A sharp-tailed grouse.
ELKO, Nevada – In 2013, the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), in cooperation with Idaho Fish and Game, Nevada Gold Mines (NGM), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS), initiated a reintroduction project for Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse (CSTG). In 1883, the Tuscarora Times made note of local hunters returning with 80 sharp-tailed grouse and sage hens, once a common upland game bird species found throughout Northern Nevada. By the early 1900’s CSTG were believed to be extirpated from historic range in Nevada and the time had come to repatriate this unique species to historic range in western Elko County. NDOW initially reached out to NGM, to see if they would be interested in partnering in the project and supporting the grouse being released on NGM’s private land, the IL Ranch. Vegetation monitoring was conducted by USGS comparing vegetative characteristics of well-known grouse habitat in Southeast Idaho to those of the Bull Run Basin on the IL Ranch. The USGS indicated that Bull Run Basin provided enough high-quality habitat to support a population of sharp-tailed grouse that could expand into adjacent ranges.
Thus began a five-year partnership, led by NDOW, to capture birds in Idaho and release them on the IL Ranch. The first translocation of birds into the Bull Run Basin included 35 females and 15 males. Many of these birds dispersed to new locations, but the following spring, three male sharp-tailed grouse established a lek (a communal breeding area) within a mile of where they had been released one year earlier. This marked the first time CSTG were observed lekking in Bull Run Basin in nearly 100 years. Over the next four years an additional 121 female and 45 male CSTG were repatriated to Bull Run Basin, near the naturally established lek.
During this time NDOW and USGS studied the survival and reproduction rates of the released birds and found that over time the number of males counted on the newly established strutting ground on the IL Ranch continued to grow and satellite leks had begun appearing in other areas of the Bull Run Basin. The grouse have now established five known leks and have persisted on the landscape for six years since the last release. Through diligent monitoring, NDOW believes it is highly likely all of the birds visible today are Nevada-born Columbian Sharp-Tailed grouse that are reproducing and growing the population.
“Nevada Gold Mines is pleased to partner with local agencies on this important project. We are committed to managing our ranch lands with environment-first best practices and to supporting and uplifting ecosystems wherever possible,” said Joel Donalson, NGM Head of Permitting, Environment & Ranches
To continue building on the success of this project, NDOW has partnered with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to augment the Nevada population with additional female grouse from Northwest Colorado in the spring of 2024. With continued support, this grouse reintroduction project will benefit the local ecosystem for generations to come.
About Nevada Gold Mines
Nevada Gold Mines is operated by Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD)(TSX:ABX) and is a joint venture between Barrick (61.5%) and Newmont (38.5%) that combined their significant assets across Nevada in 2019 to create the single largest gold-producing complex in the world.
Enquiries
Christine Keener
COO, North America
Tel: +1 (865) 209-0781
christine.keener@barrick.com
Peter Richardson
NGM Executive Managing Director
Tel: +1 (775) 934-3238
peter.richardson@nevadagoldmines.com
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