Bozeman, Montana. The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) welcomed the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife as a new Affiliate.
"Our Chapters and Affiliates represent a driving force for wild sheep conservation efforts on the ground," said Gray N. Thornton, President and CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation. "Having supported their youth hunting and wild sheep management programs for years, we are thrilled to be able to expand our relationship with the Navajo Nation Department of Fish & Wildlife as our newest Affiliate."
Established in 1977 over the concern for historically low populations of wild sheep, especially Rocky Mountain bighorn and desert bighorn sheep, WSF has grown to include fifteen WSF Chapters and forty-three Affiliates.
The Navajo Nation extends into the states of Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, covering over 27,000 square miles of unparalleled diversity and beauty. It is also home to a growing population of desert bighorn sheep. WSF helped fund a desert bighorn sheep radio-collaring and disease surveillance project on Navajo Nation lands in the winter of 2020-2021 to assist their tribal effort to repopulate historic bighorn range.
WSF has had the privilege of raising money to help finance the Nation's wildlife management programs by auctioning their highly coveted desert bighorn permits at the Foundation's annual Sheep Show® Expo & Convention. Over the past 29 years, WSF has directed back $1.16 million from the sale of these permits.
"Our long-standing relationship with WSF has been nothing but positive for our sheep management and youth hunting programs." Becoming an Affiliate member was a no-brainer." Jeff Cole, Wildlife Manager, Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife.
"Successful wild sheep restoration and management is a collaborative effort," Thornton added. "WSF is focused on facilitating good things for wild sheep everywhere they exist or could exist again. Our Chapters and Affiliates are our eyes and ears out on the landscape. Working more closely with the Navajo Nation will be a win for their people and wild sheep. We welcome other tribes with wild sheep on their lands or once did and want them back to join us."
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The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF), based in Bozeman, Mont., was founded in 1977 by wild sheep conservationists and enthusiasts. With a membership of more than 10,400 worldwide, WSF is the premier advocate for wild sheep and other mountain wildlife and their habitats. WSF has raised and expended more than $140 million on wild sheep habitat and population enhancements, education, and conservation advocacy programs in North America, Europe, and Asia to “Put and Keep Wild Sheep On the Mountain”®. These and other efforts have increased bighorn sheep populations in North America from historic lows in the 1950-60s of 25,000 to more than 85,000 today. www.wildsheepfoundation.org.