Educational Media Reviews Online

Counting Sheep describes the fight for survival of Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep and the people who are working to protect them from extinction. These magnificent animals who live in the highest elevations of the rugged California Sierras once ranged from Mexico to the state of Washington and as far east as Nebraska. But their numbers and habitats have been greatly reduced due to over-hunting, disease spread by domestic sheep, and more recently, predation by mountain lions.

Protecting the bighorn meant that mountain lions that repeatedly preyed upon the wild sheep might need to be killed. This ignited outrage among the public and advocates for the charismatic lion. But eventually adversarial groups became partners, working together to preserve the bighorn sheep and to restore balance to the larger ecosystem. The results have been promising as the number of sheep has increased to over three hundred. Wildlife biologists want to see at least four hundred more sheep added to the total population over widely distributed areas before they will consider the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep to be out of danger.

Counting Sheep nicely summarizes this history as it emphasizes the difference between animal rights and conservation. While the former is concerned with the life of individual animals, the latter focuses on the welfare of populations. The documentary concisely demonstrates the need for balance - within nature, between man and nature, and among humans. It concludes with the critical question, “What do we want in the future?” The video is enhanced by its photography. Scenes of the remote Sierra peaks and the elusive bighorn sheep are spectacular.

Counting Sheep is highly recommended for public, school, and academic library collections.

Awards

• 2004 Wild & Scenic Film Festival (Nevada City, CA) - People’s Choice Award