The Department of Game and Fish is investigating the death of one of the Bighorn Sheep recently released in the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson. Spokesman Mark Hart said the ram’s death could have been caused by a fall, a predator or by stress from the relocation.
“It’s possible that something known as capture-myopathy may have stressed the sheep to the extent it developed acute cahodosis, which can lead to heart failure,” Hart said.
He said the death is not totally unexpected but is disappointing. The ram was one of six released into the Santa Catalina, along with two-dozen ewes, after being captured in the Yuma area.