Nevada
Nevada moves bighorn sheep as drought threatens state animal
VALLEY OF FIRE STATE PARK (KTNV) — Nevada is taking action to preserve its state animal, the Desert Bighorn Sheep, by relocating part of a herd based in Southern Nevada.
Geneva Zoltek spoke to state officials to understand how they are moving the sheep and the reasons behind the relocation.
Nevada moves bighorn sheep as drought threatens state animal
The reason for the relocation is a lack of available food and water for the herd, with drought being the common denominator.
In just one year, dry conditions have significantly worsened across Nevada. While only a small area was abnormally dry in June 2024, now most of the state is experiencing all four levels of drought extremes.
“We had to take action,” said Joe Bennett, a specialist with the Nevada Department of Wildlife.
According to Bennett, since December, 122,000 gallons of water have been hauled to watering holes, or guzzlers, in Southern Nevada to support sheep hydration.
“Some of these animals couldn’t leave these guzzlers. They couldn’t get more than a couple miles away because they needed that water,” Bennett said.
By reducing the herd size, the hope is that there will be more resources to go around to support the remaining herd.
“If 400 or 500 is the new norm? That’s still a very large sheep population that’s still a great success story,” Bennett said.
Through June 19, Bennett is working with dozens of team members and volunteers to safely relocate 150 sheep from Valley of Fire State Park and Lake Mead National Recreation Area to three different release sites in Utah and northern Nevada.
“It’s a bunch of passionate people out here for a good cause,” Bennett said.
This strategy of direct intervention comes as drought not only reduces available water but also available vegetation too — compounding as a complex threat to the species.
“The worst day of my career was flying over a guzzler in 2020 and seeing dead bighorn sheep. It was terrible, it was awful to see,” Bennett explained. “It’s our state animal. Everyone loves to see bighorn sheep, everybody loves to recreate with bighorn sheep, and it’s the state department’s responsibility to manage them appropriately.”
The relocation process involves a helicopter crew with a net gun facilitating the capture. Each animal is then lifted back to the base to get a physical before being transported via livestock truck to the new ranges.
“You know it’s a stressful event for them, and that’s why we have a variety of different options here to provide veterinary support to provide intervention if needed,” said Nate Lahue, NDOW’s wildlife veterinarian on site.
Lahue helps take vital signs and draw blood samples.
“Our goal is to keep these animals as safe and healthy as possible,” he explained.
According to the Nevada Climate Initiative, drought is expected to increase in frequency and severity in the future due to higher temperatures, even if precipitation remains the same or increases slightly.
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom won’t admit it, but a move by President Donald Trump is especially helpful to drivers in California — and Nevada.
Gasoline prices are pressuring consumers around the country. On Friday, the average U.S. price was $4.55 a gallon. In California, that would be a bargain. The average there was $6.16 a gallon. Nevada’s average was $5.23 a gallon, the result of around 88 percent of the state’s gasoline coming from California.
It might be getting worse — regardless of what happens in Iran.
In recent months, two major California refineries have shut down. That represented a 17 percent reduction in California’s refining capacity. Their closures weren’t caused by the Iran war, but by Gov. Newsom and California’s relentless attacks on fossil fuels.
To make up for the fuel it won’t extract or refine in-state, California depends on imports from foreign countries.
“We are importing 30 percent of our crude oil from the Middle East,” Mike Ariza, a former control board supervisor at the Valero Benicia Refinery, said in an interview. He has been warning the public about California’s potential fuel shortage. “There are not very many ships left on the way that have fuel,” he said last month.
Last week, KCRA-TV in Sacramento reported that “about 2 million barrels of oil are in the process of being unloaded in Long Beach off of the last California-bound tanker that got through the Strait of Hormuz.”
At a California legislative hearing Tuesday, Siva Gunda, the vice chairman of the California Energy Commission, said the state has enough gasoline to accommodate demand for the next six weeks. That’s not a very long time, especially given that it takes weeks or months for oil to travel from the Middle East to California. And that process won’t begin until the Strait of Hormuz reopens.
There is a region, however, with abundant oil available for sale and safe passage — the southeastern United States. Unfortunately, the Jones Act, an antiquated 1920 law, mandates that only U.S.-flagged ships may move cargo between U.S. ports. But only 55 of the more than 7,000 oil tankers worldwide comply with this requirement.
This is where Mr. Trump rode to the rescue. Late last month, the White House announced Mr. Trump would suspend the Jones Act for another 90 days. In March, he originally waived it for 60 days. This will make it easier for California and Nevada to obtain domestic product.
If only Mr. Trump could also suspend the destructive energy policies imposed by Gov. Newsom and California Democrats.
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — An adoptable pet is in the spotlight for “Furever Home Friday,” with Amy from the Nevada SPCA featured in a segment highlighting an animal available for adoption today.
The Nevada SPCA encouraged viewers looking to add a pet to their family to consider adopting.
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