Bighorn Projects

January 8th, 2010 NEWS RELEASE: PHOTO CONTEST HAS WINNERS!!

The Friends of Kootenay National Park “Sheep in the Village” Photo Contest resulted in an overwhelming 340 photo entries from all over B.C. and Alberta. The Friends of Kootenay Board short listed 46 wonderful pictures for the judges to review. Local photographers Achim Purschwitz, Hans Fuhrer and Mayor of Radium Hot Springs Dee Conklin were the selected judges who had the task of choosing the top three winners of the Photo contest. Wayne Noga from Edmonton (and part time resident of Radium Ridge) was the first place winner with a photo of a Ram stretching to eat berries from the Mountain Ash trees on Main Street in Radium. Wayne will take home the “Big Horn Sheep Horn Fused Glass Statue donated by Leslie Israelson. Second price which is a Lumix Digital camera donated by Invermere One hour Photo was won by Paul Milligan from Calgary, who submitted a Ram head shot. Sandra deVries from Salmon Arm BC takes third prize of a Ram jumping a fence in Radium. She receives a pair of “Celestron Waterproof Binoculars also donated from Invermere One Hour Photo. Friends of Kootenay National Park would like to thank all photographers who participated in our contest and look forward to including selected photos in our table top photo book to be published this Spring.

 

 

SPONSOR A BIGHORN

Bighorn sheep have lived in the Radium area for thousands of years. In the past 50 years there has been pressure on this “species of concern” from more people and development encroachment into habitat, forest in-growth and busy highways.

Please help with research efforts by donating to the Sponsor a Bighorn Program. Donate at the lamb, Ewe, Ram or Full curl Ram levels and receive a beautiful bighorn certificate.

some of our Bighorn Projects…

Bighorn Signs and Cameras

Every year the Mile Hill on highway 93/95 south of Radium claims up to 10% of the Radium Bighorn sheep population to vehicle collisions.

In 2008 the Friends along with the community of Radium Hot Springs the local Chamber of Commerce bought four Bighorn sheep warning signs for the Mile Hill and the hwy at the north end of the town to help address this ongoing highway mortality concern. Already we are seeing traffic slowing down and paying closer attention to the Bighorn that tend to feed on the slopes on either side of the highway.

As well a new camera monitoring research program is in place in the Restoration areas above the town of Radium. The Friends will be providing funds in the future to Parks Canada to purchase additional monitoring cameras.  These cameras will help assess the success of the ongoing habitat restoration work.

We take pride in our large band of over 150 sheep and would like to see these bighorn sheep remain healthy and around for our children and grandchildren.

Did You Know?

Our area is a showcase for scientific bighorn sheep research. It takes a lot of effort and money to protect the Radium-Stoddart bighorn sheep from road kill, invasive weeds, and development.

Sheep research and monitoring programs fund researchers, remote cameras, veterinarians and habitat restoration work. To slow drivers down new Bighorn Warning Signs are also being used.

You can help - Sponsor a Bighorn!

What does your donation do?

  • ongoing monitoring of Radium’s herd
  • research into movement patterns, habitat selection and ecosystem restoration
  • disease monitoring
  • habitat restoration activities
  • Bighorn Warning signs
  • Education

 By Sponsoring a Bighorn you will receive:

  • annual newsletters
  • updates on the state of the Radium-Stoddart band of bighorn sheep
  • Membership to the Friends of Kootenay National Park

To make a donation online, please CLICK HERE.
Or mail your donation or inquiry to:  Friends of Kootenay National Park; Box 512 Radium Hot Springs, BC V0A1M0

 

BIGHORN UPDATES

This informative update is provided annually by  Bighorn researchers and wildlife biologists with Kootenay National Park.

» Current Bighorn Issue - March 2009 (downloadable printable pdf)

» Bighorn Issue - January 2008 (downloadable printable pdf)

» Bighorn Issue - January 2007 (downloadable printable pdf)

Thank you for your interests in our Bighorn herd.  The Radium-Stoddart band comprises approximately ten percent of the British Columbia population of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep.