Bighorn Sheep Skull Found at Newark Mall

NEWARK, CA - Do you know anything about a bighorn sheep skull that was found abandoned at a shopping mall in Newark?

Officers with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are asking for the public's help to find information about an animal skull found last year in Newark.

In May, the skull of an adult male desert bighorn sheep was discovered in an area near NewPark Mall, according to wildlife officials. Pedestrian traffic in the area where the skull was found is very limited and the skull appeared to be in good condition, with some hair and flesh still attached to it.

Although desert bighorn sheep are native to California, the discovery is unusual because the animal is typically found in the state's southeastern mountainous areas and not anywhere near where the skull was found, wildlife officials said.

Hunting bighorn sheep is legal and happens annually in California, but is heavily regulated. Last year, only 11 bighorn sheep hunting tags were issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Wildlife officers believe the sheep was illegally hunted and that someone tried to conceal the skull afterward.

Anyone with information about the skull is asked to contact the department's confidential secret witness program, CalTIP, at (888) 334-2258. Tips can also be texted to TIP411.

--Bay City News; Image via California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife