxonomy, disease, predation, competition, migration, translocation, hunting, human dimensions, cultural and economic relationships, conflicts in management, the unique management of mountain sheep in Mexico, and the importance of long-term research. If humans and mountain sheep are to continue coexisting, we will need more sophisticated information and a deeper understanding of these topics for the successful conservation and management of mountain sheep into the future.