Dall sheep get busy at Yukon wildlife preserve as staff report modest baby boom

WHITEHORSE — The Yukon Wildlife Preserve north of Whitehorse appears to have turned into a busy nursery, despite the best efforts of staff.

Executive director Greg Meredith says the preserve has welcomed 15 newborns this spring.

The baby boom has occurred even though Meredith says the males and females of the some of the friskier species were separated last year.

He says the preserve now has five baby muskox, which he describes as “cute as buttons,” along with two young bison and four mountain goats, including a set of twins.

Elk, bison and caribou calves are also expected over the coming weeks.

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Meredith says while there will always be some unexpected arrivals, especially among the mule deer, even the Dall sheep welcomed a lamb.

“For the sheep, we did separate them but we have a little Dall baby who was kind of like an ‘oops,’ that we didn’t really plan on, but that’s OK.”

Meredith says the preserve has lots of mule deer and ensures they’re separated at breeding time, but believes one or two more will arrive soon. (CKRW)

The Canadian Press