In a high-tech twist to wildlife conservation, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has partnered with the Tulalip Tribes for a project to scope out bighorn sheep from the sky. They're rolling out a pilot program that'll deploy drones to keep tabs on these mountain dwellers.  In a statement acquired by the WDFW, Ross Huffman, WDFW South Central Region wildlife program manager said, "WDFW is excited to coordinate with the Tulalip Tribes to learn more about using drones to monitor wildlife." He suggests the eye in the sky could make counting sheep a cruise, minus the snooze.

The WDFW has the details down pat: they're making sure each pilot is FAA Small Unmanned Aircraft System Remote Pilot certified because when you fly these buzzing gizmos, you better do it by the book. The testing runs from April to December of this year and will focus on Umtanum, Selah Butte, and Cleman Mountain herds which are, spread across south-central Washington to ensure the drones don't ruffle any feathers, human or animal, pilots will always keep the craft in sight, they'll cease liftoff if conditions turn dicey, like inclement weather, or a horde of hunters happens to be in the vicinity.

The drones are set to detect if these bighorns are hacking more than just the slopes. These sheep are under the magnifying glass because they're not just any herd, they're a Species of Greatest Conservation Need under Washington's State Wildlife Action Plan, and that means keeping them well is as important as knowing they're there.

These drone missions come across as a nifty alternative to more intrusive surveying methods, the noisy whir of chopper blades could become a sound of the past as these quieter crafts could leap to becoming a regular tool in the wildlife management toolkit. The WDFW assures there won't be any area shutdowns or major inconveniences to the public.