Bighorn Sheep

(Ovis canadensis)

There Habitat: Most of the bighorn sheep are located in the United States and

in Canada. They live in South Dakota, Montana and Sierra Nevada. In order for bighorn

sheep to survive in the wild they need open grassy meadows adjacent to steep slopes and

cliffs. They live by rough terrain and near steep canyons.

There Life: The male bighorn sheep usually lives from 9-12 years of age while

the female lives from 10-14 years old. Rams grow to be 3- 3.5 feet tall and they measure

to be 5 feet 3 inches to 6 feet long. The ewes are smaller then the male. They can weight

140 pounds up to 300 pounds depending of the species of bighorn. Rams horn can weigh

up to 30 pounds. Bighorn sheep normally travel in herds of about 5-15. During mating

seasons the rams bash the there horns against each other until someone wins and they get

the ewe. The ewe usually has one lamb. There biggest predator are cougars, mountain

lions and to the lesser extent wolf. When fighting large predators they usually circle up

around it and fight it together. Bighorn sheep are herbivores so they would not eat there

predator. . They usually eat grass and woody plants. At first they don’ chew there food

much until later when they regurgitate it.

The Threats: At the beginning of the nineteenth century there were about 1.5

million to 2 million bighorns in North America, but now that number has decreased to

less than 70,000. Hunting used to be a major issue to the bighorn population, but now

instead of wanting to hunt those people want to view them. Today the reason for there
decrease in number is due to the fact to the increase in development and loss of habitat.

Predators like mountain lions, wolves, bobcats, coyotes, and golden eagles usually don’t

threaten bighorn sheep, but in places where there population is low they at risk of there

natural prey. Diseases from domesticated sheep also posed a threat to them.

The Protections: At first in they 1960’s they put bounties for mountain lions so

that fewer bighorn sheep would gat killed, but as soon as they discontinued this the lions

numbers increased and more bighorn sheep got killed. There recovery plans also

included captive breeding. In the 1980’s they increased the number of herds from two to

five. Their plan also included the relocation of sheep to better grazing land away from

mountain lions.

Glossary
www.northern.edu/natsource/mammals/bighor1.htm
http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/bighorn_sheep.php
http://montanakids.com/plants_and_animals/animals/bighorn_sheep.htm
http://www.fws.gov/cno/news/2000/2000-01.htm