Sheep show sets records, raises $6.4 million for wild sheep conservation – Outdoor News
Reno, Nev. — Earlier this month, a record $6.4 million was raised in one night for wild sheep conservation at the Wild Sheep Foundation’s 47th annual convention in Reno, Nev.
During the event, a record $600,000 was paid at auction for a bighorn sheep permit issued by the state of Colorado, the highest amount for a sheep permit in history. The New Mexico Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep permit sold for another $600,000 shortly thereafter.
At this premier event for raising dedicated funding for state, provincial, territorial, and tribal wildlife agencies for their wild sheep and other big-game management programs, as well as other WSF mission programs, one highlight is the auctioning of special conservation permits offered by these agencies. This year, 13 permits were sold for record amounts, with two tying previous records. From these permits alone, $3.7 million was raised.
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“It’s amazing the number of records that keep getting surpassed each year,” said Gray N. Thornton, president and CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation.
Money raised from sheep permits goes toward wild sheep management and enhancement programs to maintain and grow wild sheep populations.
