Can confirm, ewe saw what you think ewe saw. In November and early December, park visitors might have seen bighorn sheep suspended below a helicopter. The helicopter captured and transported 60 sheep to level ground for biologists to be able to safely do their work. Researchers collected genetic, disease, immune, and microbiome samples from each bighorn sheep. They then fitted each sheep with a GPS tracking collar. While most desert bighorn sheep spend their lifetimes within a single mountain range, some ewes and rams journey between mountain ranges. These wanderers create important genetic diversity, but they can also spread disease between herds. Oregon State University (OSU) is working with the National Park Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to study bighorn sheep in Death Valley National Park to study links between movement, genetics, and disease. Read the full press release through the link in our bio. 📍 Death Valley National Park 📷 A bighorn sheep being transported by helicopter for biologists to sample it and attach a GPS collar. NPS/B. Sloan #DeathValleyNationalPark #FindYourPark