American Conservation officers are asking for the public’s help in finding a poacher responsible for illegally shooting a rare California bighorn sheep in the Okanagan.
Boom 109.1 reports:
The ram was found northwest of Kelowna along Westside Road in the Shelter Cove area on Friday.
A motorist spotted the injured animal next to the road around 5 p.m. and called conservation officers, according to a news release.
The herd that lives near Westside Road consists of approximately 75 animals, according to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service.
“The population has been supplemented with additional animals via translocations on several occasions to help maintain viable numbers,” conservation officer Ken Owens said in a news release. “No licensed harvest of bighorn sheep occurs in this area.”
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Owens said bighorn sheep are considered a “blue list” species in B.C., which means that they are a species of concern because of limited habitat options that keep their population low.
Conservation officers are urging anyone with information on the shooting, or any other illegal wildlife activity, to call the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline at 1-877-952-7277 or contact the nearest conservation officer service district office.
