Bighorn Institute was founded in 1982, and is a privately funded, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the world’s wild sheep through research and education.  It focuses on the endangered Peninsular bighorn in southern California and has long been recognized as an official recovery facility for the species. Over the past 35 years, its captive breeding and wild population augmentation program has resulted in the release of 127 bighorn into the wild. More critically, these efforts have kept two local herds from disappearing altogether. The Institute also monitors wild bighorn populations along the southern rim of the Coachella Valley from Palm Springs to La Quinta.  Bighorn Institute is the only organization of its kind and has had success over the years thanks to the generosity and support of its Board of Directors and members.