CPW conducts biannual survey of Pikes Peak bighorn sheep herd
PIKES PEAK, Colo. (KRDO) -- On Thursday, a "small army" of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) biologists, officers, staff, and volunteers ascended Pikes Peak before dawn for the biannual bighorn sheep survey.
According to CPW, the Pikes Peak herd has existed for "eons" and is one of Colorado's legacy herds.
Legacy herds are native to the state and have never been supplemented with transplants from other herds. CPW said that of the 80 bighorn herds in Colorado, only 18 are legacy herds.
To monitor and count the sheep from a distance, CPW utilizes spotting scopes to "glass" and spot the sheep on the high-elevation rock outcroppings they utilize to hide and spot predators from.
CPW said they began an "intense" study of the Pikes Peak herd in 1998. During the surveys, CPW is taking note of the number of sheep, as well as sex, age, health, and curl size of the sheep's horns.
The CPW staff split up to tackle 10 hiking routes. By midmorning the mountain heated up. Here Tim Kroening, Area Wildlife Manager for the #ColoradoSprings region, uses a spotting scope to "glass" distant outcroppings for bighorn sheep. What is he seeing? Look for yourself. (2/5) pic.twitter.com/ryLyaGXbme
— CPW SE Region (@CPW_SE) August 12, 2022
