Desert bighorn sheep establish two desert areas in southwestern Arizona to help preserve the desert bighorn sheep: Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. In 1941, the San Andres National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico was added. Desert bighorn sheep populations have trended upward since the 1960s when their population was estimated at 6,700-8,100. The upward trend was caused by conservation measures, including habitat preservation. In 1980, desert bighorn sheep populations were estimated at 8,415-9,040. A state-by-state survey was conducted a few years later and estimated the overall US desert bighorn sheep population at 15,980. The 1993 estimate of
Karakum Desert Karakum Desert The Karakum Desert, also spelled Kara-Kum and Gara-Gum (, ; ;), is a desert in Central Asia. Its name means "Black Sand" in Turkic languages, in reference to the dark soil that lies beneath the sandy surface of much of the desert. It occupies about 70 percent, or 350,000 km², of the area of Turkmenistan. The population is sparse, with an average of one person per 6.5 km² (one person per 2.5 square miles). Rainfall is also sparse, ranging from 70 to 150 mm per year. Covering much of present-day Turkmenistan, the Karakum Desert lies east of the