Canyon Country Animals
Mammals: Desert Bighorn Sheep
Scientific Name: Ovis canadensis
The desert bighorn sheep is a large, chunky, hoofed animal with horns. Adult males (rams) have massive, curling horns; female and sub-adult horns are slender and curving. Upper body parts are grayish-brown; the large rump patch, insides of legs, and under parts are creamy-white. Desert sheep are approximately the same size as a mule deer.
These sheep range along the Colorado River basin from Utah to Mexico, and in interior mountain ranges of the southwest and south-central deserts. They inhabit remote mountain ranges, rough canyons, and the most hostile deserts.
They are a large herbivore that feeds on grasses and forbs with extensive use of some desert shrubs and trees. They are preyed upon by large predators. The lambs may be preyed upon by Golden Eagles. The lambs, usually singles, are born in mid-spring.
Desert Bighorn Sheep have been reintroduced into the area and are doing quite well. If you are lucky you will get to see one up close. Keep your eyes open when scanning cliff faces and rocky areas. Because of their coloration they blend easily with the scenery.
Bighorn sheep inhabit rocky slopes, where they can use their excellent climbing skills to escape from predators. The best time to see the sheep is during the late fall to winter rut, when males, ewes, and lambs congregate.
Bighorn sheep are well known for their magnificent, curled horns. Although both sexes grown horns, only the males' curl back around on themselves. The horns grow longer each year and can be used to determine the sheep's age.
Photos
Notes
Most of the photos of Desert Bighorn Sheep presented on this page were taken by either Mirek Stehno or Frank Stehno near the mouth of Cohab Canyon in Capital Reef National Park, in September 2004. Several other images were taken at the Sonora Desert Museum west of Tucson, Arizona.- Over the years we have been privileged to catch glimpses of Desert Bighorn on several occasions, but never as close as our encounter near Cohab Canyon. There we met one splendid fellow as he trotted down the trail toward us, and then later as he passed our path again and climbed up a rocky slope. We probably got within twenty feet of him at several points.
- The images of the Bighorn Sheep in Glacier National Park were taken in late August of 2007 in the Many Glacier area near Swiftcurrent Lake.
Related Sites
Remember to bookmark this site before you venture off down these side trails. They lead to other Web sites that we do not control. We cannot vouch for the content on, nor do we endorse, these sites. The following links are intended to assist you in your quest for further related information. If you discover a broken link, or a link with inappropriate content, or know of a link that should be listed here, please let us know.
|
|
More Outside Links |
||
