12-13-2007, 01:14 PM
[size 1]Every year, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) and its partners devote large amounts of time, money and effort to capturing and moving big game.
It's a worthwhile investment because these majestic animals are an important part of Utah's natural heritage. The UDWR is committed to ensuring that healthy, abundant populations of big game animals are maintained in the state. These animals enhance the quality of life that Utahns and visitors to our state enjoy.<br />
By capturing and moving a small group of big game animals into habitat that's unoccupied, a new and thriving population can be created very quickly, often within a span of five to 10 years.<br />
This process of moving big game animals is called a big game transplant.<br />
Increasing the distribution of wildlife in Utah is part of the Division of Wildlife Resources' mission. Through its aggressive transplant program, the UDWR has been very successful in fulfilling this charge.
Lots of work, but it's worth it!<br />
On the surface, transplants might seem simple. But in reality, they're very complex and involve a lot of research and planning.<br />
In Utah, an extensive checklist of requirements is completed before we ever start the fieldwork needed to capture big game. We identify sites that will provide the new populations with the best chance to survive and grow, and that will reduce the possibility of conflicts with other land uses.<br />
These big game transplants result in more opportunities to view and hunt big game across Utah. Almost all of the elk, pronghorn, mountain goat and bighorn sheep populations found in Utah today are the result of transplants that have taken place during the last century.<br />
As Utah was settled, almost all of the state's big game animals became scarce. Some species succumbed to changes in their habitat. Others died because of exposure to livestock-borne disease. Unregulated hunting also took a toll. Bison disappeared from Utah, and elk and bighorn sheep were eradicated across most of the state's mountain ranges.<br />
Over time, the situation improved. Better management of rangelands, livestock husbandry and strict control over hunting helped big game populations grow. Now there are enough animals that we're able to return many of these species to their original ranges. The Henry Mountains bison herd is an example. The herd now consists of a few hundred animals and is one of only four free-ranging bison herds on public land in the country. The herd owes its new beginnings to a transplant of 18 animals purchased from Yellowstone National Park in 1941.<br />
In addition to returning animals to their original ranges, transplants have expanded the distribution of big game. Some species, such as mountain goats, now live in portions of Utah where they never lived before... [/size]
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It's a worthwhile investment because these majestic animals are an important part of Utah's natural heritage. The UDWR is committed to ensuring that healthy, abundant populations of big game animals are maintained in the state. These animals enhance the quality of life that Utahns and visitors to our state enjoy.<br />
By capturing and moving a small group of big game animals into habitat that's unoccupied, a new and thriving population can be created very quickly, often within a span of five to 10 years.<br />
This process of moving big game animals is called a big game transplant.<br />
Increasing the distribution of wildlife in Utah is part of the Division of Wildlife Resources' mission. Through its aggressive transplant program, the UDWR has been very successful in fulfilling this charge.
Lots of work, but it's worth it!<br />
On the surface, transplants might seem simple. But in reality, they're very complex and involve a lot of research and planning.<br />
In Utah, an extensive checklist of requirements is completed before we ever start the fieldwork needed to capture big game. We identify sites that will provide the new populations with the best chance to survive and grow, and that will reduce the possibility of conflicts with other land uses.<br />
These big game transplants result in more opportunities to view and hunt big game across Utah. Almost all of the elk, pronghorn, mountain goat and bighorn sheep populations found in Utah today are the result of transplants that have taken place during the last century.<br />
As Utah was settled, almost all of the state's big game animals became scarce. Some species succumbed to changes in their habitat. Others died because of exposure to livestock-borne disease. Unregulated hunting also took a toll. Bison disappeared from Utah, and elk and bighorn sheep were eradicated across most of the state's mountain ranges.<br />
Over time, the situation improved. Better management of rangelands, livestock husbandry and strict control over hunting helped big game populations grow. Now there are enough animals that we're able to return many of these species to their original ranges. The Henry Mountains bison herd is an example. The herd now consists of a few hundred animals and is one of only four free-ranging bison herds on public land in the country. The herd owes its new beginnings to a transplant of 18 animals purchased from Yellowstone National Park in 1941.<br />
In addition to returning animals to their original ranges, transplants have expanded the distribution of big game. Some species, such as mountain goats, now live in portions of Utah where they never lived before... [/size]
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