Input Sought On Bighorn Sheep Decline Study

      The Arizona Game and Fish Department is conducting an additional public meeting from 6-9 p.m., July 18 at the Mesa Regional Office at 200 E. University Drive, Mesa to receive public comment on the "Study to Investigate The Possible Causes of the Declining Population of Desert Bighorn Sheep in the Goat-Stewart Mountain Complex" draft Environmental Assessment (EA).

      The department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently released the EA to investigate possible causes contributing to population declines of desert bighorn sheep in the Goat-Stewart Mountain Complex.

The department's proposed action is to experimentally reduce the local mountain lion population by 75 percent during the three-year research project to evaluate its effectiveness as a management tool in the recovery of bighorn sheep. To achieve the research objective, it is necessary to significantly reduce the number of mountain lions in the local population to evaluate changes in depredation rates on bighorn sheep and their recovery.

      Copies of the EA are available at all Game and Fish regional offices and on the department's website www.azgfd.com http://www.azgfd.com

Written requests for copies should be addressed

to Arizona Game and Fish Department, 2221 W. Greenway Road, Phoenix, AZ

85023 The deadline for submitting written comments on the EA is July 20, 2001. Written comments should be mailed to Arizona Game and Fish Department, ATTN: Unit 22 Environmental Assessment - WMHB, 2222 W. Greenway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85023.