Southern Utah’s red rock country is about as wild West as it gets, and apparently its scientists are, too. A video posted Wednesday by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources shows one of its employees pulling off a bighorn sheep rescue, cowboy-style by lassoing animals trapped in a deep pothole formation at Lake Powell.
The footage was filmed earlier this year, after two wildlife biologists responded to a GPS-collar that was throwing a mortality signal.
When those collars fall off or the animal dies, the collar stops moving and the transmission signal changes. The DWR biologists headed out to collect the collar, expecting to either pick up a dropped device or find it attached to a dead sheep. After a boat ride and an hour hike into the area, the biologists discovered more than they bargained for. While they did find four dead sheep, one of which was collared, they also found three that were still alive and trapped in the natural rock arena.
Southern Utah includes many unique sandstone features, including high arches, narrow caverns, and deep potholes. Those potholes collect rainwater, and in turn, attract wild critters like bighorn sheep. That’s how DWR officials suspect the sheep became trapped in the first place.
“They probably went into it because it had water then realized they couldn’t get out,” Adam Kavalunas, DWR Southern Region outreach manager tells OL. “Once the water ran out, it was just a matter time before they passed.”
The video shows one lamb and two ewes. They’re agitated and attempt to scale the rock walls but keep sliding back to the bottom. During one attempt, the lamb nears the crest of escape but narrowly fails.
“The one [biologist] grew up with livestock, so he can rope,” Kavalunas says. “He was [also] the smaller of the two guys so it was easier to lower him down [into the hole] 15 to 20 feet by rope.”
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The roper lassoed each bighorn, while his colleague remained on the rim, hoisting each animal one by one. The surviving sheep sprinted away, unharmed. DWR officials estimate the bighorns were trapped for 16 days.
“Both of the men are really familiar with the area,” Kavalunas says. “They have a lot skills that can get animals, or themselves, out of sticky situations.”
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