The operation started early Monday morning.
A helicopter making multiple trips up into the rocky terrain of the Muddy Mountains in the Valley of Fire State Park.
Each time, transporting desert bighorn sheep, bagged and blindfolded for the flight down.
They are precious cargo that is gently delivered to waiting scientists.
“I mean they're iconic, right?” says Erin Wood with the Nevada Department of Wildlife. “It's the state mammal, I don't know if you could get a better picture of something that represents the harsh beauty that is Southern Nevada.”
And harsh is exactly right.
Years of drought have left the habitat on the range lacking.
In 2020, NDOW even began hauling water up the mountain, creating multiple water sources.
Now, a new project.
Gathering 16 bighorn sheep for a newly created bighorn nursery in Utah.
“They're going to come to us at SkyRider Ranch in Tabiona, Utah, and have babies,” says Skyler Olson with the ranch. “Propagate inside the confines of our ranch I guess is how I'll describe it.”
Olson says the goal is to eventually increase the herd and bolster other populations throughout Utah.
The animals gathered include four rams and twelve ewes.
Nasal and throat swabs will be analyzed to ensure the health of the herd before release.
“This is extremely unique as they are a disease-free herd,” says Olson. “So it's the crown jewel of sheep, the last bastion of unadulterated desert bighorn sheep that we have to pull from so it's an amazing opportunity.”
The helicopter does not “run” the sheep.
The crew has about one minute to make a capture. If they fail, that group of animals is left alone. Ensuring they are not overly stressed.
“When we bring them in we keep a constant eye on the temperature,” says Rusty Robinson with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. “Make sure they're not overheating especially in this weather.”
And that means, alcohol rubs and a misting system for the trailer, keeping the animals as comfortable as possible.
The gathering is considered a win-win for both states.
“It might seem counterintuitive that the best thing for herd growth is to remove a bunch of animals,” says Wood. “But as most Las Vegans know the past two years have been extremely dry and you can see that in the forage out here.”
It’s estimated the sheep population around the Valley of Fire is about 550.
Keeping them safe and healthy takes effort.
Scientists know it’s worth it.
“They're all around neat animals,” says Robinson.
Even if in this case, conservation means trucking the sheep to greener pastures.