In a story that sounds like it’s straight out of a Michael Crichton novel, an 81-year-old Montana rancher has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for his audacious cloning scheme involving a “near threatened” species of sheep.
Arthur “Jack” Schubarth’s efforts to clone the Marco Polo sheep, a massive and rare breed native to Central Asia, have landed him in hot water with the law. Schubarth’s elaborate plan, which spanned nearly a decade, involved breeding and selling the offspring of cloned sheep to hunting preserves across the U.S., all while violating wildlife protection laws.
The U.S. Justice Department revealed that Schubarth’s operation, which ran from 2013 to 2021, was an illegal attempt to create larger hybrid sheep that could fetch higher prices from captive hunting facilities. These preserves cater to trophy hunters who pay top dollar to hunt animals that are often fenced in, semi-tame, and, in some cases, hand-raised. The Marco Polo sheep, known for its massive size and long, spiraling horns, is highly coveted in the trophy-hunting world, with each animal valued at over $350.
The rancher didn’t just break the law—he shattered it. Schubarth and at least five co-conspirators violated the Lacey Act, a federal law that protects wildlife by banning the trafficking of illegally taken animals and plants.
He illegally imported parts of the endangered Marco Polo sheep from Kyrgyzstan, then used advanced genetic techniques to create embryos that were implanted into domestic sheep on his Montana ranch. One of these creations, a genetically pure male dubbed “Montana Mountain King” (MMK), became the foundation of Schubarth’s hybrid breeding scheme.
Schubarth wasn’t content with merely creating these animals—he also forged paperwork, moved sheep illegally across state lines, and even sold MMK’s semen to other breeders across the U.S. His goal? To create a bigger, badder, and more valuable hybrid species that trophy hunters would pay a premium to shoot. His plans extended well beyond Montana, with many of the animals destined for captive hunting facilities in Texas.
Authorities were quick to point out that Schubarth’s actions posed a serious threat to both native wildlife and the genetic integrity of wild sheep populations. By introducing cloned and hybrid sheep into the U.S., Schubarth risked spreading diseases and diluting the genetics of native species like the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. His scheme also violated international laws protecting endangered species, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
In the end, Schubarth’s scheme crumbled, and his sentencing marks the culmination of years of investigation by federal wildlife officials. In addition to his six-month prison sentence, Schubarth will face three years of supervised release, pay a $20,000 fine, and contribute $4,000 in community service.
His once-promising venture into cloning has left him disgraced, with his attorneys admitting that the ordeal has “ruined his life, reputation, and family.”
Schubarth’s ranch in Vaughn, Montana, where much of the illegal activity took place, was once home to his prized creation, MMK. Now, it stands as a symbol of how a thirst for profit and a disregard for the law can turn a groundbreaking scientific endeavor into a cautionary tale. While Schubarth may have hoped to revolutionize the world of trophy hunting, his actions will likely be remembered as a stark reminder of the legal and ethical limits that protect the natural world.
