Arthur “Jack” Schubarth, a farmer in Montana, has pleaded guilty to breeding “massive” mutant sheep. According to investigators, Schubarth created these mutant sheep to sell to private hunting reserves.
Schubarth, 80, bred these animals so they were much bigger than an average sheep in the United States. He also is accused of illegally buying parts of an internationally protected sheep species.
Montana Farmer Arrested
Schubarth owns a 215-acre ranch located in Vaughn, Montana. On Tuesday, a court in Montana heard from prosecutors about how the farmer was illegally breeding mutant sheep.
As a result of his crimes, Schubarth has pleaded guilty to wildlife trafficking, as well as conspiracy to traffic wildlife.
Breeding Mutant Sheep
According to Montana prosecutors, Schubarth was breeding these sheep to create a “massive” mutant sheep. He then sold these mutant animals to private hunting reserves, sometimes for $10,000 apiece.
From 2013 to 2021, Schubarth worked with other people to create these mutant species. Their goal was to create larger sheep, and therefore get higher prices from these private hunting reserves they were selling animals to.
Private Hunting Reserves
Private hunting reserves are places where people pay to be allowed to trophy hunt game animals for sport. These animals are fenced in on hunting land.
However, there are restrictions in place on these lands. For example, some protected species cannot be hunted under the law. These types of hunting places must also have proper licensing. Some hunters like to hunt on private reserves, as they often have the chance to hunt larger animals in these areas.
Wild Sheep Internationally
Prosecutors also accused Schubarth of illegally getting tissue and testicles of wild sheep from hunters around the world. These tissue samples came from wild sheep in the U.S. and Central Asia.
Schubarth then used these tissues to breed hybrid animals that are much larger than regular sheep found in North America.
Purchased Sheep Parts
However, prosecutors state that Schubarth didn’t just buy tissue of sheep. They also stated that he bought parts of the Marco Polo argali sheep.
Located in Kyrgyzstan, the Marco Polo is considered the largest sheep in the world. They are often found naturally in Central Asia’s Pamir region. Their horns can span more than five feet. Weight-wise, these animals can reach more than 308 pounds.
The Marco Polo Sheep
Most critically, Marco Polo animals are an internationally protected species. This species is currently considered to be “near threatened,” as their population has greatly dwindled over the past few decades.
Because of their large horn size and massive body, the Marco Polo sheep are often touted as a prime trophy for hunters, even though they are a protected species.
Marco Polo Sheep Are Banned From Montana
This specific sheep species is also completely banned from Montana, as officials want to keep native sheep safe from both hybridization and disease. Therefore, Schubarth’s illegal use to make a Marco Polo hybrid in his home state led to his eventual arrest.
In court, prosecutors explained that the farmer used the genetic material of a Marco Polo sheep to create cloned embryos. After a lab created these cloned embryos, Schubarth then implanted them into ewes he had on his own ranch.
The Creation of a Marco Polo in Montana
Eventually, Schubarth was successful in creating one cloned sheep. Named “Montana Mountain King” — or MMK — this animal was a pure genetic male Marco Polo.
Using the MMK’s semen, Schubarth artificially impregnated the ewes and other species on his ranch. This resulted in large mutant species being created. He then sought to sell one of these mutant animals to people in Texas for about $10,000.
What Was Said in Court
Todd Kim, the assistant attorney general, opened up to explain exactly what Schubarth was charged with doing — and how it violated both state and international law.
“This was an audacious scheme to create massive hybrid sheep species to be sold and hunted as trophies,” Kim said. “In pursuit of this scheme, Schubarth violated international law and the Lacey Act, both of which protect the viability and health of native populations of animals.”
Other Accusations
Schubarth was charged with even more accusations in court. According to prosecutors, he illegally bought the genetic material of a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, which is considered the largest wild sheep in North America.
He intended to use this sheep to crossbreed with those on his ranch. Schubarth and others have also been charged with forging veterinary inspection certificates.
The Impact on Wildlife
Since Schubarth’s charges were filed, analysts have explained that these hybrid animals could have negatively impacted Montana wildlife. “The kind of crime we uncovered here could threaten the integrity of our wildlife species in Montana,” head of state wildlife enforcement Ron Howell stated.
Though Schubarth has pleaded guilty, he has not been sentenced yet. His sentencing will occur on July 11.
