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On Friday, January 19, 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service International Affairs (IA) Program was presented with the Federal Statesman Award by the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) at their annual convention and sporting expo, known as the “Sheep Show®,” in Reno, Nevada.
Through this award, the WSF recognized and expressed appreciation for IA's leadership and dedicated work to ensure that trophy import permitting promotes the conservation of wild sheep and goats of the world. Don Morgan, IA’s Deputy Assistant Director, accepted the award on behalf of the program. Supervisory Biologist Jacob Mesler and Senior Biologist Syrena Johnson, from IA’s Branch of Permits, also attended the convention and expo.
The WSF is a conservation and advocacy organization that works to recover wild sheep population numbers and enhance wild sheep habitat. Their purpose is, “Putting and Keeping Wild Sheep on the Mountain®” and their annual Sheep Show greatly supports that mission. One way the WSF recognizes and expresses partner appreciation is by presenting awards for work that supports wild sheep conservation.
“Through this award, we are recognizing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Don Morgan and his International Affairs team, for their leadership and dedication to ensure that trophy import permitting promotes the conservation of wild sheep and goats of the world and for their work to process import permits related to wild sheep,” said WSF’s President and CEO Gray N. Thornton. “We also thank them for their work in Central Asia to ensure wild sheep and wildlife will continue to be an importable resource. We recognize their diligent work to assure that trophy import permitting promotes conservation of the wild sheep and wild goats of the world and sees them thrive as a valuable, sustainable resource.”
Upon accepting the award, IA’s Morgan said, “On behalf of the Service and our International Affairs program, I sincerely thank the Wild Sheep Foundation for the opportunity to participate in their convention and expo and for recognizing our work through this award. We look forward to continuing our work with the WSF to promote and conserve wild sheep.”
This year’s Sheep Show was attended by more than 11,000 people from countries all around the world. It provided an opportunity for hunters, guides, outfitters, retailers, government agencies, and others who have an interest in wild sheep and goats to meet in person and discuss a myriad of wild sheep topics.
The IA team hosted an educational booth and provided information about the importation and permitting requirements of sport-hunted wildlife to the thousands in attendance. Additionally, they met with industry stakeholders and foreign government representatives from Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan, where they discussed range-country-specific permitting issues related to the importation of sport-hunted sheep by U.S. hunters.
During the expo, there were several break-out sessions and workshops. Jacob Mesler led one session where he spoke about the importance of our permitting process and how federal regulation and permits can have a positive effect on sheep in the wild.
For more information about the Service’s International Affairs program, please visit International Affairs | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (fws.gov)
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