Using GIS to Compare Abiotic Factors Influencing Habitat Use by Bighorn Sheep in Two Introduced Populations.
Brandon Diamond, Jessica Young, and Allen Stork
Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) occupy a variety of habitat types throughout Colorado. Data were collected on the Fossil Ridge and Cochetopa Canyon transplanted bighorn sheep populations in the Gunnison Basin, CO, during the spring and summer of 1998 from 5 May through 15 August. Arcview GIS was used to assess slope and aspect utilization by both populations to examine abiotic habitat preferences for each sheep herd. Fossil Ridge sheep were found on significantly greater slopes than were Cochetopa sheep, but there was no significant difference in aspect utilization between herds. Ewe bighorns showed no preference for steeper slopes or southern aspects during lambing season, which was not expected based on bighorn literature. Using GIS to survey potential transplant areas or to examine habitat use by an established herd is beneficial for wildlife managers, and will help ensure the success of future management activities.