Bighorn Range Secured

Conservation

The Nature Conservancy of Idaho has bought the 45 Ranch at the confluence of the South Fork and Little Owyhee rivers to preserve bighorn sheep habitat and public access to the Owyhee Canyon.

The sale of the 240 acres of private land plus grazing permits on 65,000 acres of adjacent state and federal range was made last week.

About 10 percent of the continent’s population of California bighorn sheep are located in southwestern Idaho. The 900 in the Owyhee Canyon is the largest population left in the United States.