Case Study: Mountain goats and bighorn sheep in Yellowstone National Park

Introduction: Bighorn sheep under threat

In Yellowstone National Park, there is concern about the native bighorn sheep. Some of the reasons for this concern are competition from and diseases carried by mountain goats.

In order to prevent the species from going extinct in Yellowstone National Park, the park administration is considering to relocate some bighorn sheep into suitable habitats that are less likely to be used by mountain goats.

To assist the park administration, your tasks are

1. To identify suitable bighorn sheep and mountain goat habitats in Yellowstone National Park
2. Based on this, to select potential areas for the relocation scheme
3. To give a presentation on your approach and findings
4. To make recommendations to the park administration