In 1980, the desert bighorn sheep (ovis canadensis mexicana) was placed on the endangered species list in new mexico. in september 2011, new mexico's department of game and fish conducted public hearings on removing desert bighorn sheep from the endangered species list. one phase of this successful recovery plan was the management of the bighorn sheep population. this did not include a) reducing the illegal poaching of the bighorn sheep. b) complete destruction of all predators of bighorn sheep. c) measuring the population growth annually of the bighorn sheep. d) identifying and minimizing disease in the bighorn sheep population.