Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep In Sequoia Kings Canyon - Laurel Creek

Laurel Creek herd movement data

S376 - Ewe (kml)

204 - Ram (kml)

Recent Events

• 5/27/2023 All collared animals are believed to have died this past winter and spring during heavy snows.
• 8/15/2022 All translocated ewes that had been pregnant during the previous capture were seen with lambs.
• 3/23/2022 3 rams and 4 ewes from the Mt. Baxter herd were captured and collared and translocated in to augment Laurel Creek.
• 6/2/2021 Saw a group of 2 adult ewes, 1 yearling, 1 lamb, and 1 adult ram near lower Funston. This accounts for most, possibly all, bighorn known in Laurel Creek.
• 7/4/2018 2 Rams and 2 ewes were seen on the ridge between Rattlesnake and Laurel Creeks. These may be the only sheep in this herd unit currently.
• 11/1/2016 4 rams were translocated to Laurel Creek from the Wheeler Ridge herd unit.
• 10/12/2016 10 Sierra bighorn were seen on the ridge between Coyote and Laurel Creeks. 2 lambs and 3 yearlings were in this group.
• 8/18/2016 S376 was seen near Franklin pass with a lamb and a yearling ram.

The Laurel Creek herd was reestablished in 2015 with the translocation of 11 Sierra bighorn from the Mt. Baxter and Sawmill Canyon herds. Four additional rams were augmented to the herd in 2016 after many of the original rams emmigrated out of the area after reintroduction. In 2016 our best count of this herd was a total of 22 animals. Access to this herd is difficult, which gives us limited opportunity to monitor the bighorn on foot. Difficulties are compounded by the large amount of distance between different groups of bighorn in this herd unit.