top of page

November 2020


Fall Fundraiser a Success


Our Special Dinner Under the Stars at The Aerie restaurant at Stone Eagle was a wonderful success. The weather was warm, winds had wavered and the stars were shimmering. With just 50 guests spread out on the patio, everyone felt safely separated and the dinner was delectable. A few lucky guests went home with a bighorn sheep canvas print door prize. It was a special evening to get to see our supporters face-to-face, many of which were excited to actually attend an event and it was a night we’ll certainly hold dear.


The Golf Classic was also a success and couldn’t have had more beautiful weather for mid-November with 87˚ and sunshine. Everyone enjoyed their round of golf at Stone Eagle. We congratulate this year’s tournament winners: Blake Richards, Mark Baldwin, Dustin Fair and Chris Milano.


If you would like to support our efforts, it’s not too late. You can donate online through our website: www.bighorninstitute.org or mail us a check made to Bighorn Institute to P.O. Box 262, Palm Desert, CA 92261. Thank you, to our supporters - you make a difference!


Capture Update


The California Department of Fish and Wildlife captured 35 Peninsular bighorn ewes from Palm Springs to La Quinta October 30th – November 2nd and put on new radio-collars. Last month, we explained that all of the current GPS radio-collars have dropped off as scheduled, which left virtually no bighorn radio-collared in this area. These new solar-powered GPS collars should last 5-7 years. The capture went well and we’ve already seen most of the newly collared animals and they look good. Having radio-collared sheep to track allows us and others to document the health and behavior of the herd, reproduction and lamb survival, habitat use, demography and cause-specific mortality. The GPS collar location data will help protect current and future sheep habitat.


Don’t Feed the Sheep


We’ve talked about this before, but residents and renters at PGA West are still feeding the sheep regularly and it is now a serious human safety issue besides being illegal for an endangered species. Bighorn sheep are approaching people on golf carts because they’re being fed. PGA West has been fining people, but many are getting away with it, which is making it dangerous for everyone. Wildlife is best kept wild and feeding the sheep habituates them to humans, which isn’t in their best interest. Once they lose their fear of humans, they can act aggressively. Peninsular bighorn sheep are adapted to live in our harsh desert and while the mountains may not look like they have enough food for them, they do. Please don’t feed the sheep!


Log Your Sheep Sightings


Are you out hiking and seeing sheep? You can log your sheep sightings for free in Bighorn Institute’s iNaturalist project accessible via phone or computer. Your sightings can help us keep track of the Peninsular bighorn sheep, their lambs and overall health of the herds. Pictures are particularly helpful so if you see sheep, snap some photos and let us know! For instructions on using iNaturalist app, visit our website: https://www.bighorninstitute.org/inaturalist-project


Adopt-a-Bighorn


Christmas is coming…need a unique gift or just want to support the sheep? You can Adopt-a-Bighorn. Lambs are $100 and ewes or rams are $150 each. Adoptions include a certificate, a 4x6 color photograph of your sheep, a bighorn sheep fact sheet, a year’s subscription to our e-newsletter, and a year’s membership with the Institute. All adoptions are 100% tax-deductible! Visit our website to adopt-a-bighorn: https://www.bighorninstitute.org/adopt-a-bighorn Please allow at least one week for processing your adoption.


Bighorn Sheep Canvas Prints


Want a beautiful bighorn sheep canvas print?! Get yours now for just $100 plus shipping and handling (or pick up at BI for no additional cost). To order a 16” x 20” print, call the office 760-346-7334 or email us at: bi@bighorninstitute.org. Your choices are to the left. Please allow for two weeks for processing plus shipping.









Recent News



'Not one shovel': Save Oswit Canyon completes $7.15M sale, land to be preserved and open to public https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/local/palm-springs/2020/11/02/oswit-canyon-open-public-after-long-fight-conservationists/6078340002/


Follow Us
  • Facebook Basic Square
bottom of page