National Park Service, Multi-Agency Partners Launch Desert Bighorn Sheep Conservation Study Across Southeastern Utah

News Release Date: November 4, 2026
Contact:IMR News

MOAB, Utah - The National Park Service, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and Utah State University, announces a comprehensive study on regional desert bighorn sheep disease, population, and habitat across Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef national parks and surrounding lands.

Helicopter surveys and bighorn sheep capture and release operations are expected to occur from early November through December. Visitors may see or hear helicopters operating in areas occupied by bighorn sheep during this period. Visitors who encounter field operations should maintain a safe distance from wildlife, helicopters, and crews, and follow any area restrictions or directions from park staff.

"This project will provide wildlife managers with updated information needed to understand and conserve desert bighorn sheep across southeastern Utah," said Lena Pace, superintendent of the Southeast Utah Group, which includes Arches and Canyonlands national parks. "Bighorn sheep face a range of stressors, including disease, changing conditions, and human recreation. Monitoring their health, abundance, distribution, and movement helps managers understand how populations are responding to these pressures and make informed decisions about their conservation."

Data gathered from this multi-agency initiative will guide crucial park management decisions, including:

• Implementing seasonal area closures to protect sensitive habitats, such as lambing grounds.
• Conducting impact assessments for proposed projects.
• Interpreting population changes and identifying sources of disease transmission and risk for each population.
• Understanding cumulative environmental stressors.

The regional partnership is especially important because bighorn sheep move across jurisdiction boundaries. By coordinating monitoring across agencies, researchers can develop a landscape-scale understanding of bighorn sheep populations, movements, habitat use, and disease dynamics that more closely match the ecological scale at which these animals live. This study will provide updated GPS-based monitoring data on bighorn sheep populations, building on previous research.

For more information regarding the study activities in each park, updates and temporary closures related to the study, please visit these National Park Service websites:

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