Bighorn Sheep

description

• Bighorn sheep are large mountain sheep that weigh from 53 to 143 kilograms with both sexes having horns.
• bighorn sheep are named for there large, curved horns that can weigh up to 14 kilograms.
• male sheep (rams) have large curved horns while the females (ewes) have horns that are less curved.
• their genus is ovis and the family bovidae which includes mammals such as sheep, goats, muskoxen, bufflalos, gazelles, and antelopes.

bighorn sheep

• bighorn sheep have tought elastic hooves that allow them to climb up rough terrain but hey still die of rock falls.
• they are able to live in the desert due to their low water consumptiom and also they (bighorn sheep) get most of their water from food.

Social life

• desert bighorn sheep are social animals (like humans) and form herds of ten individuals.
• these herds can form colonies of up to 100 individuals during mating seasons.
• in order to mate (like many other social animals including humans) the males (rams) must fight for "their" mate. They do this by smashing their horns together and knocking each other over.
• This season lasts from July to October.The gestation period of 150-180 days and they have their babies during late winter when climatic conditions are cooler

Bighorn sheep

• Bighorn sheep are large mountain sheep with both sexes having horns which they got the name "bighorn sheep"
• bighorn sheep have the ability to climb up to high mountains due to there elastic hooves and strength.
• Rams (male bighorn sheep) compete for mates by smashing into each others horns.
• the desert bighorn sheep has adapted or evolved by natural selection in order to be able to survive weeks or even months without water and saving up the water from rock pools.
• desert bighorn sheep are social animals (like humans) with herds of eight to ten sheep or larger.
• they gather during there breeding season to determine who is dominant and mate from July to October.
• bighorn sheep live in separate ewe bands most of the year, they gather during mating season to reproduce.
• breeding may occour any time of the year and gestation (pregnancy) lasts around 150-180 days.
• due to colder climatic conditions, lambs are born usually around late winter.