Desert bighorn sheep rams make their way into their new home at Franklin Mountains State Park.

Article and photos by Abbye Shattuck

The low rumble of hooves rang out in El Paso’s Franklin Mountains State Park on Wednesday, December 4. Hundreds of spectators watched eagerly as one by one, 77 desert bighorn sheep returned to their native range for the first time in decades, marking a significant step in restoring this native species to its former habitat.

The release captivated the region, drawing widespread media attention to record the historic moment. Dozens of reporters crowded around the trailers, with cameras clicking furiously as the bighorn made their way across the high desert landscape. The El Paso Times quoted BRI Director Dr. Louis Harveson in an article covering the event.

“Bighorn sheep are iconic. They truly speak to the wildness of the desert and the desert mountains that they inhabit,” Harveson said. “They are kind of a canary in a coal mine when it comes to habitat quality. So, if we know that we can sustain bighorn sheep populations, that really means we can sustain a lot of different wildlife diversity within that same mountain range.”



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Sul Ross State University is seeking a director for the new West Texas Water Research Center, which will be incubated at BRI for its initial three years of operation beginning in 2025.

With University leadership, faculty and stakeholders, the new Director will develop a strategic plan encompassing research, education, and service.

The Center will lead collaborative solutions to groundwater management, eroded watersheds and aging infrastructure to support landowners, communities and water managers. Our goal is ensuring a secure water future for West Texas and educating the next generation of water experts.

The idea for a new West Texas Water Research Center has been percolating for a while, and it gained traction and support after the successful Water in the Desert conference hosted at Sul Ross in early 2024.

Apply here and/or share the link, please!

https://sulross.peopleadmin.com/postings/8208

Sul Ross State University will receive nearly $7.5 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education over the next five years that will help to develop new degree programs, including a new PhD in Natural Sciences.

The grant is funded through the Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) program. At Sul Ross, it will bolster graduate programs across the university, and the lion’s share ($4 million) will jumpstart a new Cooperative Doctoral Program in Range and Wildlife Science in partnership with Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Texas Tech, both longtime partners of BRI and Sul Ross.

Over the next five years, funding for BRI will support stipends and scholarships for 10 PhD students, two new faculty positions, two new research scientists and several other supporting items.

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Go wild in Alpine Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2025! Our friends at Visit Alpine have organized a weekend of education and fun. Learn about wildlife of the Chihuahuan Desert from experts on a variety of species and topics, including the return of black bear in Texas, bats as essential pollinators, and bighorn sheep restoration. In partnership with the City of Alpine, visitors and locals are invited to hear from biologists from BRI, Bat Conservation International, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Wildlife Association, and many more. A scavenger hunt, art workshop, rainwater simulator, wildlife documentaries and guided hikes will be part of the festivities.

Click here for more info and a chance to win a 3-night stay at the historic Holland Hotel during the event!

Please share this enewsletter with others who may be interested in the work of the Borderlands Research Institute. SUBSCRIBE HERE so it comes straight to your inbox.

Borderlands Research Institute | 432.837.8225 | bri@sulross.edu | http://bri.sulross.edu

P.O. Box C-21, SRSU, Alpine, Texas 79832

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