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Conservation Programs

Conservation Report

$5000.00 Donation for the

West Texas Pronghorn Antelope Study

Recently our chapter was contacted by Louis A. Harveson, PH.D., Director of Borderlands Research Institute for Natural Resource Management. Dr. Harveson brought to our attention a crisis involving the West Texas Pronghorn Antelope. While this specific species of Antelope has experienced wild population swings since they had begun to be formally tracked in 1978, the current data demonstrated that the herd was crashing.

At that time there was no scientific explanation for the severe decline in the Antelope population. Dr. Harveson requested funds to conduct scientific research to determine the cause of the decline. The El Paso Chapter of Safari Club International led the initiative to provide funds for the research. With the combined contributions made by several chapters, Dr. Harveson was able to fund his research. On the opening day of hunting season for this specific species of Antelope, Dr. Harveson and a team of student researchers, with the cooperation of local hunters, were able to harvest and collect biological samples for his research.

The result of their research concluded that a parasite was responsible for the decline in populations. Since the natural habitat of Pronghorn Antelope is shared by cattle produced for domestic consumption they were able to identify that the parasite came from the cattle droppings. Since the two populations share the same water sources, the water was subsequently determined to be contaminated and a root cause of the decline within the Pronghorn Antelope populations.

We will be in contact with Dr. Harveson to stay appraised of his further research and plan to resolve this catastrophic impact on the West Texas Pronghorn Antelope population. The El Paso Chapter of Safari Club International will continue to support the conservation efforts of this unique species in our region. (John W. Noey, Conservation Chairman and Director)

Operation Game Thief

Other Donations

Texas Bighorn Society - $2,000 to help fund the Texas Parks and Wildlife ongoing Big Horn Sheep project from Van Horn to Alpine, Texas.

Several other donations are being considered and will be announced in the near future.