Watch Live: Desert Bighorn Sheep released into the Franklin Mountains

Watch the release live below:

UPDATE: A spokesperson for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says the release will be pushed back, it is likely to occur between 4 to 5 p.m. In a post on the Franklin Mountains State Park's Facebook, officials said the trek to El Paso should start around noon. They also updated the number of animals that will be part of the release, 80 bighorns are heading this way. Previously, officials estimated around 50.

EL PASO, TX (KVIA) – The Franklin Mountains will once again be home to the majestic desert bighorn sheep, marking a significant milestone in wildlife conservation for the Borderland. 

Fifty bighorn sheep are being translocated from the Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area near Alpine, Texas, to the Franklin Mountains in a historic restoration effort led by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).  

The release is set to take place this afternoon and will reintroduce the species to the area.

The desert bighorn sheep were once native to El Paso in the late 1800s, however due to unregulated hunting, resource competition from domestic sheep/goats, and disease, native desert bighorns were eradicated from the West TX landscape, according to the TPWD.

ABC-7 spoke to Froylan Hernandez, the Desert Bighorn Sheep Program Manager for TPWD who says this effort not only restores a piece of West Texas’ ecological history but also gives the community the opportunity to witness these animals in their natural habitat.  

“The Franklins don't have the exotic species, called aoudads, that are detrimental to bighorn,” said Hernandez. “The Franklins will serve as a site where we can go and catch the surplus animals and take to other places.”

The bighorn population in Texas has faced a steep decline in recent years due to disease. Hernandez estimates there are only about 700 bighorns remaining statewide, compared to 1,500 to 1,600 just five years ago. However, Hernandez noted that these diseases are not transmissible to humans. 

Many of the females being released are pregnant, and baby bighorns are expected in the coming months.  

The Franklin Mountains will strictly serve as a restoration area with no hunting allowed. “The people of El Paso can definitely, enjoy them as they're hiking around, as they're biking, as they're doing, you know, just their natural activities,” Hernandez said. “Right now, the only way that you can hunt and, Desert Bighorn is if you are issued a permit or a tag to hunt that animal. So I don't foresee that being an issue at the Franklins.”

Hernandez says the animals are naturally curious, but reassures the public that the bighorns should maintain a safe distance from humans. “They'll come up and try and observe and see what's going on as long as they are above you. If if they're above you, they feel safe. They don't feel threatened,” he said.

TPWD encourages residents to observe the animals from afar and avoid direct interactions to ensure their safety.

A spokesperson for TPWD told ABC-7 the release will take place sometime between 2-4 p.m. She said they are asking people to monitor the Franklin Mountain State Park or Texas State Parks Facebook pages for a more real time update. 

Everyone is invited to attend, the event will take place at the Franklin Mountains State Park (2900 Tom Mays Access Rd).