The charismatic, robust and impressive North American mountain sheep is losing its habitat to industrial mining, the changing climate and human activity. And unless action is taken to protect this popular and inherently American species, it could face extinction.
A new book called Mountain Sheep in North America , published this month, highlights the risks faced by this remarkable species. Speaking ahead of the book’s publication, co-editor Paul R Krausman said: “The mountain sheep is a ‘wilderness species’: untameable, sturdy and free, surviving all weathers, it is perhaps a powerful emblem of what it means to be North American. But today, it faces grave risks.”
In previous decades, mountain sheep populations nearly collapsed but sustained conservation efforts have allowed some species to rebuild their numbers. But that’s all at risk now from disease, habitat loss through industrial and human activity, as well as from climate change.
Mining for minerals significantly disrupts mountain sheep habitats and populations, say the authors of the new book. And yet, gathering evidence about the state of the landscape and ecology before industrial activity starts is often ‘out of scope’ for mining companies; experts say this must change.
Writing in the book, co-editor, Bill Jex said: “The extraction of natural resources, such as minerals, oil and gas, and vegetation poses a significant threat to mountain sheep habitats where the activity occurs without implementing active and adaptive mitigations.”
Explaining the problem, the authors say: “Mining activities often involve habitat alteration at very large geographic scales that may lead to destruction or loss, fragmentation of habitat connectivity and movement corridors, changes in plant community species assemblages, introduction of non‑native species, changed geology affecting the nutritional qualities and trace minerals concentrations in available forage, and alteration, contamination, and poisoning of water sources.
“Infrastructure development associated with resource extraction, such as roads and pipelines, further fragments habitat and expands human disturbance by increasing the permeability of the landscape.”
And yet, mining companies are not legally required to fully consider how their activity disrupts mountain sheep.
However, mining is not the only threat. Speaking before the book’s publication, Krausman points to habitat destruction caused by the creation of “golf courses, housing developments, airports and military bases.”
Experts also cite the disturbance caused to mountain sheep from “transmission powerlines, cell phone towers, mining ventures, two‑track roads pioneered into previously inaccessible mountain ranges and alpine regions, jet boat and ARGOS high‑powered vehicular access, increased fly‑in and drop‑camp traffic to backcountry lakes and river systems, heli‑skiing, heli‑hiking, heli‑biking, heli‑kayaking” as well as “changing climates and altered precipitation patterns, rain‑on‑snow events, repeated freeze‑and‑thaw cycles, an ascending brush line moving upslope a meter/ year, biotic and abiotic changes.”
The authors recommend action including public education campaigns and government restrictions on industrial activity, such as to protect areas where mountain sheep nurse their young.
Speaking before publication, Krausman said: “We have got to do a better job of letting the public know what the habitat requirements are for these animals, and then having the government stand up and put restrictions on using that habitat. Because if we don’t have the habitat, we will lose this magnificent species.
“I have faith in conservation groups and the North American people that they will not let this magnificent species go extinct. But we are in a perilous position and mountain sheep are certainly facing extirpation – ie, extinction in some areas.”