September 2020
Lambs Are Alive!
We’re excited to report several spring lambs are still alive and well in the San Jacinto Mountains (SJM) near Palm Springs! As you may recall, we haven’t seen lambs in the SJM since early June, despite our efforts and regular sheep sightings. Last year, all of the lambs perished and we were fearful of the same fate this year, but so far, at least a few have survived. We’ll keep tracking this herd and hope these lambs make it through the year.
Fall Fundraiser
We’re finalizing the details of our November 15 & 16 fall fundraiser with a board meeting October 2nd so we’ll announce our “official plans” soon. That said, we know the Golf Classic will take place on Monday, November 16th at Stone Eagle, with a limited field and other changes to encourage a safe, socially-distanced event. Stay tuned for more information, which we will email out, post on social media and on our website by the first week of October.
La Quinta Fence
The long-awaited fence that has been planned around PGA West and Lake Cahuilla may finally come to fruition starting this fall. At the end of September, we met with the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, the wildlife agencies, and others to review the fence route along Lake Cahuilla and possible water guzzler designs and locations. For years, bighorn sheep in the central Santa Rosa Mountain herd in La Quinta have been utilizing four golf courses as an artificial food and water source: Tradition, SilverRock, PGA West, and The Quarry, as well as Lake Cahuilla. There have been over 30 urban-related bighorn sheep deaths since 2012, many of which could have been prevented by fencing the sheep out of this urban area. We’re pleased to finally see some progress toward the fence.
Field Vehicle Needed
We are in serious need of a field vehicle to allow us to continue our research and conservation efforts. We currently have two field Jeeps so two of us can be in the field each day tracking bighorn in different parts of the range from Palm Springs to La Quinta. Unfortunately, our 19 year old Jeep has recently required around $3,000 worth of repairs to keep it limping along. We simply cannot continue pouring money into vehicle repairs or afford to buy a new one. However, if we get down to one field vehicle, it would cripple our ability to conduct fieldwork effectively. Would you or someone you know have a vehicle you’d consider donating? Your donation would be completely tax-deductible. Thank you, for your consideration and if you have a vehicle to donate, please call us at 760-346-7334 or email us at bi@bighorninstitute.org.
Bighorn Presentations
Does your organization or club want to learn more about the local endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep and Bighorn Institute’s conservation work? We’re available for virtual speaking engagements. Until we can gather in larger groups, if you’d like a virtual bighorn presentation, give us a call at (760) 346-7334 or email us at bi@bighorninstitute.org.
Are You a Member?
Did you know that Bighorn Institute is a privately-funded nonprofit and we receive no state or federal funding? We have released over 125 captive-reared bighorn into the wild over the past 35 years, kept 2 local bighorn herds from disappearing and monitored the local herds daily, all with private dollars. We also provide vital data to the wildlife agencies to help with the management of the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep. Now, more than ever, we rely on the generosity of our members; membership donations are completely tax-deductible. Thank you for your support!
Recent News:
Bighorn sheep stop traffic in La Quinta, receive police escort back to mountains
Valley Voice: The desert's bighorn sheep doing OK, but some signs of stress appear
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