Barbary sheep makes stop in Tucumcari

For weeks, Tucumcari residents have reported a lone wild goat with big horns roaming in a field just west of South 11th Street near a city water tank and Tucumcari Elementary School.

It turns out the animal is a Barbary sheep, as identified by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish from a photo emailed by the Quay County Sun to the agency.

Tristanna Bickford, communications director for the agency, said in a phone interview last week such an animal in Tucumcari is unusual, but they occasionally wander down the nearby Canadian River Valley and end up in town.

Although most sheep breeds move around in a pack, Barbary sheep sometimes are solitary animals, she said.

She said the animal poses no risk to livestock or humans.

Tucumcari Police Chief David Lathrom said the sheep has been grazing in that area since November.

"He has not caused a problem that I'm aware of," Lathrom stated in an email. "It would involve Animal Control if it caused an issue or were dangerous."

The chief said the city would intervene if the sheep repeatedly wandered onto roadways or into residents' yards.

Aaron McKinney, superintendent of Tucumcari schools, said he's aware of the animal near the elementary school.

"I have personally talked to people to leave him alone," he said.

No one is sure how long the Barbary sheep will remain a Tucumcari resident.

"It depends what the sheep wants to do," Bickford said. "He may move out of town. Nobody seems to know."