(AP) — Majestic bighorn sheep deftly dart up and down the steep, jagged walls of canyons throughout Colorado, delighting wildlife watchers when they spot the iconic Colorado animal that, just over a century ago, neared extinction. Once prominent throughout Colorado canyons, bighorn sheep populations were decimated by the early 1900s due to diseases from domestic livestock and over hunting, leading the efforts to repopulate. The first such transplant, from the still popular Georgetown herd, occurred in 1940, according to information on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website. [...] more than 100 transplants have taken place, mostly in the 1970s and 1980s, throughout the state. [...] despite some lingering effects of the disease and some indication of bacteria from domestic sheep, spread through interactions, documented in the herd as recent as two years ago, Kraft said the Big Thompson herd is considered to be on the rebound. [...] the population of 70 seems to be a healthy number, as indicated by births, which is why Colorado Parks and Wildlife issues hunting licenses in the herd, according to Kraft. Two combined herds on the west side of the national park are estimated at 300 total animals, while the east-side herd has about 100 animals that live in the Mummy Range area, said Mary Kay Watry, conservation biologist.