Founded in 1977 and then known as the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep (FNAWS), the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) is THE conservation organization dedicated to restoring wild sheep populations that dwindled to historical lows in North America in the 1950s and ‘60s. With private funding from its members and proceeds from an annual convention known as “The Sheep Show®,” the Wild Sheep Foundation and its Chapters and Affiliates actively fund initiatives throughout North America and beyond to accomplish its purpose and mission. WSF’s overarching strategic goal is to ensure that wild sheep populations and their habitats worldwide are effectively managed, accessible, utilized and supported by interested stakeholders.In over 47 years, the Wild Sheep Foundation has raised and directed more than $145 million “To Put and Keep Wild Sheep on the Mountain®” – with more than $75 million raised and directed to agencies from special permits and tags alone. This funding has been used to support wild sheep transplants, telemetry studies, research, habitat enhancements (e.g., prescribed burning, water development, noxious weed control), disease surveillance and response strategies, predator management, education and a host of related programs. Trap and transplants conducted west-wide initially brought bighorn sheep from Alberta and British Columbia to western states resulting in a modern day wildlife success story. Since 1922, more than 22,000 wild sheep have been transplanted in nearly 1,500 discrete operations, in 15 states and two provinces. Rocky Mountain, California and desert sheep numbering ~25,000 in the 1950s have been expanded more than three-fold, with current estimates or 85,000-90,000 today. Dall’s and Stone’s sheep in the North are currently estimated near 100,000.
This conservation success is a credit to the more than 11,000 WSF members worldwide. Combined with WSF Chapter and Affiliate members, our dedicated members contribute thousands of hours volunteering for wild sheep conservation projects, as well as generously donating critically-needed funding, to help bring back wild sheep from the brink…but there is still much work to be done. Please join us in support of wild sheep!
