Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep In Yosemite

Mt. Gibbs

S160 - Ewe (kmz)


S79 - Ram (kmz)
Click bighorn photos to view movement data
in Google Earth™

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    Recent Events

• 3/27/2013 After years of low lamb production, a sign of possible inbreeding depression, CDFW added 3 ewes with high genetic diversity to the population. This is the first attempt in the Sierra to perfom a genetic rescue. It would not have been possible without genetic research carried out by the Sierra Bighorn Foundation.
• 2/15/2013 S78 dies (11 year-old ram)
• 10/28/12 New GPS collar deployed on S79 (adult male), previous collar full of data retrieved.
• 07/26/12 CDFW staff observed 12 bighorn (7 adult ewes, 1 yearling ewe, 2 yearling rams , 1 lamb, and 1-2 year old ram) including all collared ewes.
• 06/04/2012 In spite of a fierce early summer snowstorm we observed S160 (a Mount Gibbs ewe) and her newborn lamb navigating the rocky slopes of Mount Lewis (see movement data above), just east of the border of Yosemite National Park.
• 01/03/2012 Satellite collar data shows daily sheep foraging trips from Mt. Gibbs up to the northwest ridge of Mt. Dana.

View seasonal maps as annotated video below
or as a photo set on Flickr.com.

Alpine summer near Parker Pass

Landsat - Satellite Images
The Landsat program offers the longest continuous global record of the Earth's surface by capturing images from space. United States Geologic Survey (USGS) has been using this system since the 1970's. Landsat imagery is taken approximately every two weeks. The image resolution is based on a 30m x 30m pixel size. The data are used for a wide variety of scientific investigations. Our program uses this information to describe snow cover. Images show snow (turquoise), bare ground (brown), and vegetation (green). Images were selected to show differences in habitat use patterns at various times during the year.

Animated map showing Mt Gibbs animal movements(larger map)