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Bighorn Sheep To Be Released In Jemez Mountains

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Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep will be reintroduced into the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico in an area burned by a 2011 wildfire.

The state Game and Fish Department hopes to capture 30 to 40 adult sheep and their lambs next week near Wheeler Peak northeast of Taos and release them near Cochiti Canyon, which is southwest of Los Alamos.

The agency said the Las Conchas fire created a treeless area in the mountains that's become prime habitat for a sheep herd, which is expected to expand into the nearby Bandelier National Monument and the White Rock Canyon area.

The sheep will be captured with drop nets and transported by helicopter to a place where they'll receive veterinary care. They'll be hauled by trailer to the Jemez Mountains.

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