A4
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KLMNO THE ENVIRONMENT Greener refrigerator set to enter U.S. market in 2011 Hydrocarbonmodel,
sold around theworld, seen as safer for Earth
BY LESLIE TAMURA Greenhouse gases other than
carbon dioxide may not get as much global attention, but poli- cymakers and business leaders viewcurbing these emissions as a way that nations can shrink their carbon footprints. Refrigeratorshave a role in this
story. For decades, Americans have
known only two types of house- hold refrigerators: the pre-1996 fridge that uses an ozone-deplet-
ing chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) re- frigerant — commonly known by its trademark name, Freon—and the subsequent models that use the global-warming refrigerant called hydrofluorocarbon (HFC). When CFCs float into the air,
their chlorine molecules eat the ozone. HFCs may not harm the ozone, but they can hang in the atmosphere for decades, absorb- ing radiation that would other- wise be released into space. A better refrigerant, environ- mentalists have argued since the early 1990s, is a hydrocarbon refrigerant. Made of only carbons and hy-
drogens, these “natural” refriger- ants do not degrade the ozone andare easily brokendownby the sun. Compared with the atmo-
sphere-degrading refrigerants currently used in American households, hydrocarbons con- tribute little to global warming. As early as next year, Ameri-
cans may have a new hydrocar- bon refrigerator option that can reduce their global warming im- pact and their energy bills. U.S. manufacturers would be entering the HFC-free domestic refrigera- tion market that the Germans helped establish in 1993. Back then, the United States
was phasing out CFCs, and the chemical industry was introduc- ing HFCs as a possible replace- ment. Greenpeace, the nonprofit advocacy group, was not happy with the “environmental alterna- tive” to CFCs, said Amy Larkin, director of Greenpeace Solutions.
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PETROSSIAN SALMON ROE......3.5 OZ. 16.00 PETROSSIAN STURGEON CAVIAR ....OZ. 39.00 FRESH RUSSIAN OSETRA CAVIAR...OZ. 149.00 FRESH USA SEVRUGA CAVIAR.......OZ. 99.00 FRESH DUCK PATE FOIE GRAS .....8 OZ. 13.00 33.00 39.99 11.99 6.99 9.99 6.99 9.99 6.99 8.99 7.99 5.99 5.49 6.49
FRESH BLOCK DUCK FOIE GRAS...3.5 OZ. ROUGIE DUCK FOIE GRAS W/TRUFFLES ...5.1 OZ. PARMESAN REGGIANO (ITALY) ........ LB. BRIE COURONNE 60% (FRANCE)
................LB. STILTON (ENGLAND)
.............................LB. EMMENTHAL (SWITZERLAND)
................LB. GRUYERE ( SWITZERLAND)
....................LB. CORNED BEEF & PASTRAMI REG CUT
...LB. CORNED BEEF & PASTRAMI 1ST
CUT....LB. RARE ROAST
BEEF............................LB. FRENCH ROAST BEANS REG &
DECAF.....LB. CAMPAGNE PATE .......................1/2 LB. MOUSSE TRUFFEE PATE ..............1/2 LB.
HMOST POPULAR WINE SALEH AMERICA
BERINGER CLINE
BAREFOOT CAB • CHARD • PINOT GRIGIO .........4.99 WHITE ZINFANDEL ...................4.49 CA. COLL CHARD • CAB • SAU BLANC...5.29 FOUNDERS –ALL TYPES– ........5.99 NAPA CHARDONNAY ............9.99
BV COASTAL CAB • CHARD • MER • PINOT NOIR ...............6.49 REBATE 2 BOT $3 • 4 BOT $7 • 6 BOT $12
BLACKSTONE MERLOT • CABERNET • CHARD .....6.99 REBATE 3 BOT $5 • 6 BOT $12 • 12 BOT $30 ZINFANDEL..............................9.99
REBATE 3 BOT $3 • 6 BOT $9 • 12 BOT $24
CLOS du BOIS CHARDONNAY • SAUV BLANC
COLUMBIA CREST ESTANCIA
ANCIENT VINES ZINFANDEL......... 13.99
CABERNET • MERLOT...................9.99 CHARD • CAB/MER • SHIRAZ • CAB... 5.99
8.48
EDNA VALLEY CHARDONNAY .......................8.99 CHARD • PIN GRIGIO • SAUV BL....8.99 CABERNET • PINOT NOIR • MERLOT... 10.99
GR EST CHARD • CAB • MERLOT...7.99
HOGUE CHARD • FUME • RIESLINGS • CAB ..........6.99 REBATE 3 BOT $3 • 6 BOT $9 • 12 BOT $24
FRANCISCAN HESS
MARIETTA OLD VINES RED ...........................9.99 MARK WEST PINOT NOIR ...........................8.99 MERIDIAN CHARD • CAB • MER • PINOT NOIR.....5.49 MIRASSOU PINOT NOIR • CHARDONNAY ..........6.99
J LOHR
MONDAVI CHARD • CAB • MER • P. NOIR
PRIVATE SELECTION
REBATE 3 BOT $5 • 6 BOT $12 • 12 BOT $30
RAVENSWOOD ZIN • CHARD • CAB • MERLOT
ROBERT MONDAVI RODNEY STRONG
SIMI STE. MICHELLE
MONDAVI WOODBRIDGE -ALL TYPES- ..............4.99 REBATE 4 BOT $5 • 6 BOT $10 • 12 BOT $15
REBATE 3 BOT $5 • 6 BOT $12 • 12 BOT $30 FUME BLANC ... 12.99
6.88 5.95
ST. JEAN CHARDONNAY.........................8.99 REBATE 2 BOT $3 • 4 BOT $7 • 6 BOT $12
REBATE 2 BOT $3 • 6 BOT $12 • 12 BOT $24 SAUVIGNON BLANC ....................9.99 CHARDONNAY .......................11.99
TURNING LEAF CHARDONNAY • CAB • MERLOT ...4.99 NEWYEAR'SBONUS
RIESLING........................6.99 CHARDONNAY • SAUV. BLANC ...7.99
DUBOEUF NOUVEAUBEAUJOLAIS - VILLAGES CHATEAU PLANTIGNY
REBATE 3 BOT $5 • 6 BOT $12 • 12 BOT $30 MONKEY BAY.................. NOBILO................................. ITALIAN BONUSES
ECCO DOMANI PINOT GRIGIO
ANTINORI SANTA CRISTINA
PENFOLDS KOONUNGA SHIRAZ/CAB
-YELLOW TAIL ALL TYPES -
ALAMOS MALBEC
CATENA MALBEC
NEWZEALAND SAUVIGNON BLANC KIM CRAWFORD........
8.88 11.99
6.99 7.99
6.76 6.98
AUSTRALIAN BONUSES
6.46 4.69
ARGENTINE BONUSES
CHARDONNAY.......................... 13.98 SPANISH BONUSES
MARQUES de RISCAL TEMPRANILLO • BLANCO
SATURDAY HOURS
NEW RIOJA RESERVA ........................ 13.88
15.95 4.88
6.77
CABERNET ...... 19.99 CHARDONNAY....9.99 CABERNET...... 11.99
REBATE 2 BOT $3 • 6 BOT $10 • 12 BOT $24
KENDALL-JACKSON CHARDONNAY • ZINFANDEL
SAUVIGNON BLANC • RIESLING...8.99 GRAND RESERVE CHARDONNAY...13.99
9.99 LIBERTY SCHOOL CABERNET • CHARD..............9.99
LOUIS MARTINI SONOMA CABERNET (90 WA) ... 10.99 REBATE 2 BOT $5 • 4 BOT $15 RIVERSTONE CHARDONNAY ............8.99
7 OAKS CAB • MERLOT • PINOT NOIR... 10.99
REBATE 3 BOT $5 • 6 BOT $12 • 12 BOT $30 CHARDONNAY ........ 12.99 CABERNET............. 18.99
CHARDONNAY ...........................8.99 CABERNET ............................. 12.99
1.75 LITER SALE SCOTCH
INVER HOUSE
$3 REB=10.99
MACGREGOR 13.79
13.99 CLAN
GRANT’S 21.49
SMUGGLER CLUNY
16.49 15.49
GRAND DAD 19.44
BEAM 20.77
JIM
14.69 SEVEN CROWN
EARLY TIMES
13.99
SMIRNOFF $516.99
LUKSUSOWA 17.49
• 3 OLIVES •SKYY
$5 REB=15.88 20.88
TANQUERAY STERLING
19.99
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE
29.99
BEEFEATER $823.88
P. MASSON 17.99
STOCK 13.99
E 16.99& J VSOP
•E & J • KORBEL
15.49
TANQUERAY 25.88
REB=15.88 REB=11.99
J&B 24.49
•DEWAR’S WHITE LABEL
•JOHNNIE WALKER RED
•FAMOUS GROUSE
$528.77 27.99 REB=23.77
WILD TURKEY 80°
101° 29.79
$4 REB=14.99 18.99
DANIEL’S 32.99
CROWN ROYAL
34.99 JACK
VODKA STOLICHNAYA 27.99
$10 REB=17.99
GREY GOOSE 48.99
$10 REB=38.99
ABSOLUT 27.88
BELVEDERE 46.99
GIN
BOOTH’S 17.99
SEAGRAM’S 14.99
BOMBAY ORIGINAL
23.99
GILBEY’S 12.49
MYERS RUM
33.99
RONRICO 11.99
CRUZAN 16.49
BURNETTS 11.99
GORDON’S $512.99
REB=7.99
FLEISCHMANN’S $39.95
REB=6.95 BRANDY • RUM
CAPTAIN MORGAN
MALIBU $318.49 MARTELLPASQUINET 16.99
18.44 BACARDI
REB=15.49
MOUNT GAY
$3 REB=21.99 HENNESSY
JAMESON IRISH
35.99
• CUTTY SARK • BALLANTINE • WH. HORSE
22.49
CHIVASREGAL 47.49
WALKER BLACK 50.99
JOHNNIE
BOURBON • BLEND • CANADIAN OLD
SEAGRAM’S V.O.
CANADIAN CLUB
13.99 $39.69
KENTUCKY GENTLEMAN
REB = 6.69
• OLD CROW • CAN. MIST
• BL. VELVET • WINDSOR
10.69
GORDON’S $511.49
ZELKO 8.69
REB=6.49 FLEISCHMANNS
GILBEY’S 11.99
•POPOV • WOLFSCHMIDT
9.99
MILWAUKEES BEST........................24PK 11.99 NATURAL LIGHT............................24PK 10.99 PABST BLUE RIBBON.....................24PK 14.99 SCHAEFFER...................................24PK 12.49
HARP • SPATEN...................................20.99 LABATT • FOSTERS...............................21.49 HEINEKEN • AMSTEL ............................21.99 RED HOOK • NEW CASTLE STELLA ARTOIS • PILSNER URQUEL DOMINION • KILLIANS CORONA • BASS ALE.........................
SIERRA NEVADA • GUINNESS SAMUEL ADAMS • BLUE MOON PAULANER • NEGRA MODELO ..........
12.99 ABERLOUR BALVENIE
BUD REG & LT • ROLLING ROCK...............16.49 MILLER LITE & DRAFT • YUENGLING LAGER..16.49 DOS EQUIS • RED STRIPE ....................18.99 MOLSON • MICHELOB BECKS • ST. PAULI GIRL...................
—BOTTLES • CASE OF 24—
BUSCH ......................................... 30PK13.99 ROEDERER ESTATE 30PK18.49
HBeer SaleH —CANS—
BUDWEISER REG & LIGHT MILLER LITE & DRAFT • COORS LT.
ALBRECHT( 19.99 25.99
GLENKINCHIE 12YR .............................. 33.99 12YR............... 32.99
GLENMORANGIE 10YR.......................... 31.99 GLENROTHES RESERVE........................... 37.99 HIGHLAND PARK 12YR......................... 39.99 GREEN ........ 42.99 BLUE ........ 139.95 GOLD ......... 52.99
GLENFIDDICH GLENLIVET
LAGAVULIN 16YR................................. 59.99 QUARTER CASK............. 49.99
10.99 MACALLAN
JOHNNIEWALKER LAPHROAIG
OBAN 14YR.......................................... 51.99 SPRINGBANK 10YR .............................. 47.99 TALISKER 10YR..................................... 44.99 THE SINGLETON 12YR........................... 29.99 TOMATIN 12YR .................................... 22.99
HCognac SaleH
COURVOISIER DECOURTET
FRANSAC 24.99 REMYMARTIN
VS......... 19.99 VSOP...... 25.99
DELAMAIN PALE & DRY ........................... 74.99 FERRAND AMBRE .................................. 38.99 25 YR OLD............... 59.99 35 YR OLD............. 149.00 50 YR OLD............. 249.00 70 YR OLD............. 275.00
XO ........ 89.00 VS......... 17.99 VSOP ..... 26.99 XO ........ 59.99
10YR........................ 41.99 12YR ................. 41.99 15YR ................. 65.99 CASK STRENGTH..... 52.99
Although domestic refrigera-
tion accounts for less than 2 percent of current global HFC consumption (automobile air conditioners emit the most HFCs), an HFC refrigerant’s im- pact on the climate is 3,830 times morepotent overa20-year period than the most common green- house gas, carbon dioxide. “But hydrocarbons weren’t on
anyone’s radar,” Larkin said, “and when we brought this to the government agencies, telling them these were a better, safe, efficient alternative,wewere ridi- culed.” Regardless, Greenpeace ap-
pealed to a small German manu- facturer and helped engineer the world’s first hydrocarbon domes- tic refrigerator. Within three
HChampagne &Sparkling SaleH – AMERICAN SPARKLING –
CHANDON BRUT • ROSE • NOIRS ................ 13.99 COOKS BRUT…$15 CASE REBATE = 3.74...........4.99 DOMAINE CARNEROS BRUT .................. 18.99
GLORIA FERRER BRUT • BLANC NOIRS 13.99 $15 REBATE ON 6 BOTS = 11.49
KORBEL BRUT • EXTRA DRY ..........................9.95 MUMM NAPA BRUT • ROSE ..................... 14.99 PIPER SONOMA BRUT • BLANC de BLANCS.... 10.99 BRUT ............. 16.99 L’HERMITAGE .... 34.99
STE MICHELLE BRUT • BLANC de BLANCS ..........8.99
– IMPORTED SPARKLING – CREMANT BRUT
MARTINI & ROSSI ASTI SPUMANTE ........... 11.99 MIONETTO PROSECCO............................... 9.99 REBULI PROSECCO .................................. 14.99 ROSA REGALE..................................... 15.99 TORRE ALTA PROSECCO .......................... 10.69
CHARLES LAFITTE FREIXENET
HMalt Scotch SaleH 12YR ................ 34.99
BOWMORE 12YR.................................. 35.99 BUNNAHABHAIN 12YR ......................... 44.99 CAOL ILA 12YR..................................... 44.99 CRAGGANMORE 12YR.......................... 39.99 DALMORE 12YR ................................... 31.99 DALWHINNIE 15YR............................... 39.99 12YR.......... 34.99 15YR.......... 42.99
A’ BUNADH ......... 51.99 12YR .................... 35.99 15YR .................... 49.99
22.99 FEUILLATTE MOET
DEMOISELLE
CRISTALINO BRUT....................................6.99 CORDON NEGRO $2 REB = 5.99. 7.99 CARTA NEVADA .............. 5.99
BOUVET BRUT ...................................... 10.69 BRUT
D’ALSACE ) ROSE ...... ROSE .........
16.99 9.99
– CHAMPAGNE –
BOLLINGER BRUT.................................. 54.99 CHARLES HEIDSIECK BRUT..................... 39.99 BRUT (92 WS)...... 29.99 BRUT 1/2 BOT ..... 16.99 BRUT ROSE......... 36.99
weeks, theGerman company pre- sold 70,000 HFC-free “Green- freeze” refrigerators. SinceMarch 15, 1993, when the
first Greenfreeze refrigerator de- buted inGermany,morethan 400 million hydrocarbon household units have been sold worldwide by several major manufacturers including Whirlpool, Haier and Sanyo.
HFC-free refrigerators have
been sold inMexico, South Amer- ica, Cuba and parts of Africa, along with Japan, China and throughout Europe. “Europe has produced incred-
ibly safe, popular refrigerators, but there’s still some suspicion in the U.S.,” said Durwood Zaelke, director of the Secretariat of the International Network for Envi- ronmental Compliance and En- forcement. Hydrocarbons are flammable,
and there have been isolated inci- dents of exploding hydrocarbon refrigerators. But manufacturers meet their
country’s standards and often have an independent safety orga- nization evaluate their applianc- es. Although hydrocarbon units may have more robust compo- nents to prevent leaks, they do not differ much from HFC refrig- erators. Typical refrigerators en- close the refrigerant in a hermeti- cally sealed system away from anything that may spark, such as the refrigerator light. Based on the track record of
the hydrocarbon refrigerators, Zaelke said, it’s unclear whether concerns about exploding refrig- erators is “a true safety concern or just a clever argument for those who make chemicals. One would think they’re relatively safe when there are millions sold in Europe.” General Electric plans to intro-
duce the firsthydrocarbon house- hold refrigerator in the United States in June 2011, giving Ameri- cans a more environmentally friendly option, though at a hefty price. Insulated with hydrocarbon
MUMM CORDON ROUGE........................... 29.99 PERRIER JOUET BRUT ........................... 29.99
PIPER HEIDSIECK()32.99 $20 REBATE 6 BOT • $45 CASE = 29.24
BRUT • X DRY SUBLIME
POL ROGER BRUT................................. 39.99 POMMERY BRUT .................................. 29.99 BRUT ................. 31.99 VINTAGE 2003....... 54.99
15YR OAK......... 49.99 TAITTINGER
ROEDERER VERVECLICQUOT
KAHLUA
BRUT................. 36.99 ROSE................. 57.99 ROSE 2002 .......... 79.99 GRANDE DAME.... 125.00
CRISTAL 2002...... 195.00 BRUT ............. 31.99 VINTAGE 2004... 66.99
KRUG GRANDE CUVEE........................... 125.00 LAURENT PERRIER BRUT....................... 31.99 LOUIS SACY BRUT GRAND CRU .................. 34.99 IMPERIAL…REB $2 • 6 BOT $30... 32.99 IMPERIAL…MAGNUM.............. 64.99 NECTAR DEMI SEC ................. 39.99 ROSE BRUT ........................ 46.99 VINTAGE 2003..................... 51.99
DOM PERIGNON 2002....................... 125.00 BRUT ................. 27.99 ROSE ................. 38.99 BLANC de BLANCS ... 42.99 PALMES D’OR...... 110.00
foam and cooled by a hydrocar- bon refrigerant called isobutane, the 30-inch HFC-free refrigerator would be part of GE’s luxury Monogram brand, selling for about $6,000 to $6,500. “You’re making a significant
investment, but this is all part of the gradual reduction in how much HFCs are used,” said Mer- rellGrant, the generalmanager of
GEMonogram. Before these refrigerators can
roll out to retailers, however, GE says it will wait for final approval from the Environmental Protec- tion Agency’s Significant New Al- ternatives Program. SNAP, which regulates chemi-
cals or technologies that replace ozone-depleting substances, ruled in 1994 that hydrocarbon refrigerants were too risky to be used in household refrigerators in theUnited States. According to an EPA spokesman, at the time there was not enough informa- tion about the hydrocarbon re- frigerant’s flammability poten- tial, and there were other non- flammable refrigerants available. After issuing a proposal in July
2010 to amend the SNAP rule, the EPA is expected to approve use of HFC-free refrigerants in domes- tic refrigerators next year. “Hydrocarbons will slowly take
over the market,” said Stephen O. Andersen, former director of Strategic Climate Projects in the EPA’s Climate Protection Partner- ship Division. Hydrocarbons are already commonplace in many house- hold appliances — gas stoves, water heaters, furnaces — and used in products such as bath- room cleaners, air fresheners and cooking sprays. “Refrigerators are safe with hy-
drocarbons,” Andersen said. “Come on, people will hold a blow dryer in one hand, and a can of aerosol hairspray in the other.” A handful of companies based
in the United States have started using natural refrigerants in in- dustrial food service equipment. Select Ben & Jerry’s stores in Boston and the District received federal approval in 2008 to use hydrocarbon propane freezers as demonstration projects. Coca-Co- la has also invested$60million to advance HFC-free cooling global- ly.
At the recent United Nations
Framework Convention on Cli- mate Change in Cancun, Mexico, 400 international companies, in- cluding Unilever and Wal-Mart, pledged they would phase out HFCs from all industrial equip- ment by 2015. Said former EPA official Andersen: “I think if the market sees the tide changing and starts converting everything to hydrocarbons . . . it couldmake a big difference.”
tamural@washpost.com
MONDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2010
HAfter DinnerH
AMARETTO di SARONNO..................... 18.49 BAILEYS IRISH CREAM ........................ 16.99 B&B • DRAMBUIE ............................... 29.99 COINTREAU........................................ 31.99 DRY SACK SHERRY…$3 REBATE = 8.99 ........ 11.99 FRANGELICO....................................... 17.49 GRAND MARNIER • GALLIANO............ 29.99
12.99
HARVEYS BRISTOL CREAM.....................8.99 H1.5 Liter Magnum SaleH
ALICE WHITE SHIRAZ • CHARDONNAY • MERLOT...8.79 BELLA SERA PINOT GRIGIO • PINOT NOIR .........8.99 BERINGER STONE CELLARS.....................8.99 BV CENTURY.........................................8.99 CAVIT PINOT GRIGIO • PINOT NOIR • MERLOT......9.49
CONCHA Y TORO 6.29 $12 CASE REBATE = 4.29
CORBETT CANYON -ALL TYPES-...................6.49 CITRA TREBBIANO • MONTEPULCIANO • SANGIOVESE ....6.99 ESTRELLA CAB • CHARD • MER • SAUV BL..........8.95 FOLONARI VALPOLICELLA • SOAVE • PINOT GRIGIO...8.79
COLUMBIA CREST SHIRAZ CHARDONNAY • MERLOT/CAB
HARDY VSOP ....................................... 29.99 VS.................. 24.99 VSOP .............. 36.99
XO ..................... 89.95 VSOP.............. 37.99
VSOP................... 29.99 CORDON BLEU......... 74.99
NAPOLEON........ 41.99 VSOP............. 31.99 1738 ACCORD ... 43.99 XO................ 95.00
4339 CONNECTICUT AVE., NW H ADJACENT TO VANNESS METRO STOP HOURS: M-F 10-8:30 • SAT 9:30-8:30 H SALE THRU SATURDAY
WWW.CALVERTWOODLEY.COM H
WINE@CALVERTWOODLEY.COM
GIFT CARD AVAILABLE
GLEN ELLEN CHARDONNAY • MERLOT • CABERNET...6.99 LINDEMANS BINS & BLENDS ........................8.79 LITTLE PENGUIN.....................................8.99 MERIDIAN CHARDONNAY • CABERNET........... 11.99 RENE JUNOT RED • WHITE ..........................8.49 TWO OCEANS........................................9.69 WALNUT CREST MERLOT • CHARD • CABERNET ..7.49 WOODBRIDGE -ALL TYPES- $2 REBATE = 6.99....8.99 VENDANGE ALL TYPES ...............................6.49 YELLOW TAIL -ALL TYPES-...........................9.69
8.99
ALMADEN FRANZIA
H4•5Liter SaleH GENERIC................. 5LTR 11.99
CARLO ROSSI ALL TYPES....................4LTR 9.49 CHABLIS • BURG • BLUSH... 5LTR 11.49 CHARD • CAB • MERLOT ... 5LTR 12.99
CHARD • CAB • MERLOT ... 5LTR 13.99 TONY GUTIERREZ/ASSOCIATED PRESS ATexas wildlife official, center, gets an assist with a bighorn ram.
Some bighorn sheep are back home on the range Texas restoration
project brings area into ecological ‘balance’
BY BETSY BLANEY
big bend ranch state park, tex. — Dozens of majestic big- horn sheep have been moved into a Texas state park as part of wildlife-restoration efforts aimed at returning the sheep—decimat- ed by hunting, fencing and dis- ease—to their historic range. Twelve curly-horned rams and
34 ewes (most of them pregnant) were plucked by helicopter from one rugged area of western Texas, hobbled and then transported almost 100 miles away to their newhome in the Big Bend Ranch State Park. The release marked the first reintroduction of the iconic bighorns into a Texas state park. “The bighorn belong here,” Mike Pittman, the area’s wildlife manager, said Tuesday. “They’re part of the ecosystem.” All but gone from Texas by the
1960s, earlier efforts to restore the bighorns in the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas were sur- prisingly successful. This fall,
Texas Parks and Wildlife Depart- ment biologists tallied 1,115 sheep, up from 822 in 2006 and 352 in 2002. Bighorn sheep, which can
bound up to 20 feet from ledge to ledge, prefer bluffs and steep slopes with sparse vegetation and an unobstructed view. The first 29 sheep captured last
week bolted away from their trav- el trailers and crates after being released and quickly scampered up into the steep terrain of the Boficillos Mountains. About 80 volunteers, conservation sup- porters, and state and federal wildlife officials cheeredthemon. The two-day operation cost
about $40,000. Donations to the Bighorn Sheep Society and other nonprofit groups, along with rev- enue from 16 hunting permits issued this year, covered the cost. TheMexican cement company
Cemex has helped sponsor an area-wide effort to conserve land for birds and animals, and its wildlife coordinator, Bonnie McKinney, said bighorn are inte- gral to the region’s landscape. “When you bring them back,
you’re putting it back in balance,” she said. “It wasmanthat messed it up, but we can fix it.” —Associated Press
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